‘Wellbing farm’ promises to de-stress workers

A “WELLBEING” farm is due to open in Bolton in January offering corporate events and stress management courses.

Celia Gaze is opening the business in Edgworth after receiving help from the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s Business Growth Hub which helped her arrange finance.

Rejected for a conventional bank loan, Ms Gaze secured finance through the National Loan Guarantee Scheme – where government guarantees make loans cheaper – from Lloyds TSB. She also received extra help from The Rural Development Programme for England & Wales.

Called The Wellbeing Farm, the business promises to offer an environment where people can “de-stress, be inspired and re-energise”.

Ms Gaze said: “I hadn’t even realised I was suffering from stress until I was officially diagnosed but while taking yourself out of a stressful environment can help, there was nothing really to help me to get better.  

“That was when I hit on the idea of opening a wellbeing centre that would help people to unwind and counteract stress, all set in the glorious Lancashire countryside on our farm.

“Having visited 145 venues all across the UK, I took the best ideas and put them into this one venue, I had a great vision for what the farm needed to be.

“But even with our own £165,000 investment in the business we kept being turned down by the banks, because we didn’t know how to speak their language and show them what they were looking for.

“Without [Business Growth Hub’s] Access to Finance’s help the farm would still be a dream and we wouldn’t be preparing to employ a team of 10, bring extra revenue to Bolton and giving businesses and individuals a unique place to escape to.”