Supporting Young People with ADHD Into Rural Work

By Ian Robertson, Executive Director of Countryside Learning Scotland

Our award-winning ADHD RURAL CONNECT project is the first rural education programme for young people with ADHD. We provide them with “hands on” opportunities to learn new practical skills and qualifications, develop opportunities and employability skills while progressing understanding of their soft skills. It is the first of its kind, offering specialist educational support, to young people with ADHD, helping them into rural work across Scotland and is focused to ensure these young people can reach their full potential, by nurturing their skills for employability and life. 

Thirty-nine per cent of children with ADHD are (at times) excluded from education, so there is a considerable responsibility for us to utilise our 20+ years of experience and expertise when implementing ADHD Rural Connect. With our partners Perth and Kinross ADHD Support Group and NFU Mutual, we are recognising the potential of these young people and the role they could play in tackling the lack of young people embarking on rural careers.

These young people can face many challenges such as poor educational experience; weak interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence; friendship difficulties; not life prepared; lacking in confidence; and impulsivity – meaning poor decision making. ADHD Rural Connect is designed to support these specific challenges through the expertise of the Occupational Therapist and the specialist support to the young people, and the parents, provided by the Perth and Kinross ADHD Support Group. We are combining this nurturing programme with outdoor based practical skills; it is this combination of the two which is unique.

ADHD Rural Connect recently won the Scottish Land and Estates ‘Helping it Happen’ ‘Working with Communities Award’. This recognition gives us the confidence and impetus to keep striving, to take the project to further secondary schools, to support and develop more neurodiverse young people to help them reach their fullest potential whilst delivering a raft of motivated young people as future employees to the rural industries – this can only be seen as a Win-Win situation.

We are known as the charity that provides education opportunities to ‘all across all outdoor industries’ …well  now we are practicing what we preach.

Article posted on 17/08/2022

Land Agents dig in for Manna House

Kendal’s Manna House received a welcome boost from Bell Ingram’s Ambleside and Northwich colleagues recently.

Despite the sizzling summer temperatures, Neal Salomon, Hannah Rayne, Joe Greene, Andrew Thompson, Amy Best, Borzo Taheri, Bill Crank, Sarah Salomon and Lucy Lloyd spent a day helping to overhaul the charity’s allotment by clearing weeds, levelling the ground and binning rubbish. The volunteers also built and filled pallet box planters and laid and planted new beds for vegetables.

Land Agent Joe Greene, who organised the day, said: “Manna House provides essential support to society’s most vulnerable people. This new allotment offers an opportunity to grow their own food and a mental refuge for their clients. The allotment had been abandoned for 10+ years and has taken a mammoth effort to make it useable, just look at the rubbish pile!

“A huge well done to all the volunteers for their back-breaking work in the heat! A great job for a very worthy cause.”

A spokesperson for Manna House added: “Being homeless reduces life expectancy to 45 years for men and 42 years for women. Every little action helps us to help them.

“The Manna House allotment provides a safe space for our vulnerable clients. They learn valuable work skills, communication, self-worth and it improves mental well-being, as well as providing food that we share with all the clients.

“Thank you so much for your immense effort on the allotment, it will make such a difference. Your donation of time and effort inspired our clients. You gave them worth and made them feel ‘wanted’. They still talk about you and the hard work you put in. We now have an area where we can build more vegetable beds and a polytunnel, increasing our food production.

You should all be very proud of yourselves. If you ever find yourselves at a loose end you will be welcomed back with open arms.Thank you Bell Ingram, you are all stars.”

For more Information about the work of Manna House, go to www.manna-house.org.uk

Article posted on 31/08/2022

Bell Ingram hosts a Big Brew Up at Perth Show to promote the vital work of armed forces charity SSAFA

Bell Ingram is putting the kettle on at Perth Show to support our armed forces and their families in times of need.

The firm of rural chartered surveyors and land managers is joining forces with military charity SSAFA by hosting a tea party on its stand at the two-day event on Perth’s South Inch on Friday and Saturday, August 5^th and 6^th.

The Big Brew Up campaign encourages friends, families and colleagues across the UK to bake cakes and enjoy a brew together to raise vital funds for SSAFA, which supports service personnel, veterans and their families.

Bell Ingram is passionate about supporting SSAFA, formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, because a number of colleagues have previously served with the British forces.

Mark Mitchell, Bell Ingram’s Managing Partner and Perth Show Chairman said: “I am incredibly proud to support SSAFA, it is a fantastic charity that’s particularly close to our hearts, and the brilliant work it does to support the serving military, veterans and their families is inspiring.”

Allan Steele, SSAFA Corporate and Special Events Officer, added: “SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, exists to restore independence and dignity to those who have given us our freedom. We are here for their families too. The challenges faced by many are a direct consequence of service. The cost of living crisis only adds to that.  I am delighted that Bell Ingram have agreed to support our Armed Forces community as they have done.”

Mark Mitchell added: “The Bell Ingram stand is located on avenue A11 on the Main Ring. Visitors are welcome to drop in for a cuppa and cake and hopefully make a small donation to SSAFA.”

Article posted on 28/07/2022

Bell Ingram proud to support Black Isle Show

Bell Ingram are delighted to be supporting the upcoming Black Isle Show as Platinum Sponsors.

An important date in the Highland agricultural calendar, the Black Isle Show is the largest show of its kind in the north of Scotland and takes place across two days on 3^rd and 4^th of August.

Bell Ingram’s Highland office will be represented at on their stand, where they will be showcasing the land management, property and architectural services they offer. Meanwhile on Thursday, 4^th August the team are hosting a hog roast lunch for invited guests.

The team will also be joined by members of the Scottish Land and Estates team who will be available for an informal chat about the services they can offer members.

Highland Partner, Rob Whitson comments: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the Black Isle Show. Supporting the agricultural community is at the heart of what we do so sponsoring the show is a natural fit for our business. We would encourage anyone attending the show to drop into our tent to find out more about what we do and how our local team can help your rural business.”

Are you attending Black Isle Show? Visit Bell Ingram on Stand 105, Row G for a light refreshment and chat.

Article posted on 26/07/2022

Bell Ingram colleagues walk over 12 million steps for charity challenge

Forty-two intrepid walkers of all ages and abilities have been stepping up to raise cash for Bell Ingram’s three chosen charities – rural charity RSABI, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA).

Clocking up a combined total of 12 million steps during the month-long April fundraiser, the group of colleagues from across the company’s offices in Scotland and the North of England raised £4000 which was split between the three charities.

Supported by their dogs, children and partners, the walkers fitted in their extra miles before, during and after work as well as at weekends, and a WhatsApp group was set up to motivate the group and soon became a great way of sharing routes and posting pictures.

Samantha McDonald, Bell Ingram’s Compliance Manager, helped organise the challenge. She said: “This is the second year we have run the Spring Step Challenge. With the introduction of working from home during the pandemic, the idea was to challenge colleagues to take more exercise during the day. The challenge was so popular we decided to bring it back for 2022, and colleagues smashed last year’s total by a whole 2 million steps.

“Well done to all those who took part, we hope they enjoyed it and feel the benefits.”

David Leggat, Chair of RSABI, congratulated the Bell Ingram team on an excellent fundraising initiative. “Our sincere thanks to all the staff involved in the Spring Step Challenge and to everyone who supported their efforts. We are delighted to have been selected as one of the charities to benefit from funds raised and our thanks also go to Bell Ingram for helping to raise awareness of our new Freephone Helpline – 0808 1234 555.”

Lin Stead, Regional Fundraising Manager for Yorkshire Air Ambulance (East & North), said: “We would like to thank Bell Ingram for their generous donation of £1,326.00 from their Spring Step Challenge. A big thank you to all the organisers and those who took part, we hope you all enjoyed keeping fit and working on those steps to support our lifesaving charity.

“It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances maintained and in the air and donations from communities and businesses such as Bell Ingram are the life-blood of our service and enable us to stay airborne.”

Article posted on 21/06/2022