Trust it to win £5,000! (From Barry And District News)

Trust it to win £5,000!

A BARRY charity that helps youngsters with learning difficulties and those at risk of crime, drink and drugs, has won a national award.

The Amelia Trust Farm has scooped £5,000 by winning a national environment competition.

The money will be used to build a polytunnel which will mean more people are able to use the popular farm.

The farm, managed by Amelia Methodist Trust, won national recognition at the Biffaward Awards 2003. The event, hosted by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation, is designed to recognise and reward the work of environmental groups funded through Biffaward.

The Amelia Trust was one of 21 organisations shortlisted to go forward to the final round. The project competed with three other environmental schemes to scoop the community category winner's cash prize of £2,500.

It then went on to take the overall title, beating four other category winners, and the £5,000 top prize, which was presented by environment minister Elliot Morley.

The Amelia Trust Farm is a charity that offers activities such as nature trails, play areas, an arboretum and organically produced plants and flowers. The horticultural project there is run by a combination of volunteers and people with learning difficulties.

Martin Spray, a judge for the community category, said: "The Trust has a special interest in working with young people at risk from crime, alcohol, drug and solvent abuse.

"It provides opportunities for disaffected young people from a wide catchment area. It also provides opportunities for people with learning difficulties to experience an active outdoor life."

The new, larger polytunnel being built at the farm will allow more people to benefit from access to the garden, along with more organically grown plants, herbs and flowers being produced and sold at the Cardiff farmers' market on a stall staffed by volunteers and trainees with learning disabilities.

Martin Bettington, chairman of Biffaward, said: "The standard of projects shortlisted for this year's awards was outstanding. The Amelia Trust Farm managed to achieve so much out of a relatively small grant from Biffaward."