2022 was a year of big highs and difficult lows; A year when we learnt about how to be resilient, to change quickly and adapt to circumstances, while at the same time sustaining our core values and ensuring that our volunteers were supported, given opportunities to learn and appreciated.
In anticipation of the year ahead in 2021 we applied for and received a generous grant from the Hampshire and IOW Community Fund (HIWCF) which allowed us to plan a program of events and employ staff to support volunteers with administration, workshops and events.
The new team
A spinning and wool workshop in the hall
Unfortunately in early spring we learnt that we would not any longer have the use of St Marys church hall for our market and workshops as, despite strong support from the town and from the people who had come to know and love us, the parochial church council decided that they wanted the hall back for their sole use. This was a significant loss to us, and the repercussions have impacted the shape of the project for the future; and there were also cost implications that, thanks to considerable generous donations, we have been able to bare.
We needed to think fast about ways that we could continue to run the Larder with its campaign for food justice and access to LOAF (Local, Organic, Animal friendly, Fairtrade) food and how we could design a space to welcome and offer hospitality for volunteers and continue to offer workshops and community events. Given that we just had access to a small field this was a leap of faith.
First we created outside workshop areas and bought a Kelly kettle
Using donations and utilising all our skills, and learning a lot more along the way, we decided to purchase and renovate a horsebox as a café for the farm. The renovation was a wonderful opportunity for the young people to create and learn and once finished ‘she’ … Clover… was ready to be our café, mobile shop and event catering resource.
Building clover
Clover doing her thing down at the farm each weekend
...... and a lot of tea and sitting about chatting was done.... all ages, great diversity, great fun
Catering for a local Open Farm event helped to raise revenue for Level Land Farm.
And through the spring….. we bought new animals, ran sessions for the youth club, grew our weekly volunteers and welcomed the Community Payback team.
The youth club sessions
Home Ed Wednesday morning group
Volunteers take on the work
.... and through the summer Visitors enjoy the space
... and there is always something to be done.. digging and duck rescue !
...and then there is more tea to be drunk
..... just hanging out with a chicken or a pig and playing. The pictures speak for themselves if the fun that there is but also the quiet times when the animals are the catalyst for finding the space we need to be human.
Thankfully the weather was mainly kind but we had a few workshops that had to be cancelled due to having no inside space and with so many national celebrations we had little opportunity for large events. However we continued to steadily increase our volunteers, members and subscribers and the young people had the opportunity to learn a huge amount.
Apple pressing days and pumpkin harvest
HAF project summer days