Blind Flitwick farmer gets top award from PM Rishi Sunak

A man and a woman who run a farm in Flitwick which gives students with diverse needs with practical skills, have received Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s daily Points of Light award.

Mike Duxbury lost his sight from infantile glaucoma at the age of six – but having grown up on a farm, he knew that’s all he wanted to do.

He struggled with getting admitted into agricultural colleges due to his visual impairment, until he was accepted into Warwickshire College of Agriculture.

Wanting to help support others in similar circumstances, he teamed up with Ness Shillito, who has a background in childcare and education. And in 2021, the pair transformed an overgrown site in Flitwick into a working farm with the aim of making agriculture more accessible for disabled people.

The self-funded Inclusive Farm provides an opportunity for students and people with disabilities to learn practical skills such as animal husbandry, agricultural skills and bringing products to market.

Mike, from Northants, hopes to expand to have more Inclusive Farms around the UK, and is currently looking at options for a site in Scotland, which will enable them to provide more opportunities to a wider range of young people.

Mike and Ness said: “We are delighted to receive the Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award. We are truly humbled to receive this accolade, for the work that we do.

"We hope that this award will lead to a greater awareness and better understanding of Diversity, Inclusion & Equality, throughout society and business”.