The farm reaches over 18,000 young people a year through educational visits, volunteering and recreational visits. Being open free of charge to members of the public provides much needed access to rural activities within an urban community, particularly as Barking & Dagenham is the 7th most deprived borough in London (out of 32). This project was chosen unanimously by the young volunteers as at the end of last year we had to retire our much loved large pony, to the Horse's Trust because she was becoming too old for the work required by this busy farm. The young farmers hope to be able to give a new home to a rescue horse however before we can do this we need to rennovate our old fences and stables to ensure they are safe for the large animals, as they no longer meet the standards. The large animals at the farm are a crucial part of many of the services the farm offers. It is truly thrilling and inspiring for children to see cows and ponies on their school field as part of a mobile visit and even more educational for the children that visit the farm to see all of the animals and where they live. The childrens pony rides were a particularly popular activity at weekends and on event days (delivering approximately 3000 rides per year). For many this was an exciting new experience and, as this is usually an expensive past time, for some young people it was the only opportunity to access and enjoy working with horses and riding within their own community. For those attending the farm for City & Guilds training working with the larger animals provides the essential experience they need to complete their course and for future employment opportunities. It is well documented that working with animals has great therapeutic value and for many of our volunteers it also helps improve self confidence and self esteem. In brief the outcomes for this project will be: - More opportunities for urban young people to enjoy pony or cart rides. - Improved training for disadvantaged volunteers and young people not in education, empoyment or training (NEET). - Increased activities for educational visits to and from the farm - Improved welfare of animals. Financial Breakdown £5000 New Horse £5000 Stable Block £2000 Fencing £4000 Field Shelter.