One of our young people sits in a barn full of hay surrounded by lambs

Down on the Farm – Our YPSS Youngsters Meet Lambs!

Our Young People’s Sensory Service (YPSS) provides practical and emotional support to children and young people with sight and/or hearing loss, and their families, as well as a full programme of activities in the school holidays. An annual Easter highlight is a visit to our very own Jayne’s family farm to see the
new lambs. Jayne, who works with our YPSS, says “the children (and the adults) had a lovely time on the farm – and we thoroughly enjoyed having them.

“Most of the youngsters said how cute the lambs were (or “what’s that smell!”). One said he had never seen a real lamb so close and didn’t realise it would be soft (wool) and not hard. One child asked me “Why do you live on a farm and not in a house” – I wonder if they think I sleep with the sheep, although it did feel like we were sleeping with them during lambing!”

Our YPSS youngsters thoroughly enjoyed meeting the lambs, as our photographs show! They also benefited hugely from the experience – being outdoors, being able to walk and run around safely in the fields and learning to be gentle around the animals. Jayne adds,

“The children loved being in with the orphan lambs and being able to just sit on the straw and wait for the lambs to come and be beside them. Some were a wee bit nervous, but once they cuddled a lamb, they were fine. It’s a real stress buster! It’s always a pleasure having the group, as it gives them an insight to the different ‘worlds’ I live in.”