Uk: community farm buyouts

Two young farmers from Market Drayton, Shropshire, are converting their farm into a Community Land Farm Trust (CLFT) in an attempt to save it from private development. They are now hoping to encourage members of the community to purchase shares in the Trust to secure it as an asset for the area. Ben and Charlotte Hollins who run Fordhall Farm – aged just 21 and 23 respectively ? launched the idea after the current landowner announced that it will be sold in July 2006. To develop the CLFT, the Hollins family and members of their community have been working with Stroud Common Wealth, which has now received funding from the Carnegie UK Trust to run a Community Land Farm Trust Project and assist community farm buyouts across the UK. www.fordhallorganicfarm.co.uk