Heeley City Farm is an inner City Farm project in Sheffield that began back in 1981. In those early days a group of dedicated volunteers set about clearing two acres of derelict land and rubble and transformed it into what it is today.
Those same individuals successfully registered the project ... Read review
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Advantages: Free Entry, Good Facilities For Those With Special Needs Disadvantages: In An Urban Setting
Heeley City Farm is an inner City Farm project in Sheffield that began back in 1981. In those early days a group of dedicated volunteers set about clearing two acres of derelict land and rubble and transformed it into what it is today.
Those same individuals successfully registered the project as a Charity and with help from the Sheffield City Council and later funding, from the EEC and Lottery funding, this place was quickly transformed, ... ...philosophy remained the same. Heeley City Farm was created to provide the local Community with a free place to visit. Where Children could experience a real working Farm with Animals and enjoy their surrounding environment and where Adults could learn too about how to not just make their own Community a better place to live in but to also make lifestyle changes that would be far more wide reaching.
Heeley City Farm is an inner City Farm project in Sheffield that began back in 1981. In those early days a group of dedicated volunteers set about clearing two acres of derelict land and rubble and transformed it into what it is today.
Those same individuals successfully registered the project as a Charity and with help from the Sheffield City Council and later funding, from the EEC and Lottery funding, this place was quickly transformed, but as it expanded way beyond the initial dream its philosophy remained the same. Heeley City Farm was created to provide the local Community with a free place to visit. Where Children could experience a real working Farm with Animals and enjoy their surrounding environment and where Adults could learn too about how to not just make their own Community a better place to live in but to also make lifestyle changes that would be far more wide reaching.
The majority of the Animals at Heeley City Farm are either Animals that have been abandoned or mistreated. Some are the offspring of these original Animals whilst others are exotic Pets that no longer had a home. Many of these smaller Animals have arrived here via organisations like the RSPCA. Whilst the majority of these Animals will live out the rest of their days here others will be re-homed and a few, like injured Hedgehogs and Foxes that turn up fairly frequently will be nursed back to health and returned back to the wild.
In addition to the Animals here there is a large Garden Centre and Nursery. All of the money from the Plants sold here goes towards the upkeep of the Farm, which now has an annual turnover of over £1 million. There is also Organic Fruit and Vegetables for sale plus things like bags of fresh Compost and free range Duck and Hen Eggs.
There are many different small huts and buildings scattered around. Some of these are empty and some are locked. During the daytime the majority of the larger Animals like the Sheep, Goats, Cows, Donkeys, Horses and Pigs are out grazing in the surrounding fields.
All of the Animals that will remain here have been given names. These include Tallulah the Tarantula, Fern Chough an Exmoor Pony, and Molly the Irish Moiled Cow and her Calf, Moonlight. The majority of these Animals have been named by local Schoolchildren.
There are some odd creatures here too like Cockroaches, Ants and Stick Insects and there are also Bee Hives. Honey from these Hives can be bought in the Shop.
One of the strangest creatures here at the moment is a type of Rodent called a kinkajou that looks like something between a Rat and a Squirrel. These Creatures are Native to South America and are becoming quite rare in the wild. A note on this little fella's cage tells us that he was part of a collection of South American Animals that were confiscated by Customs at Heathrow Airport in 2004.
Apart from providing a safe haven for the Animals that it harbours Heeley City Farm has a very strong emphasis on Education. Trips of local Schoolchildren come here every weekday, I first came with my School back in the 1980's. Every day, including Saturdays and Sundays between 11.30am and 12.30pm it is possible for the Children (and Adults if they wish) to go into the cages with the staff and hold the Animals. They even let you have a go at feeding the young.
This Farm has a very strong emphasis on providing access for people with disabilities. There are disabled toilets and plenty of ramps but more importantly there is a whole section of the Farm dedicated to people with special needs. Here there are "feel and touch tunnels" and pens with Guinea Pigs and Rabbits in where they are out of sight but can be stroked through holes and you have to guess what Animal you have found.
There is a very strong emphasis of this working inner City Farm on being environmentally friendly. The Farm has its own Wind Turbine that provides all of the energy for the Farm and there are also Solar Panels. The Staff run free courses and talks every week for anyone who is considering using renewable energy for their home or businesses and if you are serious they will help you every step of the way.
Recycling and Re-Composting is strongly encouraged here too. There are rows of containers outside to recycle household waste like Metal, Aluminium, Paper, Glass etc but more unusually there is also a point to bring any Vegetable waste i.e. things like Cabbage leaves, Potato peelings etc. Currently there is also a point to bring your Christmas Trees to, too.
Other parts of the Farm have been set aside as Wild Meadows and there are lots of little Ponds scattered about. Again many of these have been created by local Children.
Many of the staff work here voluntarily and some are quite young. Anyone with a few hours of spare time over the age of 14 can help out. There is also a Cafe and a Shop plus a small Children's Playground.
Heeley City Farm is located about one mile out of the City Centre just off Chesterfield Road (the A61). From the Bus Station the number 53 bus runs along this road every 10 minutes and it is well sign-posted. There are Car Parking facilities here too.
Heeley City Farm is open every day from 9.30am until 5pm and entry is completely free.
For further information the contact details are as below:
Advantages: Very central to most of England Disadvantages: Meadowhall has killed the city centre off
more green areas (parks and stuff) than any other city including london. Every other city is around 35 to 40 miles away, such as Manchester, Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Wakefield.
We have a few nighclubs such as Gatecrasher, Leadmill, Flares. All the bars you can find any town are here.
Shops in the city centre are reasonabe, but nothing spectacular, and there is a lot of development happening, allbeit slowly.
Certain areas would be best avoided on a visit here such as Pitsmoor and Jordanthorpe which are crime high spots. Most areas are well worth looking at.
Things to see in Sheffield.
1. Meadowhall (Giant shopping centre)
2. Ponds Forge (Swimming baths of olympic standard.)
3. Graves Park. (Sheffields biggest park includes a rare animal breed centre.
4. HeeleyCityFarm (Communiy based farm learning people about animals.)
5 ...
johnnyhaupt 20.03.2009 (22.03.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sheffield (England)
