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The Red Apple Community Trust is a new Charity which wishes to establish a Care Farm in West Lancashire. We have purchased a Plant Nursery (Hare Nurseries now called Red Apple Nursery) with some additional nine acres of land from this base the charity through our subsidiary companies. Red Apple Nursery Ltd. will establish our activities.

The purpose for these activities is to provide a vehicle for people recovering from health problems to assimilate themselves back into society. The activities on the nursery and land will provide numerous opportunities for work and activity commensurate with the person's needs and abilities.

a brief history

The new Company was renamed Red Apple Community Trust Ltd on 30th July 2008.

The Company, originally formed in 1982 has had several names as the business it is working in has changed the emphasis of the work. The Company has employed over 200 staff in recent years. It has continuously been contracted with the Learning and Skills Council and previously with the Training and Enterprise Council. Since 1996 when the Private Sector New Deal Lead was established the Job Centre plus contracts have grown exponentially and the company has operated nationally.

Founded originally by Reverend Father Michael McKenna in 1977 as the Pastoral Centre. It was developed to assist young people find work and develop new skills. The first name for the company and charity (January 1983) was Tomorrows People Today Ltd. It managed Government Programmes such as the Youth Opportunities Scheme followed by the Youth Training Scheme. As it developed into a Training organisation the named changed to reflect this and it became TP Training Ltd (March 1989).

By this time the organisation was also training unemployed adults and in 1997 merged with Skelmersdale College and changed the name to Training West Lancashire Ltd in January 2000. Still operating Government contracts TWL as it was known became the private sector lead for New Deal, a contract it still holds.

In 2008 by which time Skelmersdale College had merged with Newcastle College the college bought out the government contracts from the Charity and the newly formed Red Apple Community Trust Ltd (June 2008) was established.

Who Benefits?

The Many participants on care farms experience improvements to their physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being. Participants connect with a healthy daily structure and meaningful work in a natural environment - gaining social, educational and training benefits.

The farming environment can be used to provide significant benefits for a wide range of people including:-

  • those with learning difficulties
  • people with a drug/alcohol history
  • disaffected and excluded youth
  • people with work-related stress
  • those with mental health issues and depression

Care farming is good for rural communities and economies as it enhances the viability of farms, broadens farm business and increases the services derived from the countryside. Farmers receive a deep sense of satisfaction through helping people  improve their lives through farming - and having guests of the farm also addresses issues of rural isolation.

Care farming places a high value on the knowledge and skills of farmers and seeks to help rural communities become more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.