As a post-war school Medical Officer, Dr Dorothy Beaumont saw many Birmingham children who lived in overcrowded, polluted areas who were poorly nourished and whose health suffered as a result. Her vision was to give those children the opportunity to get a ‘breath of fresh air’ – she fervently believed they would benefit physically, emotionally and mentally from a stay in the countryside.
In 1950 she founded Dodford Children’s Farm, alongside Mrs Lucy Cadbury, a benefactor.
In 1951 Dr. Beaumont’s dream became reality when the first children came to stay at the Farm. They had no knowledge of the countryside and most had never seen a farm animal. At ‘Dodford’ they could run around and play in plenty of open space, in a relaxed atmosphere, and help to feed and look after the animals. The benefits were apparent.
Today, Dodford Children’s Farm continues her vision by working with schools, social workers, health visitors and other referral agencies, to give children from deprived areas that much needed break and a ‘breath of fresh air’ With so many children still living in poverty, we can offer them a much needed break from the norm at a very low cost. We also welcome other groups not considered as 'deprived' if we have the availability, as regular funds coming in help to sustain the farm to enable us to continue our valuable work.