Stratton Community Farm could reopen as early as next year after talks with school

A much-loved community farm in Biggleswade could reopen as early as next year, as its directors create plans for the site.

Stratton Community Farm at Stratton Upper School closed in 2019 with the farm buildings kept by a community interest company, of which Imogen Ash was the remaining director.

Over three years on – after talks between the new school administration, Cambridge Meridian Academy Trust and a community interest company (CIC) headed by Imogen, about reopening the farm – there is now an ‘in principle’ agreement to create a community growing farm on part of the site.

And the directors of Stratton Community Farm CIC Imogen, Laurinda Luffman and Gwyn Williams are keen to hear the public’s views about their plans for the farm’s future.

Gwyn explained: “We would certainly like to be open for next year. So we've got to sort out access. We've got to sort out the model, we've got to find some funding.”

There are initial plans to not keep animals but instead invite residents to grow produce, with help from professionals, to be sold or given to people in need. Last year the CIC picked apples and pears from the nearby orchard and handed them to food banks in Biggleswade.

The farm needs independent access to the site and a business model that is both financially viable and meets the needs of Biggleswade residents. To help them gauge this, the group held an event in Biggleswade at the weekend to get some much-needed insight into what the town wants from the farm.

They were thrilled with the number of people who came to see them on Saturday and were happy to have their enthusiasm and skills behind them.

Gwyn said: “It was positive. I think there's a lot of interest there, so we're feeling very optimistic.”

The input from the public will prove useful to the farm in securing funding and demonstrating the interest the community has in the new initiative.

The directors also added: “While working up plans together, we are seeking local people's input as to how the farm concept might be developed,” and urged people to fill out the survey online.

You can find the survey online here to give your opinions about what you would like to see.