A COMMUNITY farm is preparing for its next phase of growth, with plans to welcome new volunteers, expand its vegetable production and continue to its hands-on learning programme.

Nestled within the newly created ‘Green Corridor’ between Wellington and Rockwell Green, Wellington Community Food produce up to 30 vegetable boxes a week for local families.

The not-for-profit organisation consists of keen volunteers and two paid planters who work throughout the year to grow crops and host educational experiences for schools on the land.

Adam Lockyear, co founder of Wellington Community Food, said: “We have a high ambitions for the site. We could easily do a couple hundred vegetable boxes a week with the land we have available.”

The vegetable boxes are paid for by customers but any surplus produce is donated to Wellington Warm Place, a weekly initiative led by Wellington Baptist Church which allows families to come together, share a meal and support each other.

The in-demand boxes contain eight different types of vegetable with spinach, carrots, peas and beans typically in the mix.

Wellington Community Farm has expanded significantly since it was founded in 2022 with the installation of a 45 tonne polytunnel, 100 metres of hedge and huge vegetable plots.

Adam continued: “I love being able to step outside and see how the project is developing. When the schools visit, it’s something special. It gives children the chance to get fresh air and discover how food is grown. One child described the farm as feeling like ‘freedom’, and that really captures what we’re trying to create.”

The farm hope to one day plant fruit trees, create a driveway for vehicles to pick up the produce and build covered spaces for activities.

“The land is so huge here, you would never think that 16,000 people are within a mile and a half of the farm.

“Locals do not realise we are here and yet we have got fields that could be growing vegetables for hundreds of families a week.”

Wellington Community Food host two volunteer days a week, one with helping harvest and the other doing some work around the site.

Not only is the organisation looking for hands on gardeners, they are keen to hear from volunteers who would be willing to help with communications and finance.

“We are keen to hear from anyone who can spend a few hours helping us whenever they can. At the moment we have about six to eight volunteers on a harvest day and four or five on other days. It would be amazing to have a dozen people here at any one time to build the momentum and upscale the farm.

“Being on the ground sowing is not only beneficial for physical health, but for mental well-being.”

The farm are also looking for local businesses who would be willing to sponsor the vegetable boxes, to cover the costs of buying seeds and equipment.

To volunteer for Wellington Community Food, email: [email protected]