There are a number of dedicated people behind the Farm who have given lots of their time to help establish this project. Here’s some information about them and you can read the Directors’ Report from September 2011 here.
There are a number of dedicated people behind the Farm who have given lots of their time to help establish this project. Here’s some information about them and you can read the Directors’ Report from September 2011 here.
BEng, Civil Engineer
An experienced project manager for Kier Group working extensively within the retail industry. In 2003 inherited a farming enterprise and now manages 500 acres and The Story Group Ltd which specialise in providing organic food direct to the public. Luke started the community farm concept in 2008 and remains dedicated to achieve the goals required. Luke is director of other businesses specialising in property development and event management.
Phil first became a member of The Soil Association at 14 years old; this was the beginning of a life long involvement in organic food and farming. Experience has come from 5 years farming in Scotland, 5 years working on a city farm with education at its heart and 25 years retailing, wholesaling, growing and delivering organic food with a commitment to sustainability and community throughout. The award winning Better Food Company started life in 1992 and is a pioneering and successful organic food business two retail operations in Bristol. With thirty five years of working, living and breathing organic food, farming and community, and directing business operations Phil sees The Community Farm as an opportunity to help build new models for food and farming with people at the centre.
Geraldine is a teacher and a senior manager in a successful Bristol comprehensive school with responsibilities for staffing, management, fund raising, governance and policy development. She has extensive experience in project work in the arts and has set up, managed, monitored and evaluated a wide range of community arts initiatives. She has advised many arts organisations on their outreach and community work. She lives in the Chew Valley and has been actively involved with organic food and its principles for many years.
David Hunter is a solicitor, working as a consultant for charity and social enterprise specialists Bates, Wells & Braithwaite. David is currently studying for an MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility at Ashridge Business School and project managing the Bristol and Bath Local Currency Scheme. He is a trustee of Self Help Community Housing Association and of the Ethical Property Foundation.
Angela is a founder member of Sustainable Redland and a director of Transition Bristol. Sustainable Redland is a registered local community group, constituted since 2006, working to reduce carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Her interest, and that of the Redland members, is in helping to support local agriculture that enhances biodiversity, and produces climate-friendly food for local people. Angela has lived in Bristol since 1984, and works as a Public Health doctor in the National Health Service and the University of Bristol.
Ben has 13 years experience of growing organic vegetables commercially. Previous positions include Organic Vegetable Manager at Daylesford Organic, and Commercial Manager at the Welsh College of Horticulture, as well as working for HDRA (now Garden Organic). He is currently Horticultural Advisor for the Soil Association where he is responsible for technical advice, support and representation for organic growers as well as running the Organic Apprenticeship Scheme.
Melanie is a cheesemonger at Trethowan’s Dairy. Prior to that she was General Manager at the Better Food Company in Bristol, a large organic shop and café, wholesaler, grower and vegetable box delivery scheme business. It is an independent, local retailer which employs 47 people and has a turnover of £2.1m. She was responsible for the day to day running of the business. This involved direct management of four department managers, the finance team, the office team and a strategic management overview of the company as a whole. Mel has a 20 year career, working mainly in the food industry, as a chef, a catering manager and in food retail. Some would say she is obsessed with all things foodie and particularly in promoting a local, sustainable food culture.
Andrew is an investor in the Community Farm and a long-term member of the Soil Association. He and his family used to live on a farm in Nempnett Thrubwell, keeping sheep, growing veg and fruit and experimenting with vines. He served as Parish Clerk there for several years, but now lives near Wrington.
From 1976 until 2007 he taught philosophy at Bristol University. His recent lecture-course ‘Philosophical Issues in Modern Biotechnology’ discussed the scientific arguments for opposing GM crops.
He says, “The Community Farm is a truly worthwhile initiative. Hopefully, the administrative skills I acquired in my academic job will prove useful to it, and I’d love to undertake some research projects too, for instance, a study of the ways in which the CF can create enjoyment for its work-force and for the volunteers, the consumers and the wider community. I hope to contribute a philosophical perspective, articulating and defending our principles and values as a Community Benefit Society.”
Seb grew up in the darkest parts of rural Luxembourg, after which he came to the UK in 2006 to complete a business degree at the University of Bath. He graduated in 2010 and went on to become the marketing manager at Webtogs, a fast-growing online retailer for outdoor gear and clothing.
During his time at Webtogs, he co-founded Seeducation, an organisation that challenges mainstream education by helping individuals create value for themselves and society from their passion. He then co-founded Redefined, a creative agency focusing on bringing sustainable practices to modern organisations, with clients ranging from private clinics to telecoms companies.
His latest project is Flavrbox, an organisation aiming to make it easy for people to discover and buy food from independent farmers and food producers, with the intention of offering a real alternative to supermarkets.