Sheep flock to new home at Prenton children’s farm thanks to water and construction companies’ team effort
Shepherds won’t have to watch their flocks by night at a children’s farm in Prenton this winter, as sheep will be safe and warm thanks to a community project by United Utilities and Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB).
Over the past three years, the water company and contractor have been working on the existing network in the area to improve and safeguard supply for future generations, all helping to keep customers’ taps flowing with high quality water.
As a way of thanking the community for their patience, the MMB and United Utilities project team chose a worthy recipient for a community investment – the Tam O’Shanter urban farm – a charity which relies solely on donations.
Listening to the needs of the farm, the team took on the job of building a shed for animal feed, ensuring the farm was compliant with fire regulations, and also adapting an existing barn, to give their sheep a safe and warm place for the winter. They have also carried out a number of DIY tasks around the farm, including new fencing and pathways.
The urban farm is home to all sorts of animals, from alpacas to guinea pigs, and gives local children the chance to find out more about the creatures and get involved in looking after them.
George Finegan, Third Party Co-ordinator at United Utilities, said: “We recognise that our work to keep taps flowing can cause some disruption, so this is a way for us to say thank you to people in the area.
“Our work on enhancing the water network in the area is nearly complete and provides additional resilience to ensure taps continue to flow for our customers.”
Julie Sands, Third Party and Stakeholder Manager at MMB, said: “These essential works can have an impact on our customers, and we thank the community for their ongoing patience. We are just delighted that we could be part of this and hope the farm get a lot of use out of the facilities we’ve provided.”
Sue Edwards, Volunteer Co-Ordinator from Tam O’Shanter Urban Farm, said: “Thank you so much; last year we lost sheep because of the poor weather and lack of facilities – this year, we will rest knowing they have a safe and secure place to rest. We really do appreciate your help and can’t thank you enough.”