The Fight for Fordhall Farm

THE FIGHT FOR FORDHALL FARM is the astonishing story of a young brother and sister faced with an unimaginable task - escaping eviction from their home that had been in their family since the 1700s, and saving their livelihood. Ben & Charlotte's father, Arthur Hollins, ran Fordhall Farm in Shropshire from the age of 14 until his death aged 90 in 2005, and inspired his children with his zeal for organic farming. So when their landlord informed them in 2005 that they would have to achieve the seemingly impossible and raise GBP800,000 to buy the farm or face eviction, 20- and 22-year-old Ben and Charlotte refused to give in without a fight. Aided by the Community Development Manager Sophie Hopkins and volunteers from across the country, the Hollinses set up the Fordhall Community Land Initiative, which allows members of the public to buy a GBP50 non-profit share in the farm. With an appeal in national newspapers and on television, the cheques were soon flooding in as the community rallied to save this special piece of farming history.
Today more than 8,000 people across the world own a stake in Fordhall, and with supporters including a number of celebrities - HRH Prince Charles, Sting, Prunella Scales and Monty Don to name a few - the farm's future has been secured for the next 100 years.