💔 THE STORY BEHIND ALPACA ACRES – OUR HOME, OUR FAMILY, OUR FIGHT AND OUR FUTURE.💗

Over recent weeks, there has been a lot of interest in our story, and many people have been asking questions about what is happening at Alpaca Acres and why our family's future here has become so uncertain.

We wanted to take a moment to open our hearts, share a little more about our journey and explain the situation we are facing.

There is so much more to Alpaca Acres than what can be captured in a news headline. Behind the photographs, the animals and the happy memories is a family, a home and years of hard work, love and dedication.

SO, WHY ARE WE BEING TOLD WE MAY HAVE TO LEAVE OUR HOME?

Quite simply, our planning situation centres around the council's view that Alpaca Acres does not generate sufficient financial profit to meet the criteria they require to justify a permanent residential home on the farm.

Yes, our family's future living here is being affected by whether the business meets the council's required financial criteria.

We appreciate that planning rules exist and that applications have to be assessed against them. However, what makes this situation so incredibly difficult for us is that the value of everything we have built appears to come down to a financial profit figure.

The issue isn't that we cannot care for our animals.
It isn't that we haven't worked hard to maintain the farm.
It isn't that Alpaca Acres doesn't have a purpose.

It is that, in the council's view, our business does not currently generate enough profit to satisfy its requirements.

And this is why we want to explain what Alpaca Acres really is.

ALPACA ACRES ISN'T JUST A FARM. IT'S OUR HOME. IT'S OUR LIFE. IT'S OUR FAMILY.

For several years, my family and I have poured our hearts, souls, time and everything we have into creating something special.

What started with alpacas has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined.

We have created a place where vulnerable children, families, people living with additional needs, veterans, NHS workers and those going through some of life's darkest moments can find comfort, connection and a little happiness through animals.

We have welcomed people connected with Help for Heroes, the NHS, the RAF, Women's Refuge, care homes, schools and many other communities.

For some, it's a chance to smile.
For others, it's a chance to feel safe.
For some, it's a moment of peace when life feels overwhelming.

And that is why we do what we do. ❤️

BUT THERE IS ALSO A VERY PERSONAL REASON WHY ALPACA ACRES MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

My journey here started after I suffered a serious accident during Covid.

Because of the circumstances at the time, I was left for months without the help and support I desperately needed.

I spent 18 months in a full metal leg brace before finally being able to have my first surgery. During that time, I was told to prepare for the possibility that I might never walk unaided again.

Since then, I have undergone multiple surgeries, and despite everything I have been through, I still struggle every single day with ongoing mobility issues, pain and the physical challenges that come with them.

There are days when even the simplest things are difficult. Days when my body reminds me of everything it has endured.

Just six months after my own accident, my husband suffered a frightening heart attack.

Life has thrown some incredibly difficult challenges at our family, both physically and emotionally.

But despite the pain, the setbacks and the struggles, I refuse to give up.

The animals became my happy place.

They gave me purpose, something to fight for and a reason to keep going, even on the days when I was struggling the most.

Perhaps that is why Alpaca Acres means so much to me. I know what it feels like to face uncertainty, to fight through difficult days and to hold on to something that gives you hope.

AND NOW WE ARE FACING ONE OF THE HARDEST BATTLES OF OUR LIVES.

The possibility of having to leave the land we call home is something I cannot begin to put into words.

People see the photographs, the happy families, the baby animals and the wonderful experiences, but they don't always see the sleepless nights, the worry, the endless work or the emotional toll of trying to keep everything going.

And then there are our animals.

We have over 100 animals depending on us. Many require daily, dedicated and sometimes round-the-clock care, attention, routine and protection.

They aren't just animals we own. They are our family.

Their welfare is our absolute priority, and the thought of what an uncertain future could mean for them is heartbreaking.

WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A MANSION.

We are not asking for luxury.
We are not asking to make a fortune.

We are simply fighting for the opportunity for our family to continue living on the farm, caring for the animals who depend on us and continuing the work we have dedicated so much of our lives to.

We understand that planning requirements have to be considered, but we also believe there is so much more to the story of a farm like ours than its profit margins.

Alpaca Acres is a small, family-run, non-profit Community Interest Company. Our purpose has never been about making huge profits or building personal wealth.

Every penny generated through our experiences goes straight back into our animals and the work we do here.

The difference we make to people's lives cannot always be measured financially.

The smile on a vulnerable child's face, the comfort an animal brings to someone struggling, the confidence gained by someone with additional needs or the happiness of a family making special memories – these things have value too.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR ALPACA ACRES?

We are continuing to explore our options and fight for a sustainable future for our family, our animals and the work we do.

We don't have huge financial backing or endless resources. What we do have is determination, hard work, a family who refuses to give up and an incredible community of people who have supported us along the way.

To everyone who has booked an experience, donated blankets and towels, shared our posts, supported our animals, recommended us or simply sent a kind message, THANK YOU.

You probably don't realise how much those little acts of kindness mean to us.

Every booking, every donation and every bit of support helps us keep going.

If you have ever visited us, laughed with our cheeky pigs, walked an alpaca, cuddled a guinea pig or watched your children light up around our animals, you are part of our story too.

Please continue to support us, book an experience, share our story and help others understand what Alpaca Acres means to so many people.

WE ARE NOT JUST FIGHTING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE.

We are fighting for our family home.
We are fighting for over 100 animals who depend on us.
We are fighting for the future of everything we have worked so hard to build.
We are fighting for a place that has brought happiness, comfort and hope to so many people.

I have already faced battles I was once told I might not overcome.

I have fought to regain my independence, I continue to fight through daily pain and mobility struggles, and I have never stopped pushing forward.

I AM NOT READY TO GIVE UP ON ALPACA ACRES EITHER.

We hope that by sharing our story, people can understand not only the planning situation we are facing, but also the human story behind it.

This is our home. This is our family. This is our life's work.

And we are doing everything we can to protect its future.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us, believing in us and helping us keep our dream alive.

With love,

Dawn & Family 💗🐷🦙🐐

ALPACA ACRES – MORE THAN A FARM. A HOME, A FAMILY AND A COMMUNITY.