Longdown farm owners 'overcome and humbled' after animal funding appeal smashes target

THE owners of a popular farm which has been visited by families for generations have been left astounded after well-wishers donated more £30,000 to keep it running.

Bryan and Dawn Pass, who have run Longdown Activity Farm at Ashurst since 1983, were forced to close the gates on 20th March following the government’s lockdown announcement, causing concern about the financial impact on the farm.

In a video posted online, Farmer Bryan, as he is known, said: “Like so many other businesses out there, our income came to an abrupt halt just prior to Easter – one of the busiest and most important times of the year for us. While the government has promised grants and funding, in the short to medium term this is proving difficult for us to access.”

While alternative homes have been found for some of the farm’s stock, it still has a number of horses, donkeys, cattle, alpacas, goats, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs and poultry to feed as well as the cost of any veterinary requirements.

Not only is the farm a popular tourist attraction, but it is also an education centre for local schools as well as a training centre for assisted-needs students.

To fund the animals’ upkeep and to ensure the business’s future, Bryan (pictured with sheep dog Jess) and Dawn had no option but to put out an appeal for funding assistance.

Bryan explained: “Dawn and I have faced hardship before, with the foot-and-mouth epidemic in 2000, and bird flu in 2017, but nothing like this. We struggled with our conscience but felt that there was no alternative but to ask for help.”

The original £5,000 target was met within an hour of the appeal going live on Saturday. It now stands at more than £32,000.

Bryan said of the response: “We are completely overcome and humbled by this most generous response from all of those that have donated.

“We have even had donations from around the world including a mobile farm based in Australia. We know that this is a very difficult and uncertain time for everyone so we would like to express our warmest and most heartfelt thank-you to each and every one that has donated, and also for their words of support, encouragement and friendship which mean so very much to us.”

To donate visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-feed-the-longdown-farm-animals