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What is Owl Barn?

Owl Barn is a beautifully renovated traditional stone building, set in 6 acres of the Lake District National Park, near Penrith. This stunning, tranquil place offers a fully accessible therapy space that doesn’t look or feel like a typical rehabilitation setting.

Overlooked by Great Mell Fell and Little Mell Fell, with sheep, deer and other wildlife on the doorstep, visitors can participate in therapy-led recreational activities in a beautiful, calming setting, being outdoors spending time in nature or admiring breathtaking views from every window.

How can we help?

‘OWL’ stands for ‘Onward With Life’. Our mission here is to enable people, through a range of engaging indoor and outdoor activities, to progress towards rehabilitation goals and develop skills they can use in their day to day life.

Activities include:

Mindfulness and relaxation (including massage and outdoor sessions)
Cognitive rehabilitation
Social and therapeutic horticulture
Animal husbandry – caring for our sheep and alpacas
Cooking and baking
Art and crafts

Personalised 1:1 programmes

We offer bespoke 6 – 12 week programmes, tailored to the needs and interests of the individual. Our programmes are therapy-led and evidence-based, with clear goals, progress updates and thorough review reports.

Group sessions

Subject to demand, we will also run some of our programmes as group sessions. As with the 1:1 programme, these will be offered in 6-12 week blocks, giving participants the chance to develop and practice new skills with consistent guidance and to take on extended projects. For example, participants on a gardening programme will be able to plant, nurture, harvest, prepare and eat the produce grown in our accessible polytunnel.

Group sizes will vary depending on the programme, but will be kept small (generally no more than 6) to ensure all participants have the support they need.

Accessibility

Our versatile space is adapted to meet the needs of clients with complex conditions, enabling them to participate fully in their sessions here.

Paved disabled parking spaces provide ample space for wheelchair accessible vehicles with ramps
Entry to the building is ramped and wide doorways make access as easy as possible
FlexStep wheelchair lift between the main room and hallway
Level-access wet room with a hand level automated door, Closomat toilet, shower, changing table and ceiling track hoist
Spacious, fully adapted kitchen, with automated height-adjustable sink and hob, built in oven with slide and hide door and pull out worktop, easy access dishwasher and pull down cupboard shelves. Equipped with adaptive cutlery and utensils and aids such as a perching stool and kettle tipper
Accessible polytunnel, raised planters and outdoor seating area

Who is it for?

At A Chance for Life, we specialise in the rehabilitation of people whose lives have been changed by injury. In particular, we have expertise working with people with acquired brain injury and other complex neurological conditions. Owl Barn allows us to translate this expertise into a new type of service, meeting the needs of this client group in a different way.

With programmes and activities tailored to the needs of the individual, fully adapted facilities and the space to include support workers and family members, we are able to welcome adults and children of all ages and abilities.

We welcome enquiries for individual or group programmes from

Existing clients of our case management, occupational therapy, physiotherapy or support services
Clinical or legal professionals working with a client who might benefit from this service
Private individuals or families
Charities, groups or other organisations who may be interested in arranging sessions for a group

Social enterprise

Through our social enterprise arm, we are linking up with charities and other third sector organisations to share our facilities and activities with service users who could benefit from what we have to offer at Owl Barn.

Occupational Therapy