We need to raise £15,000 to get our VegBag scheme running self-sufficiently in order to support our community farm.
Sutton Community Farm is a not for profit social enterprise based in South London. We believe that everybody should have access to fresh and sustainable food that is grown as locally as possible and we are proud to be able to provide that for our surrounding communities.
A Bit About Us
Since 2010 we have restored over seven acres of previously derelict land by growing a variety of seasonal vegetables and salads using organic principles. We are now one of London's largest food producing community farms.
Two years ago, we introduced a vegetable bag scheme in the hope that one day it would be able to financially support our farm. So, every week we produce a bag of seasonal vegetables, by combining what we grow with produce from other local farms and we distribute them to pick up points for our customers to collect.
So far the scheme has had a great impact on the local community. It has brought people together, and got people thinking about what they eat and where it comes from. Plus, it is keeping our community's economy local.
But now we need your help in order to continue growing and delivering our veg to London's residence and to keep our farm growing...
We need more infrastructure and more customers in order for our VegBag scheme to sustain our farm financially. Without the VegBag scheme supporting us, our farm simply cannot act as a community space for learning and growing and we want to keep our doors open and share the wonderful things we do here with everyone!
We have some great rewards on offer, including limited edition artworks, signed books from our farm's patron Lorraine Pascal, dinner at one of Mark Hix's restaurants that we supply, master classes with the farm's baker and chances to come to the farm and taste our veg at our celebratory pizza party!
What Will We Spend The Money On?
We need to buy more equipment, like scales, so that the bag packing process is more efficient and more volunteers can be involved. We need better packaging for our vegetables so that they reach our customers in tip-top condition. We need to produce marketing materials, like flyers and posters, so that we can raise our profile in our area. We need to hire stalls at food markets, so that we can get chatting to our community about what we do. We need a brand our vegvan, so that we can let the community know that we exist!
Finally, we need to fund a member of staff to run the scheme properly, so all our efforts don't go to waste and as many people as possible can benefit from our super-duper scheme, plus this allows us to turn £15,000 into so much more.
Supporting a Farm that Supports the Community
It's a start for a scheme that supports more than just a farm. We are an educational space for kids (and adults!) to learn about nature and where their food comes from. We re-skill the unemployed. And we host and run courses. We are a chance for teenagers to get their hands dirty.
Plus, we feed people good, natural food that hasn't travelled miles to get here and we want to keep on doing so!
Food is the largest component of our environmental footprint and so, what we eat, and where we buy our food from makes a significant difference. Eating locally, and organically, is a small change that collectively makes a big difference and we help make this happen.
So please pledge what you can and remember, it is all or nothing, so unless we raise our target we won't receive a penny and all donations will be returned.
Thank you.
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