A COMMUNITY farm project has launched a Crowdfunder to raise money to support the work they do. 

Wellington Community Food, a not-for-profit community benefit society in West Somerset, provides community vegetable boxes in a bid to provide the people in the area with locally-grown produce. 

The society also welcomes children from local schools to teach them about where food comes from. 

Wellington Community Food was established in 2022 and there are two contracted growers alongside a team of volunteers. The project is overseen by five directors.

The farm is situated in the green corridor which is adjacent to Wellington. The first harvest was in 2023, and the group provided weekly veg boxes to their 17 crop-share members. The first growing season yielded over two tonnes of vegetables and provided 414 veg boxes. 

READ MORE: Community farm plans along green corridor in Wellington

As well as this, the farm has held open days and they ran more than 50 sessions involving volunteers. 

In 2024, the area of land under cultivation was double from 0.5 hectares to one hectare, and they have also doubled the number of veg boxes provided. 

A spokesperson for Wellington Community Food said: "We are really pleased with the success of our outreach to our local schools. So far in 2024, 790 school children have visited the farm across 22 school visits from all 5 primary schools in the town. 

"The children are invited to learn about how we grow the vegetables and to enjoy a range of activities from bug-hunts to planting potatoes to digging up carrots! With more school visits lined up in the autumn, we aim to have hosted 900 school children by the end of the 2024 season."

Wellington Community Food has launched a Crowdfunder to raise money to upgrade the infrastructure of the project and improve their stock of tools. 

The appeal is supported by by the Aviva Community Fund. During the initial six week period, each donation is matched by Aviva up to a maximum of £250. So if you donate £10, Aviva matches with £10; if you donate £250, Aviva matches with £250; if you donate £500, Aviva matches with £250. Please note: this applies to only one donation per individual donor.

Donations will provide match funding towards the following: 

  • Customised, secure shipping container providing shelter for volunteers and a space to sort and pack our veg boxes.
  • A small propagation polytunnel for sowing our own crop seedlings
  • Improving the access track to our field

The funding will help to buy: 

  • A new two wheeled tractor with attachments which will enable us to work the land more efficiently.
  • A comprehensive set of hand tools which we need to work effectively with our growers, volunteers and children's groups.

Wellington Community Food are looking to raise a total of £19,739 (£7,500 match funding; tractor £9,250; hand tools £3,043). 

To donate, click here. 

In addition to the above funding, Wellington Community Food have already secured £14,000 from the Rural England Prosperity Fund from Defra through Somerset Council. 

The spokesperson added: "We want to improve the effectiveness of how we work on the land so we can continue to provide food in a way that is kind to nature.

"We want to provide the best experience we can for our volunteers so that they  benefit from social connection, physical activity and the satisfaction of a job well done. We think our education work in association with our local schools and is vitally important - we want  to continue and extend this work.

"If our £20K initial target is exceeded, we will use the extra funds to invest in additional polytunnel equipment to extend our growing season, diversify our range of crops and provide additional interesting work for our volunteers - especially when it is raining!"