Last week, The Cottage, a day support program ran by Li-Ve Tasmania, visited Henden Ryse in Magra for a day interacting, feeding and playing with some of the Valley’s friendliest farm animals.

Henden Ryse, which is ran by Kim Wilson and her son Henry Wilson-Haffenden, offers day tours to small special needs groups, encouraging an interactive and purposeful experience in a safe environment.

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The programs ran by Henden Farm are catered to the group or individual, and include time with the farm’s ponies, which encourages problem solving, patience, empathy, motor skills, breathing and communication, or general farm activities like feeding and caring for the animals.

The programs, which have been running for two years now, was born out of the need for Kim and Henry, who the farm was originally tailored for, to share the experiences they have on their farm to others who could benefit from it as much as they have.

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Henry has a condition known as Vanishing White Matter Disease, and though his condition keeps him in his mobilised wheelchair, it doesn’t keep him from getting amongst the dirt with his mother, feeding and raising the animals, when he’s not doing doughnuts, according to his mother.

The visitors on the day were all part of The Cottage, a support program ran by Li-Ve Tasmania, specifically for people over the age of 50.

All the on-farm visitors are New Norfolk locals and regulars to Henden Ryse through The Cottage, and alongside their carer’s, have formed a strong attachment to the animals, knowing who likes what being scratched and where.

For Kim and Henry, they have their eyes on potentially growing Henden Ryse to welcome in rehabilitation programs, but with so much of the work being reliant on volunteers, they are floating the idea of an open day for volunteers to help increase the capacity of the farm.

You can contact Henden Ryse at hendenryse.com.au, and Li-Ve Tasmania can be contacted at 6227 5400.