[Diggers350] UK’s first community-owned farm, Fordhall Organic Farm nr. Market Drayton, to double in size after donation

[Tony Gosling]

UK’s first community-owned farm, Fordhall Organic 
Farm nr. Market Drayton, to double in size after donation

<https://tlio.org.uk/fordhill-farm-shropshire/>20 
September 2025 
<https://tlio.org.uk/fordhill-farm-shropshire/#respond>Leave a comment


Country’s first community-owned farm in north 
Shropshire to double in size after donation
https://tlio.org.uk/fordhill-farm-shropshire/




But the expanding group better watch out for 
sophisticated infiltration, so they don’t go down 
the heartbreaking routes of Robin Page’s 
Countryside Restoration Trust and Dorset’s Monkton Wyld Court etc...

<https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/farming/2025/09/16/countrys-first-community-owned-farm-in-north-shropshire-to-double-in-size-after-donation-but-theres-a-twist/>https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/farming/2025/09/16/countrys-first-community-owned-farm-in-north-shropshire-to-double-in-size-after-donation-but-theres-a-twist/

A north Shropshire farm that became the first in 
the country to be community-owned is set to 
double in size after being gifted a second farm.

Emacs!


<https://www.fordhallfarm.com/>Fordhall Organic 
Farm, near Market Drayton, became England’s first 
community-owned farm in 2006, after a national 
campaign saved it from industrial development.

Faced with eviction in 2005, the family behind 
the farm raised enough money through 8,000 
non-profit shareholders to purchase the 126-acre 
site. Since then, the farm has thrived under the 
leadership of tenant farmer Ben Hollins and his 
sister Charlotte – children of Arthur Hollins who turned the farm organic.

Now, Fordhall Farm has announced that it will 
double in size thanks to the generous donation of 
a second farm – but there’s a twist.

The farm that is being gifted is not in Market 
Drayton, nor is it in Shropshire, but incredibly, 200 miles away in Devon.

Emacs!



West Town Farm, near Exeter, is a 170-acre 
organic beef and sheep enterprise. Like Fordhall, 
it hosts a wide range of community activities 
including arts, community gardening, camping, 
weddings and community events, and also boasts a farm shop.

Its current owner, Andy Bragg, said he believes 
that farms should be at the “heart of rural 
communities”, and, as he approaches retirement, 
has decided to gift the farm to the Fordhall 
Community Land Initiative to ensure that West Town’s community ethos continues.

Charlotte Hollins, General Manager at Fordhall 
Community Land Initiative said: “The similarities 
between West Town and Fordhall are striking. Both 
are organic, pasture-for-life livestock farms and have community at our heart.

“We both want to show a different direction for 
farming and understand the importance of 
retaining those connections to the land both 
within our communities as well as the soil. We 
have also both been described as slightly quirky, 
different and even crack-pot at times!

“Dad (late Arthur Hollins) and Andy are such 
similar characters. The charitable structure of 
Fordhall Community Land Initiative means that the 
amazing work begun by Andy in Devon can be 
continued and secured well into the future, 
alongside the work of Dad, at Fordhall. Both with 
local people fully involved in the process.”

The transfer of the farm to Fordhall will not be 
completed until 2027, allowing time for legal and 
governance structures to be finalised.

In the meantime, existing staff at West Town, 
including Andy, will continue running the farm, 
while the Fordhall Community Land Initiative will 
provide support and guidance, drawing on nearly 
20 years of experience in community farm ownership.

“I suppose some people will think it’s strange to 
give my farm away,” said Andy.

“I don’t want West Town Farm to be gobbled up by 
some giant agri-business. What I care about is 
that the farm’s place in the community and 
locality. I want the farm to benefit everyone and 
I know that giving it to Fordhall Community Land 
Initiative will ensure this happens.

“Fordhall’s values are strongly aligned and 
gifting West Town Farm to ordhall will protect 
West Town Farm’s mission and values. Although we 
are 200 miles apart, the synergy between us means we are both on the same path.

“Learning together, supporting each other and 
playing a part in our local communities. Whether 
that is hosting school visits, art groups or barn 
dances etc, and the local community will always be welcome.”














































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