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Farming Today: 24/12/20 - The Community Farm at Christmas

24/12/20 - The Community Farm at Christmas

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 24/12/20 - The Community Farm at Christmas

Lucy Taylor finds out how Somerset's Community Farm is adapting to meet pandemic demand.

The boom in people signing up for veg box schemes this year has been good news for The Community Farm in Somerset - but to deliver their social projects, they're having to adapt.

It's been a busy few months for The Community Farm in Somerset's Chew Valley.

The social enterprise has a small team of staff supplemented by volunteers, who grow, harvest, pack and sell organic veg via a box scheme: a business that's grown massively since the pandemic hit. 

But the farm also offers a range of educational and well-being workshops for children, adults and vulnerable people, which have this year been limited by coronavirus restrictions.

Now, thanks to a grant, the team is building a new outdoor shelter and fire-pit that will help them continue and expand their community workshops in safe, socially distanced fashion in the New Year - saying that now more than ever, people are recognising the mental health benefits of connecting with nature.

Lucy Taylor visits the farm as they finish up their festive orders; chatting to managing director Kim Brooks about the business and their veg box contribution to local charity schemes, and hearing from Antonia Cross from the homeless support organisation Caring in Bristol.

Lucy also meets some of the regular volunteers, led by Giles Atkinson - and talks to engagement manager Hatty Richards about their plans to get more people out on the farm in 2021.

Presented and produced in Bristol by Lucy Taylor.

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