Animal Magic comes to Ledbury Community Hospital
Pupils from the Elms School delighted patients at Ledbury Community Hospital when they brought some of their farm animals along to meet them.
Pupils from The Elms School in Colwall brought a great deal of joy to patients at Ledbury Community Hospital last week, when they paid a surprise visit to the wards with animals from the school farm.
Nursing staff helped more able-bodied patients to go into the hospital grounds, where they were able to pet the animals, and even hold the lambs and the pygmy goats!
For those patients who were unable to get out of bed, pupils took recently born lambs into the wards so that they could enjoy seeing them.
Farm Manager at The Elms School, Mr Paul Smedley, was overwhelmed by the warm reception he, the pupils and the animals received. He said: ‘It was such a wonderful opportunity to share our passion for the animals with the wider community, and it was such a joy to see so many faces light up when they encountered just some of our pedigree stock”.
For the pupils who took part in the visit, it was, unanimously, the highlight of their week. They loved chatting to everyone and telling them all about the farm and its’ residents. Pupils are involved in livestock handling and the day to day running of the farm, so they had plenty of specialist knowledge to impart! Every child was so touched to witness the impact that their visit had, and the power of nature to affect wellbeing. As one pupil put it, “It was such an amazing experience, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world”.
Headmaster, Ed Lyddon, was delighted that The Elms pupils were able to share their enthusiasm for farming with other generations. “Our children are very lucky to have a school farm, where they all help to take care of our small herd of Gloucester Old Spot pigs, the wonderfully playful pygmy goats, our flock of Shropshire sheep, and herd of Hereford cattle. In addition, we have over 60 ex-battery rescue hens which provide fabulous eggs for us. Studies have shown that pet therapy has several benefits for children and adults, such as reducing stress, accelerating healing, lowering blood pressure, and lifting spirits. In terms of academic performance, being involved in looking after animals is also known to improve attendance and accelerate academic progression. With our wonderful farm and our Rural Studies curriculum, pupils at The Elms learn how to connect with nature and enjoy the very best kind of childhood. I am delighted that we were able to share a glimpse of The Elms’ Animal Magic with everyone at Ledbury Community Hospital”.
09.05.23