Lauriston Farm Social Farming Initiative

by Spencer Christy in Goldhanger, England, United Kingdom

We did it
On 9th April 2017 we successfully raised £21,450 with 20 investors in 42 days

To integrate adults with learning difficulties into the daily activities of our biodynamic farm through community share ownership.

by Spencer Christy in Goldhanger, England, United Kingdom

New stretch target

We have now reached our initial target of £20,000 which is wonderful!  

But, the amazing £10,000 of match funding from Santander does not count towards our requirment to raise £20,000 in community funding in order to receive £40,000 of match funding from the Just Growth Programme.

Without the Just Growth funding it is highly unlikely the project will proceed and we have come so far already it would be really sad not to reach this final milestone.

So, please do keep funding us until the Crowdfunder total reaches £30,000 and then we can say for sure that it will enable us to fully deliver our five year business plan without any revisions.

This plan includes the planting of one acre of flowers suitable for the shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) - now almost extinct except from small pockets of which we are in one.

Help us to help this bee! 

If you have any questions please contact us.

Lauriston Farm Limited is a newly formed Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS).  We run an established biodynamic farm on the Blackwater Estuary in Essex which specialises in rare breed conservation farming for salt marsh birds, insects and plants.


We provide educational farm walks and workshops and offer socially disadvantaged people meaningful life experiences on the farm.  We are now offering you the opportunity to become a shareholder in our Society and directly support all this work and more.

As a shareholder, you will be part of a body of warmth and support around our experienced and committed team who have a wide variety of skills including social care, crafts, farming, administration, accountancy, gardening and various experiences of working with adults with learning difficulties. 

You will also be part of our new Social Farming Initiative which will integrate adults from the local community who have learning difficulites into the day to day activities of the farm.  These include animal care, vegetable growing, crafts using wool from the farm's sheep, cookery and sales and draw from the experience of the Camphill Communities.  Initially there will be six places per day available and the therapeutic benefit arises from meaningful work, as sense of belonging to the farm community and the learning of new skills.

There already exists cattle, sheep and honey bees with wheelchair access to meeting rooms, toilets, raised bed garden, poly tunnels, fields and woodland.  Your shareholding will build on this infrastructure and directly fund:

All of this is detailed in our five year business plan which aims to raise £35,000 through community shares and donations.  The first target to reach is £20,000 as this will be eligble to receive match loan and grant funding through the Just Growth Programme  run by The Real Farming Trust.  The second target is then the full £35,000 which ensures the business plan is delivered in full.  In addition, we hope to be able to use our total funding to lever further capital funding through the LEADER project.  

Each share costs £1 and the minimum shareholding for membership is fifty which equates to £50. You can buy any number of whole shares above this minimum up to a maximum value of £7,500. These shares can be withdrawn but not for the first five years and only then if the Board agrees.  No interest will be paid in the first five years and it will only be paid after that if it is not to the detriment of the Society - your return on investment is environmental and social.  The shares cannot be sold.  We do not access any funds until the share offer is over and we have contacted you with confirmation of our situation.  

Book in here to come and visit us at one of our Open Days - every Saturday and Tuesday while the share offer is live.

Important documents
Important documents
shareoffer business plan the rules
Report this project Contact

Levels of Investment

£50 or more

£50 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £50 of shares plants half a metre with three plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£100 or more

£100 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £100 of shares plants one metre with six plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£150 or more

£150 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £150 of shares plants 1.5 metre with nine plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£200 or more

£200 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £150 of shares plants 2 metres with twelve plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£250 or more

£250 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £250 of shares plants 2.5 metres with fifteen plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£500 or more

£500 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £500 of shares plants 5 metres with thirty plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£750 or more

£750 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £500 of shares plants 7.5 metres with forty-five plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£1,000 or more

£1,000 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £1,000 of shares plants 10 metres with sixty plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£2,500 or more

£2,500 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £2,500 of shares plants 25 metres with 150 plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£5,000 or more

£5,000 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £5,000 of shares plants 50 metres with 300 plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

£7,500 or more

£7,500 Investment

The Hedge Pledge For every £1 share purchased, we will supply 1 cm of new mixed native hedge to be planted on the farm. So, £7,500 of shares plants 75 metres with 450 plants which you can come and plant and put your name on. The hedge will include hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, wild pear, crab apple and hazelnut - all ideal suitable for human foraging, wildlife habitat and feed for insects and birds.

Got an idea like this?

Over £200 million has been raised from our crowd to support the projects they love! Plus tens of millions more unlocked by our partners.

Start crowdfunding