Vauxhall City Farm celebrates decade of transformation
An urban farm has celebrated a decade-long partnership which has seen hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for essential services and refurbishments.
Vauxhall City Farm and St James, part of the Berkeley Group, celebrated 10 years since the launch of the Berkeley Foundation Community Partnership (BCFP), which has generated a total of £325,000 in contributions.
To mark the milestone, staff members from both organisations gathered at the farm in Tyers Street last week to plant a tree.
Glen Walker, chair of Vauxhall City Farm said: “St James and the Berkeley Foundation have been exemplary funders, not only raising an extraordinary amount but also trusting us to allocate resources where they are needed most.
“We have had the pleasure of welcoming numerous staff volunteers to help maintain our facilities, and we are fortunate to have recruited two Trustees from the company, who have provided us with invaluable expertise and governance. We cannot thank them enough for their investment in our community.”
Vauxhall City Farm is a charity which provides educational, recreational and therapeutic support programmes for its Lambeth community. The urban farm sees around 60,000 visitors come through its gates each year and costs £58,000 a month to run.
Funds raised by the BCFP have supported the farm’s ability to provide its vital community services for the past decade.
Most recently, St James’ staff took part in a sponsored walk along the Thames Path with a finish line at the Farm where walkers were greeted by the animals.
The partnership has also enabled the charity to develop a new green space where community groups now learn about gardening and sustainability, with educational programmes teaching younger people about the journey from farm to fork.
Dean Summers, managing director at St James said: “We hope and trust that Vauxhall City Farm will continue to provide a wonderful environment for its animals and a unique offering to Lambeth residents.”
Pictured top: St James’ and Vauxhall City Farm staff plant a new tree to mark their 10 year partnership (Picture: VCF)