Doeke Dobma: Clinks Care Farm

Website: www.carefarminguk.org

Located in Beccles, Norfolk, Clinks Care Farm is a mixed farm owned by Norfolk County Council that offers care farming opportunities. GPs can refer people directly to work on the farm as part of a mental health treatment plan.

Care farms offer the therapeutic use of farming practices to provide health, social or educational care services to vulnerable people through a structured programme of farm activities.

Clinks Care Farm was established in 2009 by Doeke Dobma and is run alongside his wife Iris van Zon. The farm welcomes 48 people to participate twice a week over 12 weeks. Several retired volunteers help on the farm, most with backgrounds in education and health care. As farm owner and the driving force behind initiating the "Farming on Prescription" pilot, Doeke is an advocate for rural access to mental health care treatment. Inspired by care farms in the Netherlands, in 2009 he moved his family and signed a lease on a farm to make his idea a reality.