Farmer who didn't let blindness stand in way of his dreams nominated for award
Happy animals and caring founders are at heart of The Inclusive Farm where they are making a career in agriculture possible and accessible for people with disabilities
A farmer who refused to let blindness stand in the way of his dreams has been nominated for the new P&O Cruises Inspiration Award at Pride of Britain.
Mike Duxbury, whose motto is 'I can't change the world, but I can change my world' is the driving force behind The Inclusive Farm.
Working with his partner and co-founder Ness Shillito, 58, The Inclusive Farm is the only working livestock farm to be designed and built by a blind person and it welcomes people of all backgrounds and disabilities.
'The world is full of people who are in need of a better future,' says Mike, 57, who lost his sight at age six from infantile glaucoma. 'And this project is being done by somebody who experiences the day-to-day struggle like the people who come to the farm.'
Mike is among thousands of public nominations for the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises, which celebrate the nation's unsung heroes.
After meeting online, Mike and Ness wanted to make a job in agriculture more accessible for all disabled people.
'When I tell people how I met Ness – I said I was just looking for a new set of tyres for my car,' he laughs. 'Because, although I'm totally blind, I still have a real passion for cars.'
Mike hasn't let anything stand in his way. 'From the age of seven I wanted to be a farmer, and that dream came true for me,' he says.
'There are many people who love animals and would like to work with them but never get the choice, now I use my knowledge of agriculture and diversity to help others and tell them 'never give up on your dreams.''
Every week students come to spend time at Inclusive Farm – and people from all over the world get in touch, because what Mike has created has never been done before.
'We also let schools and individuals come and get hands on. So, if you're visually impaired or totally blind, you will leave here knowing what a pig, sheep, or cow looks like.'
READ MORE: Brave mums fighting scandal 'bigger than thalidomide' land Pride of Britain nomination
Mike knows what it's like to feel rejected by society. 'I went through a period myself in the late 20s where I made over 500 job applications and got not a single reply,' he admits.
It made him more determined than ever to help people like him. 'I see so many people who are so talented and have so much to give and are left on the scrapheap. We had one lad come through the farm,' he recalls. 'He was very quiet and didn't want to do the farm. After two years he was one of our supervisor trainees.'
The couple started with a self-funded one-acre plot, of a ragwort-riddled bare field, in Steppingley, Bedfordshire, and transformed it into a working farm with pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, guinea pigs and even cows.
'I'm a livestock farmer but my main passion is pigs,' says Mike. 'My pigs are so well looked after, they love rolling over to get their bellies tickled. Somebody once said to me, 'Mike, if you had time to give them cocoa at night, you would.'
'Also, happy animals are safe animals. I am very aware of health and safety risks. And my system and method might be slightly different, but we get the same result.'
He explains some of the ways he's adapted his farm, saying: 'I keep younger animals so I don't have big cattle on the farm. Each pen has a fence that's different to feel. So I know with one touch where I am on the farm.
'I use electric vehicles so I can hear and take instruction without the noise of a diesel engine over the top.
'And I also have textures on the floor, so when I'm carrying a bale of hay, my feet tell me that I'm getting close to where the pens are – simple things like that.'
Having now been gifted a second, larger site in Aberdeenshire, where the couple are based, Mike completely designed the new farm himself - making it purpose built for people with disabilities.
'The builders think it's hilarious that a blind man has designed the building!' laughs Mike. 'But it's little things like there's no steps in the building, and it was flooring that deadens disorientating acoustics, and sliding doors for people in wheelchairs.'
Mirror reader Mike says: 'I like to read the Daily Mirror online – so it's my newspaper. And if we win this award, I would dedicate it to all the people and companies who've shown us so much kindness and support.'
Do you know an amazing person who has made a difference to the world? If you do, please consider nominating them for a Pride of Britain award.
How to nominate
Extraordinary people like Mike have been at the heart of Pride of Britain over the past 26 years.
The new P&O Cruises Inspiration Award will celebrate a remarkable individual or group who inspires everyone around them, or the wider world, with their positive spirit and awe-inspiring journey to achieve, or overcome adversity. They may deserve recognition for an extraordinary reaction to a defining or pivotal moment, or perhaps their actions have had an extraordinary impact.
You can nominate now at prideofbritain.com, where there is a full list of categories.
The Pride of Britain team will consider every nomination, before compiling a shortlist for the judging panel.
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