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| Who We Are |
Top Barn Training was started in 1999 by Noelle Wilson and David Harper. Being a not-for-profit
organisation means that its profits are ploughed straight back into the
centre, resulting in constant improvement in the facilities available to
students.
The centre is currently run by Noelle Wilson and two full time tutors,
John Wilson and Roger Bates. |
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| How it Started |
| Noelle Wilson, a tutor at a local agricultural college, and owner of Top
Barn Farm, David Harper, shared a common vision for ten years to use facilities
at Top Barn Farm as a base for some type of rural training. |
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When the right moment in Noelle’s career eventually presented itself, Top Barn Training was launched and plans were laid to attract students.
After six months of planning and discussion with local authorities the
first students were welcomed in November 1999. A suitable location was
found on the farm and after the area was levelled a couple of secondhand
portacabins were erected. The centre, however, did not take shape before
the arrival of the first students! Staff and the new students set to on
the exciting task of designing and building their own environment: concrete
paths were laid, pig and poultry pens and a barn were built, polytunnels
were erected and gardens, including a sensory trail, were created.
The sense of ownership of the facilities is outstanding and students have
immense pride in their centre. |
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| What We Do |
The main aims of Top Barn Training are to provide training, education and therapeutic opportunities to members
of our local community, particularly those with any sort of disability.
Training includes anything with a rural theme, such as horticulture, farming,
animal husbandry, woodland skills, alternative building and farmhouse style
cookery using home-grown produce.
Top Barn Training uses sustainable practices, including recycling, organic gardening and
livestock rearing. |
| Where We Are |
| Top Barn Training is situated in the midst of the beautiful Severn Valley, on the A443 Worcester
to Tenbury road, five miles from the centre of Worcester. It is well served by local bus services from Worcester, Stourport and Tenbury
and is eight miles from junction 6 of the M5 motorway. |
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The training centre is on a large family farm, which has a wide range of
enterprises from beef cattle and sheep to grass, corn, sugar beet, runner
beans, maize, butternut squash and courgette. |
Top Barn Training
Top Barn Farm
Holt
Worcester
WR6 6NH
Tel: 01905-620840
Multimap
HERE
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| Partnership |
Top Barn Training works with Worcestershire Social Services, Pupil Referral Units local
colleges and schools to provide training, education and therapeutic opportunities for all, particularly
those with disabilities.
Bishop's Wood Environmental
Centre
Worcester College of Technology
Pershore Group of Colleges
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| Top Barn Training News |
New
1000
sq foot Training Kitchen is opened. |
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The purpose built pine building contains a well-equipped training kitchen
and an eating area. New courses include ‘Plot to Plate’ series that will
include how to grow fruit and vegetables and then turn them into tasty
meals and preserves.
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