Consultancy
Community ownership
Engagement
Community shares
Through our pledge to inspire others, we commit to sharing our story and expertise; empowering others to adopt an ecosystem approach to food, land management and community ownership.
Community shares
Fordhall Organic Farm went into community ownership in 2006 following a high-profile national campaign and the sale of £50 non-profit making shares to over 8,000 individuals across the world. Supported by many celebrity backers, it became one of England’s first community-owned farms and, since then, the farm and the Fordhall Community Land Initiative (the charitable community benefit society that owns the farm) have continued to evolve and thrive.
The site now boasts a Care Farm supporting adults with learning disabilities, a Youth Project supporting vulnerable young people, free open access to the farm through the farm trails, school visits, glamping, on-site café and farm shop, weddings, events and more.
Sharing our learning with others
Charlotte now shares so much of what we have learnt on the Fordhall journey with other land-based community enterprises.
She can offer support from set-up and community consultation to business/strategic planning, share offer documents, on-going community engagement support and governance.
Charlotte is also one of seven community leaders, leading the We're Right Here Campaign for a Community Power Act. A campaign which has celebrated the success of the forthcoming Community Right to Buy.
To read more about the We're Right Here Campaign, click here
Site visits
If you would like to book a farm tour and behind-the-scenes discussion for your community group or organisation, then please do get in touch via the contact details at the bottom of this page.
What do our shareholders say about Fordhall 10 years from the share offer?
Funding opportunities
If your group or organisation would like some advice from Charlotte and members of our team, or would like to book a farm tour, there are a number of funding streams available that might be able to support you.
These include:
Further useful information
The Community Shares Unit has created a Step-by-Step guide to community shares, and we have written our own simple introduction to community-owned farms.