Camphill Village Trust began our work to support adults with learning disabilities in 1954. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters we empower people with learning disabilities to live more independently and provide rewarding activities that bring meaning and purpose to life.
Your contributions help us to create a way of life that includes people of all abilities.
We learn new skills together, we help each other, we make new friends and we enjoy each other as equals. But we know that there is so much more we can do. Each community is bursting with ideas for new workshops and activities. Each community wants to help more people with learning disabilities live a wonderful life.
Why Camphill Village Trust?
We fundraise for a Life of Opportunity, and our model of support is curated from all the things that our communities have said are important for them to have a good life. This is a life that is healthy, active, focused on growing and having the benefit of good food, partaking in skills, training work and volunteering through our enterprises, and having fair and equal access to the broader community.
We have a holistic approach to support. Unlike traditional care providers, we integrate homes, farms, gardens, and social enterprises to create inclusive communities where people with learning disabilities and autism can live, work, and thrive. We offer nature-based therapies and our Green Care programme reconnects people with nature, supporting wellbeing through farming, gardening, and conservation. Our social enterprises provide real employment, education, and volunteering opportunities that build confidence and independence. With over 70 years of experience, we are more than a care provider—we are a community where everyone has the chance to contribute, develop skills, and feel valued.
The need for fundraising
According to recent statistics, people with learning disabilities die on average 20 years younger than the general population (NHS England Learning Disabilities Mortality Review), and adults with learning disabilities are 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty than the general population (Joseph Rowntree Foundation).
The urgency to address these needs is paramount as the demand for services outpaces available resources. Many individuals with learning disabilities face significant barriers to accessing education, employment, and social opportunities, leading to social isolation and reduced quality of life.
The relevance of our work is underscored by the positive impact on the lives of those we support, encouraging independence, and enhancing quality of life. Our services provide a lifeline for individuals and their families, offering tailored support that promotes personal growth and community inclusion.
Furthermore, a recent study by The Wildlife Trusts, shows that nature-based health and wellbeing programmes could save hundreds of millions of pounds each year and reduce society’s reliance on the NHS. To increase access to green social prescribing projects and enable the NHS to benefit, The Wildlife Trusts are calling on the UK Government to integrate green prescribing into community health and social care services everywhere.
We believe that we are leaders of a new future by integrating social care with the therapeutic power of nature through our innovative social and Green Care model.
Show your support
Today, in times of ever-increasing pressure on social care funding, our need for gifts from our friends remains as strong as ever. There are many different ways that you can support Camphill Village Trust. You could:
- Organise your own fundraising initiative
- Take on a sponsored challenge
- Make a monthly gift in aid of our cause
- Organise a fundraiser at work
- Donate online
- Volunteer in one of our communities
We hope there is a way that you can support adults with a learning disability that suits you and your circumstances. However you support us, your gift will help people with learning disabilities to live a life of opportunity.
Gifts from our friends help to redress the imbalance that having a learning disability brings and enables people to participate in and enjoy every-day life, something that so many of us take for granted.
