Fordhall reaches out to other farms

As I’m sure many of you know, Fordhall Organic Farm’s foray into community ownership has quite the story. Generations of the Hollins family had farmed as tenants, with Arthur Hollins inheriting the tenancy in 1929.Following intensive farming during the war, Arthur sought to reverse the damage this had inflicted upon the soil – he created one of England’s oldest organic farms. The land is farmed to the same organic standards to this day.

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However, the 1990s brought a pressure which meant this land was very nearly lost. A neighbouring German Yoghourt manufacturer was keen todevelop the land, and so the next 10+ years was filled with legal battles asthe landlord fought to evict the Hollins family.

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Flash forward to 2006, Arthur’s children, Ben and Charlotte, launched a huge campaign to save their family home. The siblings began offeringthe sale of £50 community shares – these non-profit-making shares made theshareholder the landlord of the farm in their own right. In just six months, the pair successfully raised the £800,000 they needed to purchase the farm, andplace it in community ownership. Fordhall is now known as the firstcommunity-owned farm in England, has over 8,000 shareholders around the world, and the shares are still available to purchase to this day! Ben now farms theland as tenant, and Charlotte runs the Fordhall Community Land Initiative(FCLI) – the community landlord and charitable organisation, which uses the land for several community and environmental benefit projects.

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Charlotte, eager to share all she has learned from the campaign, and her subsequent years running a not-for-profit, now provides mentoring services to other organisations interested in community ownership. One such place is Babbinswood Organic Farm in Oswestry. In 2023, the farm was facing closure due to a costly divorce settlement, but the Jones family (current owners) are determined to prevent as much of land being lost as possible. Theyare passionate about keeping the land organic, and transforming it into a hub for the community.

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Now, to find the money to pay off the settlement loan, they are following in Fordhall’s footsteps, and launching their own community ownership scheme. With Charlotte’s help, they too will be selling £50 community shares in the farm, in the hope that this valuable part of the landscape isn’tlost forever. Within community ownership, the organisation will be known as Babbinswood Farm Community Benefit Society, and their mission statement is: “Through co-ownership we will continue to farm organically, promoting environmental education, health and wellbeing and providing inspirational spaces for all and a lasting legacy for the future.”

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To find out more about Babbinswood Farm, and to support their campaign, please visit: www.babbinswoodfarmcbs.org.uk

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In the meantime, Charlotte continues to work with many community groups across the country, sharing our learning and inspiring them tofollow in Fordhall’s footsteps.

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Francesca Lant, Marketing and Communications Officer

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Photo left to right: Charlotte, Casha Bevan-Jones and Barbara Jones (farmers at Babbinswood Farm), Jenny Rouquette (Shropshire Good Food Partnership)

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Learn more about Charlotte's consultancy work at: www.fordhallfarm.com/consultancy

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