Volunteering
Twelve volunteersfrom Anaplan clear the wayfor a new community hub
Our Community hub has done years of good work. It's starting to show.
It's weathered, exposed to the elements, and water has been getting in. So the old hub is due some much-needed repairs and renovation. While that work takes place, we'll need a temporary space to keep things running.
As a working farm, we're constantly exposed to the elements. And as our climate changes, we're seeing more of the challenges that come with increasingly unpredictable weather. From heavy rain and strong winds to the wear and tear on buildings, fences and the land itself, maintenance is an ongoing part of farm life.
Making room for the new community hub also meant clearing the ground beside the old building.
And, as if that wasn't enough, the weather had left us with two more jobs to tackle: a fence that had fallen down and a tree that had come down too!
It's all part of looking after the farm, adapting to the conditions and making space for what's next. One step at a time, we're getting there.
So on Wednesday 28 October, 12 people from Anaplan pulled on their gloves and gave us their working day, as part of their corporate social responsibility. The fence and the hub clearing took the morning, and the tree filled the afternoon. Here's what a team can shift in one day!
Trip after trip
Over by the animal feed shelter, the weather had brought down the fence, taking the roof sheets with it.
The team got stuck in, clearing away the broken fencing and roofing, loading it onto the pickup and making trip after trip to empty it all into the skip.
Then back for another load, and another! It was one of those jobs that just kept going.
Another bit of farm maintenance ticked off the list. There's always something to keep us busy here!
Back for more
The ride back down
Then it was a ride back down the track to clear some more. A welcome change of scenery for our office-based volunteers, swapping desks and screens for fresh air, muddy boots and a bit of farm life. Sometimes the best part of the working day is getting outside, getting stuck in and finding a little joy in the unexpected!
Next, beside the old hub
From nettles to a clear pad
Next to the cabin, a good concrete pad had disappeared under nettles and docks. The team cleared it, so the temporary hub can sit right next to the old one.
- For Green Teach and for alternative provision
- Used for admin and education
- A warm dry community space for all to enjoy
Out came the saws
The afternoon was all about tackling the fallen tree. The weather had brought it down across our community bushcraft area, landing over the timber sleepers and straw bales.
Out came the saws, and the team got to work cutting it up and clearing it back until the space began to open up again.
Another job done, another part of the farm brought back to life, ready for more outdoor learning, bushcraft and community activities.
Every plank counts
1 / 4Thank you, Anaplan
We were also joined by some of our regular local volunteers and our affiliate partners, Mandem Meet Up, who regularly use the farm for their men's mental health days. It was lovely to have them involved, lending a hand and giving a little something back to a space they know and value. If your team would like to spend a day on the farm, or you'd like to come along as an individual volunteer, we'd love to hear from you. There's always something to get involved in!
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80 volunteer hours: £1,200 estimated social value.
Each hour valued at £15 (TBC, 2026 rate).