Wellbeing

@ Bumblebarn

Welcome to Wellbeing @ Bumblebarn! Our goal is improving the mental and physical health of people of all abilities by providing Animal Assisted Activities with our friendly Alpacas!

Off Site Visits

We are licensed and insured to visit residential homes, schools and other venues with our friendly alpacas!

We travel within 1hr of NR26

An alpaca visit is a wonderful experience and very rewarding to take part in. The animals are friendly, can be brought indoors and can be fed carrots by hand, stroked, led around and will even pose for photos! Our experienced handlers love to chat all things alpaca, and we can bring samples of their fleece, spun wool, felted products and more to touch and see, or even have a go with!

Please contact us for a quote and to discuss your requirements. We are able to do one off or regular visits.

@ Bumblebarn

Wellbeing Sessions - age 6+

The benefits of spending time with animals, in nature and learning new skills are well documented (see below for references) but what if you need some help accessing the experiences needed?

We are now offering bespoke animal assisted sessions to help build confidence, reduce anxiety, teach mindful habits, grow resilience and foster independence.

These sessions are suitable for children (a parent must stay on site if the participant is under 18), teens, adults, those with additional needs and/or anyone else who feels they would benefit!

In these one-to-one sessions we will work through our basic steps to ensure that participants are comfortable with us, out in the field and around the animals. Activities such as mindfulness, meditation, art or breathing techniques may be incorporated into sessions. We work at the individual’s pace, and when they’re ready we can then introduce touching, feeding, grooming and handling the animals. We don’t push people into situations they’re not comfortable with, and our animals choose to participate too – which encourages respectful relationships with animals, other people and ourselves.

The satisfaction that comes when a person can catch and handle an animal which they were previously afraid to even approach is incredible, and the positive experiences benefit you mentally and physically.

We have gentle alpacas and cheeky miniature Shetland ponies who are all used to being handled by people of a variety of ages and abilities. We are able to work with either, or both, types of animal during our sessions depending on your preferences.

Each 1hr session is one-to-one with one of our knowledgeable animal handlers and will be tailored to your requirements. A phone call or email consultation before the first session is included, to ensure we can meet your needs appropriately.

Wellbeing Sessions are £30 per session.

The Mental Health Benefits of Learning A New Skill – Nutrien Health

Spending time with animals is good for your health – Good Health Magazine

How nature benefits mental health | Mind

Building resilience in children (beyondblue.org.au)

Therapeutic Walking & Talking Sessions with the Bumblebarn Alpacas

Bumblebarn are collaborating with Ryan Doubleday, the founder of Nature & Nurture Therapeutic Services.

Ryan will be offering his one-to-one support sessions while walking in North Norfolk’s beautiful natural surroundings, accompanied by a pair of our alpacas. These sessions give the individual space to unwind, vent, engage and talk about any situation in their life that they are struggling with and gain coping strategies.

Ryan has developed a revolutionary approach to help people who may find traditional counselling/talking therapy methods too intimidating and intense. He is sure that not only will you feel a million miles away from your daily struggles, but you will feel re-energised and reinvigorated to go back and overcome any challenge.

Spending time in nature and with animals has been proven to be incredibly beneficial to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. We know how much the animals benefit us and the people they interact with, and we are keen to make animal assisted activities and therapies even more accessible to those who need it. Please note that we can also offer seated therapeutic sessions in the alpaca field or cosy cabin if walking is not your preferred activity.

Check out Ryan’s website and, if you’re interested in Walking & Talking with the Alpacas (and Ryan!) please contact him for pricing and availability.

Mindful Walking group with Katie Patterson

Next Walk - TBC

£5 per participant - funds raised will be put towards our winter hay bill

spaces available

Mindful walking is led by qualified volunteer Katie and is kept to small groups of adults only at this time. Katie will guide the group on a steadily paced exploration, utilising mindfulness and breathing techniques to assist everyone in slowing down and really benefiting from the experience.