We are excited to announce that we’ve been successful in our bid for £250,000 of funding for Hartcliffe City Farm. The funds come from the government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as part of a scheme to secure the future of community spaces across the country and transform them into vibrant hubs for the benefit of local people. This is our plan for Hartcliffe.
Our goal is to turn the farm into a thriving community hub, offering a beautiful open-access space with ponds, gardens and animals, as well as services for the community, such as room hire, outdoor learning, supported volunteering, training courses and more.
Before we can get these activities up and running, we need to develop the basic infrastructure of the site – unglamorous but essential things like plumbing, wiring, and creating level walkways which will ensure the farm is safe and accessible for all visitors. This is where the bulk of the grant will be spent. Completing this essential work will secure the future of the farm as a functioning community space with the facilities in place to offer valuable services to local people.
Steve Sayers, CEO of Windmill Hill City Farm, the organisation leading on the development of Hartcliffe City Farm, says “Winning this bid is a fantastic boost to Hartcliffe City Farm. It means we can put the basics in place to make it a great place to visit, to learn, and to work or volunteer at. A year from now you’ll see a very different place. It will be great to see local people joining us on that journey.”
Hartcliffe City Farm will be opening to the public on 5th June for a free community event celebrating the Jubilee. From then it will be open to the public 6 days a week (not Mondays).
Background information
Back in March 2020 Windmill Hill City Farm, in partnership with local community organisation Heart of BS13, were selected by Bristol City Council to re-develop the under-used Hartcliffe farm site. Using Windmill Hill City Farm’s experience in developing and running a successful city farm, and Heart of BS13’s knowledge of the local community, Hartcliffe City Farm will become a thriving community asset. The partnership aligns well with the community consultation carried out by Bristol City Council identifying the ‘top 3’ community principles for the area: access for all, engaging with animals and nature; and education and employment.