Bridge Community Farm | 07470 326 459

Bridge Community Farms is a social enterprise based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. We are a working farm that brings together people from all parts of the local community and offers those in need a helping hand. The first seed for Bridge Community Farms was planted in 2011. David Briggs, Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire, brought a small group of business people together, challenging them to find ways to create sustainable jobs for people who are long-term unemployed in certain areas of the county. Bridge Community Farms was set up in response to this challenge. We are a socially responsible and environmentally conscious organisation. Our main purpose is to offer permanent and sustainable jobs to people who are long-term unemployed, by growing and selling fruit, vegetables, salads and herbs to the local community. We also provide a therapeutic environment for people living with mental health conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as people with physical and learning disabilities. We also have study facilities for children and young people who want to learn horticulture, food preparation and basic business skills. Our board and senior management team are made up of individuals with extensive experience and a track record in farming, commerce, horticulture, law, finance, education and retail. Bridge Community Farms is a member of the following networks and organisations: Care Farming UK is an organisation interested in the therapeutic use of farming practices. They support farms providing health, social or educational care services for vulnerable people, or structured programmes of farming activities. They are represent care farmers in policy development to support care farming in the UK. Land Workers Alliance is a network of producer- led organisations using sustainable methods to produce food, fuel, fibre and flowers. The Alliance also campaigns for the rights of small-scale producers on policies that impact the sector. Thrive is a UK charity using gardening to change the lives of disabled people. They have regular publications keeping the sector up to date on social and therapeutic horticulture, health, care, the environment and education.

Community Volunteer Work Days at Bridge Community Farms

Friday, 25th September 2015

We are opening our doors for a community volunteering day every Wednesday (10am-1pm) for anyone aged 16+ to come down and get involved in practical tasks on our vegetable growing site.  We'll be working together on various land-based, horticultural and crafts tasks in the fields and polytunnels so this is a great opportunity to get outdoors, learn new skills and meet new people.

We'll be providing tea, coffee and biscuits. As the days are getting colder, we will also start offering soup made with own organically-grown vegetables produce, served in our dome classroom.

Please wear suitable footwear and bring waterproofs and gardening gloves, if you have them. Whatever the weather, there will be plenty to do – and with three large polytunnels and classroom dome, we'll always have a wet weather plan! 

To let us know you're coming, or if you have any questions about the day, just contact Collette Littler, Volunteer Co-ordinator, on 07847 824 910 or email volunteersbcf@gmail.com 

The farm is located by the Rivacre Business Centre, entrance from Mill Lane, CH66 3TH.

No food waste at Bridge Community Farms

Tuesday, 15th September 2015

To make sure we don’t add to food waste in our area, we are delivering any leftover fresh vegetables to Trinity Church Cafe, Ellesmere Port. 

Across the UK, 15 million tonnes of food is thrown away every year. In 2012 alone, 1.2 million tonnes of fresh fruit, vegetables and salad - worth £2.6 billion - was wasted. At our farm at Mill Lane we didn’t want to add to this waste so now any fresh vegetables that aren’t sold through our veg-boxes or at our pop-up shop on Thursdays, get delivered to the church cafe. Here the volunteers use our fresh produce to cook up some delicious meals. 

We are proud that we are able to give something back to our community and, at the same time, contribute to reducing food waste and more people enjoy our organically-grown vegetables.

Bridge Community Farms and local schools are fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support

Friday, 11th September 2015

On Thursday 24 September we are hosting a fundraising coffee morning at Mill Lane, taking part in the world-famous Macmillan’s Biggest Coffee Morning. 

We will be joined by local schools serving tea and coffee as well as offering delicious cakes and cookies, all baked by local volunteers in aid of this very worthwhile charity. The event will run from 9:30am until 11am. 

As well as drinks and cakes pupils from local primary school, St Mary of the Angels will be offering some light entertainment and there will also be games and a raffle. 

Guests can meet staff to find out more about how the farm operates and the volunteering opportunities we have on offer. There will also have the chance to buy some of the vegetables grown on the farm when our shop opens at 11am. 

Collette Littler, Volunteer Co-ordinator said, “We enjoy bringing our neighbours and local residents on to the farm so they can see what we are doing here. The coffee morning is a great way for us to get to know each other much better, whilst raising money for a wonderful cause.” 

For more information about the coffee morning please contact Collette by emailing volunteersbcf@gmail.com

Parklands and Westminster Family Project Celebration Event

Tuesday, 8th September 2015

Local families from the Parklands and Westminster areas of Ellesmere Port flocked to Bridge Community Farms on Wednesday August 26th to celebrate the success of a fun and interactive family project. 

The Parklands and Westminster Family Project has been a year-long programme of activities delivered by local health-promotion group Healthbox CIC. The aim of the project is to encourage local families to lead healthier lifestyles and enjoy cooking and eating together. 

The project has been run through Parklands Children’s Centre and Westminster Primary School and partner with Parklands Primary School and Plus Dane Housing. Over the past year, families have taken part in various sessions including cooking on a budget, money management and ‘seed to plate’, which included growing and planting activities as well as cookery. 

The celebration day at the farm was planned and shaped by the families and included a delicious, healthy lunch, face painting, a bouncy castle, playdoh pizza-making, planting, crafting and a hula hoop zone. 

Congratulations to all families that took part!

There are a few more photos on our Facebook page - check them out.

National Citizen Service volunteers create beautiful therapeutic garden at Bridge Community Farms

Friday, 28th August 2015

Earlier this month we were delighted to welcome a group of young people from the Youth Fed Ellesmere Port National Citizen Service (NCS) who chose Bridge Community Farms as the partner for their social project.

The Youth Federation is one of the North West’s leading youth charities providing support to 5,000 young and vulnerable people aged from eight to 25 years every year. Youth Fed inspires more than 2,000 young people aged 15–17 every year to engage in social action and delivers the Government’s National Citizen Service across Wirral, Halton and Cheshire. Through a combination of residential programmes and works shops, NCS equips young people with life-enhancing skills and helps them to build a new network and engage with community groups.

Two NCS groups came along to plant flower beds in our mandala garden in memory of a friend who very sadly took his own life. Mandala is Sanskrit for ‘circle’ and so our mandala garden comprises several beds in the shape of a circle. The garden will be used as a therapeutic environment for people with mental health problems and who may themselves be experiencing suicidal feelings. Research has shown that getting outdoors and doing activity such as gardening can help alleviate depression and other mental health problems – this kind of therapy is known as ecotherapy.

The NCS volunteers spent several days with us planting up the garden and on the final day the Deputy Mayor of Ellesmere Port, Cllr Lynne Clare, paid us a visit and admired the young people’s work.

See more photos on our Facebook page.

 

Order your Bridge Community Farms veg box today

Wednesday, 19th August 2015

We are now starting to take orders for our standard organically-grown seasonal veg boxes (feeds 2-3 people). 

Your box will contain five portions of seasonal organically-grown vegetables – and you can choose from whatever we have in season. Onions, carrots and potatoes will be available most weeks, and we will also have cauliflowers, courgettes, tomatoes and leeks when they are available. To see what we have in stock come and see us at our pop-up stall every Thursday 11am-3pm. 

Boxes cost just £7.50 and payment is by cash upon collection. 

Once ordered, your box will be available to collect on Thursdays from the farm (at Mill Lane, Ellesmere Port), either at our pop-up stall (11am-3pm) or at the gate (5-6pm). We are also in the process of organising Saturday pick-up points and will keep you informed of where these are soon. 

To order your easy-to-carry box or bag, just let us know your name and contact details and whether you would like a fresh box every week or every fortnight. Contact Ben (our Growing and Production Manager) at gielty@msn.com or call us on 07825 840 595 Monday to Friday 8am–7pm.

Our very first pop-up veg box stall launches on Thursday!

Monday, 17th August 2015

Your favourite organically-grown vegetables are now available to buy from 20th August throughout the rest of summer and the autumn at our very first pop-up stall on the Mill Lane farm site. 

We will be open from 11am–3pm every Thursday to give you a flavour of what to expect in our new veg box scheme, which you can now join from just £6 per box. 

This month we have carrots, onions, courgettes and cauliflowers – and soon we will also have leeks, parsnips and gorgeous tomatoes and potatoes for sale. Here’s how to find us

The pop up veg stall is just a taste of what is to come in the next few months at Bridge Community Farm so follow us on Facebook for our latest updates.

Pitch in this summer!

Saturday, 1st August 2015

We will be celebrating the Great British Summer by removing the covers and starting up our first Summer Family Gardening Club!

Until the end of summer, the Club will help plant, weed and grow vegetables at our new horticulture centre (on the site of the old Sutton High School), and we’re on the lookout for new members.

We’ll brace whatever weather the British summer throws at us, and get our hands a little bit dirty. If you’re able to join us you’ll see the fruits (and vegetables) of your labour throughout the rest of the year.

So if your kids are missing their school gardening clubs, you want to get active, or you just want to take advantage of the sun and your spare time, then throw on some old clothes and come along to the new horticulture centre.

The Club will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout August, between 10am and midday. 

If you’re under 16, you will need to come with a parent or guardian. If you’re between 16 and 18 years old, we ask that you bring written permission to attend.

To find out more call Collette on 07847 824910 or email volunteersbcf@gmail.com

How often do you get out in the countryside?

Monday, 20th July 2015

Not as much as you'd like? Well make sure you do this week as it's National Countryside Week (20th - 26th July).  Come and enjoy getting back to nature and making a difference to a community farm on your doorstep.  

We’ve lots of opportunities for you to get involved in, from helping to plant new crops out in the fields, to watering and tending to tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies in our polytunnels.

And if you are feeling particularly creative, we need to make sure our crops are protected - which will include building scarecrows! Could you help us? We are looking for volunteers to help every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

To find out more about volunteering with us or to sign up contact Collette on 07847 824 910 or e-mail us at volunteers@bridgecommunityfarms.co.uk 

Forest School Adventure Club

Friday, 17th July 2015

Are you stuck for something for the kids to do over the next couple of weeks? 

We have a few places available on our Forest School Adventure Club where we will be making everything from camp fires and kites to fairy bracelets and fairy houses. 

There will be bug hunting, clay modelling, mud painting, sports activities, arts and crafts and lots more! 

The Club runs from 9am-5pm and we are pleased to be able to offer our special introductory rate of just £10 a day. 

It is open Monday 20 to Thursday 23 July and Tuesday 28 to Friday 31 July. 

To book, email sarahbarnes560@gmail.com or call Sarah on 07707 817225.

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