Adorable alpacas aim to put a smile on faces

Staff at Sheffield-based Holly Hagg Community Farm have offered Rotherham Council a series of special walks with the South American animals, to be carried out across the year, as part of the farm’s service to the community.

The treks will benefit up to 25 children and young people, who are part of the council’s Intensive Intervention Programme, which helps looked after children who have experienced a lot of instability and uncertainty.

The farm, which sits in the heart of Sheffield’s Rivelin Valley, has been offering walking tours with their small herd of alpacas for the past couple of years. Volunteers are on hand to ensure the experience is enjoyable both for the alpacas and the public.

Community farm manager Claire Gregory said: “Alpacas are extremely gentle creatures and so are ideally suited to walking – especially with young children. That is why we are delighted that we are able to offer the gift of these treks - a great opportunity for animal-assisted therapy - to children in care in Rotherham.

“If our animals can help these children overcome some of the issues they have already experienced in their short lives then the team at Holly Hagg will feel really privileged to have been able to help.”

The walks are recommended for families with children aged seven and over, though younger children are welcome if they can manage the walk. Each session starts an introduction to the herd, demonstrations of how to feed and a safety briefing.