Darwin Nurseries and Farm Shop is run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT). At this site colleagues from CPFT work alongside adults with learning disabilities and mental health challenges using horticulture and animal therapy to gain skills and independence.
Historically, people with learning disabilities may have spent their whole lives in a hospital setting, but when this changed and people moved into supported living environments, those people still needed activities to do in the day. In Cambridge, when people moved into supported living, CPFT bought farmland and set up Darwin Nurseries and Farm Shop to provide occupation for people in the day. This was something of a unique move.

Today, approaching its 30th year, what started as two cow sheds and 7.5 acres of farmland is now a bustling farm shop, cafe and workshop. Surrounding the cow shed is a small animal farm, a plant nursery within a glasshouse, a traditional orchard, polytunnels and permaculture beds which grow cut flowers and food to sell in the cafe. It provides horticulture therapy, animal care activities and co-worker opportunities for adults with learning disabilities or mental health challenges.
Today, approaching its 30th year, what started as two cow sheds and 7.5 acres of farmland is now a bustling farm shop, cafe and workshop. Surrounding the cow shed is a small animal farm, a plant nursery within a glasshouse, a traditional orchard, polytunnels and permaculture beds which grow cut flowers and food to sell in the cafe. It provides horticulture therapy, animal care activities and co-worker opportunities for adults with learning disabilities or mental health challenges.
Part of therapeutic horticulture is helping the co-workers to help themselves manage their emotions in a green space context. The staff provide opportunities for coworkers to switch off from the challenges which they might have, or through mindful conversation talk through things they are struggling with. Although the farm shop and café is public facing there are lots of green spaces reserved just for co-workers, giving them free space to decompress and self-regulate. For example, one coworker who struggles with interaction often goes on a walk and watches the birds in order to self-regulate.
Co-workers benefit from a person-centred philosophy and at the beginning of every day there is a jobs board where they can come and choose what they would like to do for the day. Looking after the small animals including goats, sheep and pigs, chickens, ducks and rabbits, is a popular task. Sandie Cain, Team Manager, explained the enormous benefit of animal therapy: “When you’re a looked after person all of your life and you’re given the chance to look after something else, it brings about a real compassion and understanding. Also, there is something about forming a loving relationship, that is uncomplicated. Also many adults with disabilities may have fewer opportunities for relationships that include physical contact, so to be able to cuddle the rabbit or stroke the pig can have enormous benefits.”

The co-workers become the experts in all aspects all activities at Darwin Nurseries. When Sandie was inducted to her job, she was quickly shown by co-workers how to use the till, how to care for the animals and how to make hanging baskets. They sell hundreds of hanging baskets annually and grows seasonal bedding plants (pansies, primulas, geraniums) for some of the grounds around the Cambridge colleges.
The way the team work with the land and the plants is ecologically focused: “We pride ourselves in making a safe and kind environment for coworkers, and that has to include a safe and kind way of working with the plants and land”. They have integrated wild meadow areas, woodpiles, hedgerows, minimally managed orchards, and are peat free. Recently they won a Gold Award for Environmental Best Practice in recognition of their sites sustainable practices!
The busy farm shop and café is a focus point for the community and many people come annually to buy their Christmas trees, remembering back to when they used to come to collect their trees as kids. The green space is a popular place to visit with children as you can walk through their woodland with a hobbit house nestled amongst the trees, use the picnic areas and have space to play without families having to spend a penny, making it accessible to everybody, seven days a week.
Annually Darwin Nurseries hosts an apple day, which attracted 1000 visitors last autumn. This included apple-based activities for kids, making flower crowns and finished with a ceilidh. Sandie looks forwards to inviting the public on site in future through similar events and with hosting workshops. For example, co-workers recently helped run a hanging basket workshop, which was extremely popular.

The orchard is a focal point on the grounds and in addition to the popular apple day they also host a wassail in January for the coworkers. Sandie has ordered 100 more apple trees from the NHS Forest to plant in 2025 to further expand this orchard and create an apple walkway!
If you want to order trees, put in an expression of interest before 28th February.
Whilst the apples from the orchards are used to produce apple juice, there is an impressive food growing operation. Fruit, veg and flowers are grown and sold within the farm shop. They also have bush fruit and soft fruit areas, which are used to make jams and chutneys known as “Darwin delights”. Co-workers do the whole process: growing the fruit, picking and cooking the fruit, making the labels and then selling it in the shops. They also grow a lot of pumpkins and squash and lettuce. In the summer the polytunnels are full to the brim with tomatoes, chillies and peppers, cucumbers, and aubergines making this a very impressive site.