Nathan’s Story – Smugglers Barn

Smugglers Barn, a residential service in Surrey, is partnered with a nearby farm that gives people the opportunity to explore a range of opportunities in a new setting. Nathan is one such person who has benefitted from the unique environment in overcoming the challenges relating to his Prader-Willi Syndrome.

The eating disorder, which affects an individuals’ relationship with food and brings associated behavioural problems, had previously prevented Nathan from engaging with the local community and restricted many aspects of his life.

When he moved to Smugglers Barn two years ago, Nathan had a clear idea of what he wanted to achieve, so the support team spent time with him putting a plan in place detailing how he could set about achieving it. They supported him in addressing his relationship with food and ensuring he stuck to regulated quantities of food. Nathan’s support plan also made sure he was provided with one to one support at the nearby farm, which gave him much needed fresh air, exercise and the opportunity to try a range of activities with his beloved animals.

Nathan loves his time at the farm and thrives in the outdoor environment. He works hard, takes his role seriously and is always keen to help out with new projects, such as the small animals that he helps to care for on a weekly basis. Nathan is currently in the process of learning how to perform health checks on the guinea pigs.

Nathan has learnt how to lead the sheep, this is something he was very proud to share at the recent Farm Open Day and Country Show. The Country Show proved to be an extremely positive day for Nathan as he received a 1st Rosette for showing a goat and he also topped the day off by winning the Best in Show Cup.

His ultimate goal however is to lose enough weight to be able to ride a horse, a challenge that Nathan and his support team are focused on achieving together. He is achieving more and more of his goals every day and each success provides a further boost to his self-esteem.