Volunteers
About this record
Newham City Farm relied on a variety of volunteers as explained in the exhibition panel here. For many though, particularly the regular junior, youth, adult and SEND volunteers, there was a mutually beneficial relationship which is described in a special volunteer book which was given to each of the regular volunteers in 2015, a copy of which Ryan Davis loaned to the exhibition.
This volunteer t-shirt was on loan from Dean Messenger, a volunteer for 20 years from the age of 12, who was proud to became Head Volunteer.
Daniel Findlay, a young man who grew up with challenging circumstances. As an animal lover, at the age of 15, he was offered an opportunity to work at Newham City Farm and explains that this work instilled empathy with other living creatures, resilience and responsibility to manage difficult situations and vital life and work skills. He has kept his “Farm duties” schedule which he brought to the exhibition.
Sterre Ploeger is one of a group of adults with Learning Disabilities who enjoyed working on the farm on Fridays until the farm closed due to Covid in 2020. In 2025, these adults have now been offered similar sessions at Stepney City Farm.
Additional personal accounts of the significance of volunteering can be heard in the oral history extracts here.
Additional record details
- Contributor: Alison McLucas
- Type: InterviewPhotographsSoundsWriting
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