Fal Fishery Cooperative CIC
24th March 2020COVID-19
Thank you so so much for all the generosity during this past month, especially as we were forced to cancel our PopUpGatherings.co.uk fundraiser this coming weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It goes without saying the pandemic is affecting everyone in some way and it is truly sad for those who have already lost loved ones globally, my thoughts are with you and your family.
Many industries have been totally destroyed by the imposed regulations necessary to contain the spread of the virus and some may never recover. Some critical industries are going well above the call of duty in these unprecedented times, I’d personally like to say a massive thanks to all the Dr’s, Nurses, anesthetists, care workers, delivery drivers, food and drink producers etc as many of my own family and friends are, like me, still working every day to provide anything we can to this national emergency.
Within the industries I work in, i.e. the fishing industry and the food processing industry, we have continued to work (safely) to provide a food resource that we basically have no usual market for and we been left out of many of the support packages to date.
As a self employed solo fisherman, a sole director of a food processing company and a director of a new Community Interest Company that was set up, less than a year ago, to protect: the future of the unique Fal Fishery, the cooperative of oyster gatherers merchants and stakeholders as well as the restoration of marine environment habitats, I have really struggled financially, even more so than previously.
I have devoted a great deal of time and effort in the past year on securing all the necessary authorizations required to operate a hatchery and an aquaculture site, these will be fully signed off by DEFRA/Natural England/CEFAS on the 26th March 2020. The lease for the site on the Fal Fishery commences on the 1st April 2020 (no joke!) and this has taken well over a year to organize with the amazing help and support from Captain Andy Brigden, who retires as Cornwall Council Maritime Manager on the 31st March 2020, Tracey Rilett from Cornwall Council Property Services and John Lowry from Hine Downing Solicitors.
In order to achieve the modest target I set for this Crowdfunder project, the Ltd company has borrowed £1000 to survive so it could donate a £1000 grant that was meant to help it grow, the CIC has also very recently borrowed £2000 to get through these times of uncertainty and donated £1500 of it’s own start up grant.
So, while we really hope to achieve the first target, to prove the concept is supported by the crowd and open doors to larger ‘community grant funding’ that is required to build the operation as set out in the project, these loans are repayable on receipt of any Crowdfunder payments (7-10 days after project closes) or from the returned donations if the project is unsuccessful.
Effectively this is reducing the project funds by £2500, which will ultimately mean I cannot pay myself the £100pw for the 26 weeks work building and carrying out the hatchery trials during the 6m summer, when the native oyster fishery is in the annual ‘closed season’.
Therefore, IF the project is successful before the end of Sunday 29th March, I will be able to apply for an ‘always on’ project:
‘Always On’ on Crowdfunder
What is it?
‘Always On’ enables Crowdfunder projects (past and present) to continue raising funds and building their community on Crowdfunder.co.uk once their project has closed successfully.
What are the key benefits?
- Keep raising funds post campaign
- Continue telling your story and build on your campaign page success
- Reach new audiences and receive ongoing exposure on Crowdfunder
It may just seem like asking for more during these unsettling times of uncertainty for many, but it will help with repaying those that loaned to make this a success, ongoing staffing costs and to achieve further costs detailed in the ‘stretch targets’ - so if you are a little more fortunate than some then please dig deep and spare the cost of a pint or a glass of wine or even the cost of a meal in a restaurant, it will really really help us to survive the coming weeks and months and enable us to deliver the 1,000,000 native oyster we plan to hatch and grow on the oldest and the last natural native oyster fishery in UK, Europe and probably the World!
Thank you!
Christopher Ranger - Artist, Mariner & Native Oyster Researcher