Forming a Vibrant Society

With over 208 members and more than half engaging with our first AGM, we are developing a vibrant Society. Seventy percent of our members live in Essex, so we feel truly embedded in our locality.

A Successful Start-Up
Fund Raising Campaign

In addition to members share capital of some £31,000 we also attracted grants in the region of £55,000 and two loans totalling just under £33,000. This enabled start up revenue costs to be covered for the first twelve months and the necessary investment in capital infrastructure.

Natural Bee Guardianship

​Two Sun Hives have honey bee colonies living in them with the swarms being collected by our secretary, Helen Hardwicke.

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Chickens

A woodland run was built and a house refurbished for laying hens from an organic producer in Manningtree. Since then, three new hen houses have been built with the help of a volunteer to go into the veg fields. The eggs go with the weekly veg bags.

Biodynamic Vegetables 

There is now one acre of Demeter certified biodynamic vegetables growing, including a large new poly-tunnel, which supplies thirty bags per week plus local farm shops and a local market. This required capital investment in the tunnel, irrigation, machinery, hand tools, crop fleeces and covers.

Staff & Accommodation

Andre and Monique Kleinjans joined Lauriston Farm in August 2017 with over sixty years combined experience in biodynamics. They live on the farm in a rented bungalow and have set up the new vegetable enterprise as well as maintaining the farm infrastructure, the cattle and creating community.​
In addition, the wages for the Farm Director, the part time administrator, farm staff and social farming development were covered during start-up.

Sales Expansion

The vegetables and markets are bringing many more customers to the farm who are in turn buying more beef and lamb. We have seen a steady increase in sales since we started in May 2018.

Office Space

A fully equipped office space has been created for three workers together with the safe storage for data and medicines.

Day Placements

All the regulatory requirements are in place for hosting adults with learning disabilities.  We have hosted Thriftwood College and CoCoCare and have a handful of co-workers coming every week to work alongside our staff.
We have secured a three year contract with Essex County Council as a provider of day services. Each day placement utilises the infrastructure we have created and the associated activity developed.

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Wool Crafts

Volunteer, Lois Gardner runs a weekly social farming wool workshop producing goods for sale from the sheep’s wool. Products include bags, decorations and mobile phone and tablet cases. We are creating a permanent craft room with looms, wheels and drum carders.

Food Quality Kitchen

Built over Spring and inspected in August 2018, this compact kitchen enables lunches to be provided, workshops to run and the production of cooked goods for sale.

​Our Funders

We are very grateful to our members and the following organisations who have funded us:
​
Essex County Council
Esmee Fairburn Foundation
Essex Association of Local Authorities
Co-Operative and Community Finance
Santander
Tesco