Local Spotlight on Aspens: A charity site with community at its heart
Dedicated to supporting individuals with autism, learning difficulties and complex needs, Aspens' heritage in Kent dates back almost 100 years. Beginning as Larkfield Hall in 1927, before evolving into Pepenbury in the 1990s and finally merging with Austism Sussex to become Aspens in 2016, the charity is built on creating meaningful opportunities for people to learn, develop skills and contribute to their communities.
At the heart of their work is The Bluebell Café & Animal Farm in Pembury, Tunbridge Wells which offers an affordable day out for families whilst also providing career opportunities and residential care for many of the individuals that they work with.
We spoke to Marketing & Communications Manager of Aspens, Ruth Campbell, about what visitors can expect from a day at The Bluebell Café and the important work that the charity does...
What can you tell us about Aspens and how you work with autistic individuals those with learning disabilities across the South East?
At Aspens we support autistic children, young people and adults, and people with learning disabilities and complex needs, as well as their families, across the South East. Our aim is to help every person we support live a life that is meaningful to them, with greater choice, independence and opportunities to be part of their community.
Our support ranges from residential care and supported living to day opportunities, community outreach, children’s services, family support and specialist Positive Behaviour Support.
At the heart of everything we do is the individual. We listen to what matters to each
person, what they enjoy and what they want to achieve, then work alongside them
and their families to provide support that helps them develop skills, build confidence
and enjoy the things that are important to them.
What kind of support and opportunities are available for the adults you support?
We offer a wide range of opportunities for adults, depending on the support that is right for them. This includes residential care, supported living, day opportunities and community outreach, as well as specialist Positive Behaviour Support.
Just as importantly, we want the people we support to have opportunities to develop their interests, learn new skills, build friendships and be active members of their local communities.
Individuals attending our Day Opportunities Centre at our Pembury site, for example, can get involved in practical and meaningful activities, including helping to care for our animals, gardening, pottery, art, upcycling, music and learning IT skills.
There are also opportunities for people we support to work or volunteer in The Bluebell Cafe, gaining valuable workplace experience and developing skills such as customer service, teamwork and food preparation in a supportive environment.
It’s all about recognising people’s strengths, interests and aspirations and supporting them to have greater choice and independence in their everyday lives.
In addition to your high street shops, The Bluebell Cafe & Animal Farm in Pembury is a key location for fundraising. What can families expect during a visit here?
Our beautiful Pembury site is a bit of a hidden gem! Set in the Kent countryside on Cornford Lane, it’s somewhere families can come for a relaxed, affordable day out while supporting a local charity.
Visitors can meet our animals, explore the woodland walk, let little ones enjoy the natural playground and giant musical instruments, try our outdoor gym and stop off at The Bluebell Café for something to eat or drink.
There is no admission charge to visit our grounds, animal farm, woodland walk or playground, although donations are always very gratefully received. They help us care for the animals and maintain the site, as well as supporting Aspens’ wider work.
One thing we’re particularly keen for visitors to understand is that Pembury isn’t simply a visitor attraction. It’s at the heart of our charity and is home to some of the people we support, who also help care for the animals and work in The Bluebell Café.
What animals do you have on site and who looks after them?
We have a wonderful variety of both large and small animals here at Aspens. Families can meet animals including donkeys, ponies, alpacas, pigs, sheep, goats and emus, as well as smaller animals such as rabbits, ferrets, tortoises and guinea pigs.
What makes our animal farm particularly special is the role the people we support play in caring for them. The people we support at Aspens are involved in activities such as feeding, cleaning and grooming the animals, giving them the chance to learn useful skills and enjoy the benefits that spending time with animals can bring. Our farm is part of a meaningful programme of activities and opportunities for the people at the heart of Aspens.
You also have an ‘Adopt An Animal’ scheme. How does this work?
Our Adopt an Aspens Animal scheme is a lovely way to support us and makes a great present for an animal lover too!
For £25 to £30, you can choose from a range of our animals, such as our goats, ponies and alpacas. The adoption pack includes information about your chosen animal, a certificate with their picture, a children’s activity sheet and a complimentary drink and snack at The Bluebell Cafe.
The really lovely thing is that an adoption has a double impact. It helps us with the costs of looking after our animals while also supporting the opportunities they provide for the people we support, who are involved in their care. And, of course, adopters can come back to Pembury and say hello to their chosen animal!
Many of the adults you work with also have job opportunities at the cafe and site. Is this something you as a charity feel passionately about?
Absolutely. Creating meaningful opportunities for the people we support to build skills, confidence and independence is incredibly important to us.
Our Pembury site is particularly special because it brings so many different opportunities together. People we support can be involved in areas such as the cafe and animal care, gaining practical experience, developing skills and taking an active role in the life of our site.
Having members of the public visit the site also creates a wonderfully inclusive environment where the people we support are visible, valued and contributing to the local community.
How does the Positive Behaviour Support framework play a role in the support for the adults and children through the charity?
Positive Behaviour Support, or PBS, is embedded throughout our services and is a really important part of how we work. At its heart, it is about understanding the person and looking at what may be happening around them, rather than simply focusing on a behaviour itself.
The approach is person-centred and evidence-based, with an emphasis on improving quality of life, increasing independence and helping people take part in their communities. Our teams look at what is important to an individual, how they communicate, their environment and what support can help them thrive.
We also have specialist PBS teams who work alongside the people we support, families, colleagues and other professionals.
The woodland trail and natural play area is perfect for young children. What was the thinking behind its design and why was it so important to include on the site?
We wanted our Pembury grounds to be somewhere people could enjoy being outdoors, exploring and spending time together in a relaxed, natural setting. The woodland walk and natural play area are a lovely part of that.
Children can enjoy the woodland playground, discover our giant wind chimes and musical instruments, and explore the natural surroundings, making a visit feel like a little outdoor adventure.
And there’s something new coming very soon! We’re excited to be introducing a brand-new Micro-Nature Trail, a fun, interactive way for visitors to discover and spot some of the incredible wildlife, trees, plants and nature around our Pembury site. It will give families even more to explore and help everyone make the most of their visit. Keep an eye on our website and social media for more information!
For us, it’s all about creating a welcoming, inclusive space where the people we support and our local community can enjoy nature, have fun and spend time together.
How important is mindfulness and mental health to the ethos of the Pembury site?
Wellbeing is hugely important to us, and our Pembury site naturally offers lots of opportunities to slow down, spend time outside and enjoy the surroundings.
With countryside views, animals, woodland and outdoor spaces, it can be a lovely place simply to take some time out of a busy day. We think of our Pembury site as an “oasis” for both the people we support and visitors.
For visiting families, we hope it is somewhere welcoming where they can spend time together outdoors, enjoy nature, meet the animals and have a break from the usual rush.
You also work closely with children and families across Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. What services do you provide?
Supporting children, young people and their families is a really important part of Aspens. We provide a range of services including short breaks and overnight stays, residential care, after-school clubs, holiday activities and schemes, a Keyworker service, mentoring, community-based support and online support groups and workshops for parents and carers.
What that support looks like will depend on the child or young person and their family. Our focus is on helping children and young people develop confidence, independence and skills, enjoy new experiences and be part of their communities, while also providing valuable support to parents, carers and siblings.
We know that supporting a child or young person often means supporting the whole family, so we aim to listen, understand what each family needs and offer practical, person-centred help at different stages of their journey.
What do you serve in the cafe and what are the opening hours?
The Bluebell Café is the perfect place to refuel after exploring the animals and woodland! We serve hot and cold drinks alongside a selection of meals, sandwiches, snacks, children’s lunch boxes and delicious homemade cakes. Afternoon teas are also available by pre-order.
Our current opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am to 4pm, and Wednesday, 11am to 4pm. The cafe is closed at weekends, but visitors are still welcome to enjoy our grounds and see the larger animals. We sometimes extend what is available during school holidays and over the Christmas period, so it’s always worth checking our website and social media before travelling.
There’s no entrance fee for the site, so you can pop in for a coffee and cake or make more of a day of it with the children.
What fundraising events and activities do you run throughout the year?
There are lots of different ways for our local community to get involved with Aspens
throughout the year, from family activities at our Pembury site to larger fundraising events and challenges.
During the school holidays, including half-term, Easter, summer and Christmas, we regularly run fun family activities at Pembury, such as seasonal crafts and activity trails, giving families even more to enjoy alongside our animals, woodland and Bluebell Café. This Autumn, families can join us for Halloween half-term fun at The Bluebell Café from 26 to 30 October 2026, Santa will be coming to Aspens for our Santa’s Grotto on Saturday 5 December and our popular Christmas trees will be on sale from late November.
Throughout the year, we also organise fundraising events and challenges, and we love seeing people come up with their own ways to support us, whether that’s taking on a personal challenge, organising a community event or fundraising through their workplace.
Every donation and fundraising effort helps us continue our work supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities across the South East. Keep an eye on our website and social media for the latest events, activities and ways to get involved.
What do you hope that visitors take away from a visit to The Bluebell Café and Animal Farm?
First and foremost, we hope people have a lovely time! We want families to leave having enjoyed meeting the animals, exploring the woodland, having some fun in the playground and perhaps treating themselves to something delicious in The Bluebell Café.
But we’d also love visitors to go away knowing a little more about Aspens and the people at the heart of our charity.
Aspens, Pembury is much more than somewhere to visit. It is a place where people we support live, learn, develop skills, work towards their goals and take an active role in caring for the site and animals. Visitors are essentially being welcomed into a space that is also home to some of the people we support.
If families leave feeling more connected to Aspens and with a greater understanding of what we do, as well as having enjoyed a great local day out, that’s a wonderful outcome for us.
How can we find out more about Aspens and The Bluebell Café?
The best place to start is our website, where you can find out more about the people we support, our services, upcoming events, fundraising and volunteering, as well as all the latest information about visiting The Bluebell Café and our animal farm.
If you or someone in your family could benefit from support from Aspens, you can also find information about our services on our website and get in touch with our friendly team to talk about the support available and what might be right for you or your loved one.
You can also follow Aspens Charities on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, where we share news, stories, events and plenty of updates from around Aspens.
If you’re nearby, though, we’d love you to come and see us! You’ll find us at Aspens, Cornford Lane, Pembury, Kent, TN2 4QU. Entry to our grounds and animal farm is free, with donations warmly welcomed. Come for the animals, woodland and cake, and hopefully leave knowing a little more about the people and purpose behind Aspens.
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