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Our Mission

Community

We build community through meaningful activity on the farm.

Wellbeing

We support individuals and increase positive mental health and wellbeing, through activity on the farm.

Environment

We champion environmentally friendly living, and promote sustainable and ethical practices.

Our Values

We foster a supportive and inclusive community, empowering and nurturing our volunteers and staff. We adopt pioneering ideas and encourage creativity when approaching our work, which helps us to continually improve and adapt when needed. We take responsibility for our impact on the environment, while also allowing time to pause, reflect, and appreciate beauty around us. Our work enriches both people and land, cultivating an attitude of generosity.

What our community says about the farm…

  • "I suffer from mental illness and getting out the house is very difficult for me but being around such wonderful, caring people, being around animals and nature helps me so much and I really do feel like it makes an impact on my week! I am always happy at the farm!"

    Anonymous Volunteer
  • “We’d been caring for my father for quite a while and although he was unwell, nothing prepared us for his passing. The day after my father died, we had a crowded house and needed to find a safe space where the family could rest but the children could also play so we went to Aldermoor Farm and just sat for hours. The kids held chickens and painted rocks and we drank coffee and cried and talked and sat in silence. Everyone at the farm were amazing, they gave us space when we needed it and the whole place feels so safe that we could just be. The farm is such a special place, it’s hard to put into words how it makes you feel safe and secure yet vulnerable and able to process your thoughts”.

    Anonymous Visitor
  • "This is the best job I've ever had. I get to bring my creativity and be myself. I have built trust in people again and love working in a supportive team."

    Anonymous Staff Member
  • "This is a great community initiative, we love touring the farm, seeing the way they grow fruits and vegetables and saying hello to the chickens, ducks and geese."

    Anonymous Visitor
  • "I have enjoyed my experience on the farm. Everyone is very kind and informative. I started learning from week one. My aim was to feel more confident and to learn, and I did achieve this."

    Anonymous Therapeutic Gardening Participant

The team that makes it happen…

We have a wonderful team who are passionate about supporting people through our activities. Everyone has their own area of expertises but as a small team, we all pitch in to support others where we can.

Richard Pitt
Community Development & Volunteer Lead

In the beginning there was… Richard! Rich had a vision to start an urban community farm and has been the person to bring that vision to fruition.

Louiza Hamidi
Lead Grower

Louiza helps our team and farm grow in abundance! She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in sustainable growing.

Liz Webb
Grower

Passionate about supporting volunteers to learn and build into our inclusive community, Liz creates a team that takes pride in a job well done.

Gavin Marsh
Therapeutic Gardening Facilitator

Gavin hosts our therapeutic gardening sessions. His passion is to see young people supported and empowered to face life’s challenges.

David
Site Technician

As our farm has grown, so has the long list of maintenance jobs… enter David! He ensures everything stays running smoothly and safely.

Ros
Shop Manager

Our small but mighty farm shop is run by one small and mighty woman! Ros takes great care of our customers and our shop volunteers.

Pam
Food Specialist

Pam is a dab-hand at creating recipes to use an abundance of crop or surplus shop products. Her culinary delights can be found in our farm shop.

Get involved

Alder Trust Charity

Aldermoor Community Farm is a project within the Alder Trust charity. Alder Trust offers support in all the general charitable tasks that need to be completed allowing the project to focus on delivering the best service. We provide support in Human Resources, Finance, Policy & Procedures, Funding & Fundraising and Management.

Why all this began…

Relationships are one of the most important aspects of our lives. People who are more socially connected to family, friends, or their community are happier, physically healthier, and live longer, with fewer mental health problems than people who are less well connected. In addition to this, research shows that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life and more likely to report feeling their lives are worthwhile. Nature can generate many positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, and creativity and can facilitate concentration. Perhaps not surprisingly, people with strong nature connectedness are likelier to have pro-environmental behaviours such as recycling items or buying seasonal food.

(Information from The Mental Health Foundation)

Get involved
in our growing community