MADE-WELL based in Hatherleigh is celebrating a successful year of development, with an expansion project helping to broaden what the charity can achieve.

Made-Well is a not for profit community interest company, based at West Fishleigh Farm. The service provides a range of constructive, purposeful and positive ‘day opportunities’ for people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental ill health. Made-Well is an inclusive organisation with the ethos of actively encouraging full participation irrespective of age, background, qualifications, training or ability.

In the last few months Made-Well has expanded and built a new animal barn enabling the project to care and work with their animals all under one roof, creating a safe and enjoyable place to learn. New ‘activity pods’ have been built and the farm now has its very own pottery. The service computer room has also been refurbished with computers and internet access.

Laura Feaver, an inclusion officer at Made-Well, said: ‘The new barn creates a safe and enjoyable place to learn. The new activity pods include the slip pottery, computer suite, and a craft and events pod. This will enable us to run pottery sessions for attendees and also open it out to members of the public in the future.

‘There would be an opportunity for a pottery tutor to hire the pottery too and run classes. The new computer suite offers people the chance of being digitally included in society and learn functional skills, the crafts/events pod offers a good size space to run events and sessions.’

Made-Well attendee Olivia said: ‘Made-Well is like a big family, I have met friends. I look forward to coming and would like to come more. I like working with everybody and working with the animals.’

In 2010, Made-Well was among the successful applicants to receive funding from the Local Food Programme. This has enabled the project to create a dedicated horticulture site along with training facilities and a kitchen, a shop and café to promote a better understanding and appreciation of food, healthy life styles, and to give local people access to affordable home grown food.

The café is open to the public and the project welcomes visitors to come and take a look around and is open throughout the week.

Giles Gardner, manager of Made-Well, said: ‘Made-Well is a truly local service in the heart of the community. Come and see what we do — you will get a warm and friendly welcome.’