Norwich FarmShare - #fundourfarm

by Norwich FarmShare in Norwich, England, United Kingdom

We did it
On 11th December 2017 we successfully raised £25,772 with 155 supporters in 37 days

We need your help to buy equipment and set up infrastructure on our new community growing site to produce beautiful, chemical-free veg.

by Norwich FarmShare in Norwich, England, United Kingdom

Our story
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Norwich FarmShare produces local, seasonal, chemical-free veg with and for the community. We are an eco-award winning not-for-profit cooperative, modelling sustainable urban food supply in Norwich. We've been doing this for seven years now - reconnecting with nature,  learning together... and having lots of fun while we're at it. 

In 2016 we lost our rented growing land, and we have since secured two new plots. We need funds to become fully operational on our city centre site, and to begin setting up our second, main growing site. These funds will enable us to buy a van, buy and repair equipment, create sheltered areas for storage and volunteers, install a compost loo, and more (read on for details). 

Our vision is for a fairer, healthier food system. It's about food security for our communities and our children. And it's about caring for each other and our precious planet. Together we can make it happen.

"I love knowing that my veg has come from just down the road. There's also a real sense of community and solidarity - when FarmShare people get together, you get the feeling it really is possible to change our food system for the better." - Olivia Hanks, FarmShare member 

Our new sites at Valpy Avenue and Whitlingham 

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After a long search, we have now signed a contract for a new site at Valpy Avenue allotments - two miles north of the city centre in Norwich, and we are in the process of setting this up. As well as growing delicious veg, we'll be focusing our educational and community engagement work here. We also have plans to develop additional growing capacity and opportunities for organic horticultural training on a beautiful three-acre, south facing, second site at Whitlingham.

What we're crowdfunding for

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Our aim is to become fully operational on our new site at Valpy Avenue by late spring 2018. Your support will enable us to achieve this goal and set up essential infrastructure:  

  • Purchase or hire equipment to clear couch grass
  • Buy a van to deliver produce to our distribution centre
  • Buy a roof for our pizza oven
  • Install and customise pre-built shed to use as a packing area
  • Install a compost loo
  • Install a pond liner
  • Buy harvesting rainwater kits for polytunnels
  • Install mouse-proof storage for produce
  • Transport heavy equipment
  • Buy a woodburning stove for our volunteer shelter

We will also be able to purchase green manure to begin preparing our second site at Whitlingham and we will have some additional funds to pay for organisational development and marketing to enable us to grow: 

  • Recruit and train a new grower
  • Getting some professional HR (Human Resources) support 
  • Printing leaflets and flyers
  • Ongoing website development

A note about rewards

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We're really pleased to be able to offer a range of different kinds of rewards from our members and supporters, as well as some small tokens of our heartfelt thanks to everyone who makes a pledge.  We have more exciting offers coming in, and will be adding them as we go along. 

Please note that we will be asking all Norfolk and Suffolk based pledgers to collect their rewards (if it is a physical object) from a central Norwich location. We will happily post cards, calendars and other items (except tote bags) to people outside the region. 

We're planning to have the rewards ready to go as soon as we close the campaign on 11 December - so you can use them for Christmas presents. All the experience based rewards (music lessons, places on courses, etc) will be offered in the Norfolk area. If you like, we can send you the reward in the form of a gift voucher.


More about us

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Working co-operatively with local agroecological farmers and growers, we are part of a global network of small-scale growing projects - a dynamic and growing movement commonly referred to as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Our vision is to support food systems that educate, connect and empower local communities to be healthier and more resilient, to be rooted to the land and to each other, and to experience a direct relationship with how our food is produced. 

Over the last seven years some 440 Norwich residents have been part of our growing community - learning about ecologically sensitive methods, enjoying and celebrating local seasonal food, and sharing knowledge and expertise.  We have also offered volunteering, educational and social events to our members and to the wider public – including schools, youth groups and other disadvantaged groups - and we hope to do much more of this in the future.

Since losing our growing site in Postwick in 2016, we have been working with local organic producers to continue to provide delicious, fresh, chemical-free produce for our members each week. 

“The vegetables I receive from FarmShare form the main staple of my weekly shopping and I find it really important to not only know where this food comes from but to have a direct hand in helping to grow it and to see the produce change as the seasons pass. The Farmshare community is brilliant too. I have made some lifelong friendships since I joined and it has inspired me to make some positive life changes.” - Owen Bushell, FarmShare member


Thanks
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Thankyou...  to our team of volunteers for helping run this campaign and for contributing  time, skills, enthusiasm and passion. Thanks to all our members and supporters, to those who have pledged, and those who have offered fantastic rewards.

Special thanks to Matt Robinson for a beautiful campaign video that has made us all proud - www.mattjamesrobinson.com | vimeo.com/matthewrobinsonfilm and to James Frost and John Mudd for the soundtrack www.jamesfrostmusic.com.

Norwich FarmShare - A Growing Community


#NorwichFarmShare  #fundourfarm  #communityfarming

www.norwichfarmshare.co.uk

Rewards

This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.

£10 or more

7 of 10 claimed

£10 Reward

A set of three cards of oil paintings by the late Norfolk artist Henry Holzer - 'Deserted Beach, Southwold', 'Gorleston-on-Sea' and 'Thurlton Old Rectory and Church'. Blank inside.

£15 or more

4 of 5 claimed

Turbine Tour

Family ticket for a Turbine Tour at the Green Britain Centre in Swaffham . Climb the only windmill in the world open to the public. Learn about how the windmill was built, and how it harnesses the power of the wind to make electricity. Children must be seven or over and at least 120cm tall.

£15 or more

£15 Reward

Farmshare tote bag, plus 15% discount at the Waffle House. Pop along to the famous Waffle House in St Giles, Norwich and enjoy locally sourced yumminess but also 15% off your meal.

£15 or more

£15 Reward

FarmShare 2018 Calendar with gardening notes. Enjoy the year seen in collages of birds, vegetables and flowers. Community Artist Claire Gebbett has fashioned the pictures from recycled plastic food packaging.

£15 or more

1 of 9 claimed

Bike Health Check

Bike health check with Norwich Bike Repair Co-op. NBRC provide the Dr Bike service at the University of East Anglia.

£20 or more

0 of 5 claimed

Norfolk Car Club

New member voucher with Norfolk Car Club - includes free membership, no joining fee (usually £25) and £25 driving credit. Norfolk Car Club provides new cars and vans for members to drive on a pay-as-you-go basis.

£20 or more

2 of 15 claimed

Foraging Walk

Take part in a foraging walk in Norfolk with FarmShare grower Emma Stopford, next summer / autumn. This will be a great chance to learn about wild food and to re-awaken your senses to a deeper connection with the land.

£25 or more

£25 Reward

We will grow a squash with your name engraved on it (a very special squash indeed). Plus A4 print of artwork by local artist (and FarmShare Chair) Bee Springwood illustrating our site plan at Valpy Avenue.

£25 or more

1 of 6 claimed

Tour of Hodmedod's Farm

Multiple award winning food producer and sister enterprise to FarmShare, Hodmedod are offering an exclusive tour of its Bean Store and one of the farms it works with for up to 6 people next June. Hodmedod works with British farmers to create more sustainable supplies of grains and pulses.

£30 or more

4 of 8 claimed

£30 Reward

Bike maintenance workshop with Norwich Bike Repair Co-op for up to 8 people. NBRC provide the Dr Bike service at the University of East Anglia.

£30 or more

£30 Reward

FarmShare 2018 Calendar with gardening notes. Collages of birds, vegetables and flowers fashioned from recycled plastic food packaging by community Artist Claire Gebbett. Plus pack of 4 artwork postcards (different designs). Plus FarmShare tote bag.

£30 or more

1 of 4 claimed

Christmas veg bag

Collect your Christmas veg bag from the FarmShare hub in Pitt Street on 21st December.

£35 or more

Nature art workshop

One day (11am to 3pm) art making workshop with natural materials at our growing site at Valpy Avenue allotments with local artist (and FarmShare Chair) Bee Springwood. A team building opportunity for your group or organisation. All materials provided.

£50 or more

£50 Reward

Signed and numbered limited edition A3 poster of hand drawn site map of our plot at Valpy Avenue by local artist (and FarmShare Chair) Bee Springwood. Plus a Farmshare tote bag.

£50 or more

£50 Reward

Pack of 4 original artwork postcards (of different designs). Plus FarmShare calendar with photography by FarmShare member Claire Gebbett. Plus FarmShare tote bag.

£50 or more

0 of 6 claimed

Tea and tour of City Hall with the Mayor

Exclusive opportunity for a group of six to have tea in the parlour with the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Cllr David Fullman, followed by a guided tour of the historic City Hall.

£50 or more

Donate veg bag to food bank

We will donate a veg bag on your behalf to the Trussel Trust food bank for a family in need this Christmas.

£50 or more

0 of 1 claimed

Tour of Seed Cooperative farm

The Seed Co-operative in Gosberton, S Lincs are offering a personal springtime tour of their farm as a crowdfunder reward. You'll get to see the seed crops, seed processing and storage facilities and find out how they produce open pollinated organic vegetable, herb and flower seed. £50 for a car full!

£100 or more

2 of 4 claimed

£100 Reward

A large (approx 2m) garden sculpture by community environmental artist Claire Gebbett. Would you like a beautiful giant nest built in your garden, school, nursery, club or any other venue of your choosing? Claire is DBS checked and is happy to work either alongside your group, or alone. Must be completed by July 2018 - Norfolk/Suffolk only.

£100 or more

£100 Reward

Set of four (size A3) limited edition artwork posters, numbered and signed by the artist, Ana Rute da Costa. Ana, originally from Portugal, is an artist and architect, and a Lecturer at the Norwich University of the Arts.

£100 or more

0 of 1 claimed

Professional photoshoot

Photoshoot session with professional photographer Mark Hewlett. A session for a family portrait or pet portrait, or perhaps if an individual or business would like some corporate headshots, or an event of a few hours.

£250 or more

0 of 1 claimed

Poetry event with George Szirtes

Acclaimed poet George Szirtes will give you an exclusive poetry reading - as a public event, or a private reading for you and your friends. Originally from Hungary, George now lives in Wymondham. He has won many prestigious prizes for his work, including the T. S. Eliot Prize.

£1,000 or more

0 of 1 claimed

£1,000 Reward

For £1,000 we will name our tractor after you, and paint your name on the bodywork. We will also invite you to our Special Supporters Pizza Party (early next summer) and give you a set of four limited edition artwork (A3) posters, numbered and signed by the artist, Ana Rute da Costa.

£30 or more

1 of 1 claimed

Hodmedods Vegan Bean Box

From award winning Hodmedods, all British-grown. The box contains a selection of roasted beans and peas, original four cartons of dried beans and peas, a pack each of quinoa and yellow peas flour, plus three varieties of canned beans. Just over £35 cost if ordered separately.

£50 or more

4 of 4 claimed

Donate veg bag to foodbank

We will donate a veg bag on your behalf to the Trussel Trust foodbank, for a family in need this Christmas.

£100 or more

1 of 1 claimed

Limited edition linocut

Signed limited edition linocut by Rob Barnes. Mounted but not framed worth £120 gallery price. ‘Seashore Lapwings’ can be viewed on www.robbarnesart.co.uk.

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