Thank you for Christmas at Fordhall, by Charlotte

2006 has been an amazing year at Fordhall and the still of telephones and emails over christmas enabled us to really take in the achievements of the year.

Both Ben and I agree that the Christmas of 2006 has been one of our best ever at Fordhall. For once we could relax and really enjoying being at the farm; being at 'home'. Most of the christmas' we can remember were tinged with the dread that one day we would have our last christmas at the farm. Yet this year, we were able to celebrate the opportunity of enjoying christmas' at Fordhall forever! I can't tell you what an amazing feeling that was.

Our christmas morning began at 9.30am with Ben and his girl friend Marie-anne cooking us all Fordhall bacon sandwiches, mmmm. We then began to cook christmas dinner. There is always so much to do at Fordhall that on chirstmas day we make a special point of not rushing, we just let things happen as they will. As a result there was no real time set for dinner, apart from the fact that it would be some time in the afternoon.

This year christmas dinner was up to the 'youngsters'. So Ben and I, together with our better halves, Marie-anne and Oli, cooked christmas dinner. We had melon and then soup as starters then; pork, chicken, sprouts, parsnips, roast potatoes, mashed sweet potato and swede, stuffing, pigs in blankets, cheesy leeks, carrots, gravy and chutneys. Even without the desserts it was a locally produced feast to die for, and every family member had contributed at least one item to the meal.

Luckily before dinner we all went for a walk around the land you helped to save earlier in the year. By this time our older half-sister Marianne with husband Alan had joined us (see above, with mum behind the camera!). So we donned the wellies and our christmas hats, and even found time to feed the goats a treat on the way.

By the time we got back from the walk, the food was cooked and we were certainly ready for it.

Like most of yours, our christmas went into the evening with games and laughter in front of the roaring log fire, but not once did we forget the unforgettable year we have had and the sheer number of people who had enabled us to have such a special christmas.

I remember an email from one of our early shareholders just after the deadline in July. She said that when she had first seen the campaign on BBC Midlands Today (October 2005), she had thought that it was a great idea and very worthwhile, but that the £800,000 target was just to large to achieve. She told this to her husband and he said "well that maybe true, but if we put in £50 and enough other people think the same and just put in £50 then it may soon add up, so why dont we?". They did, and so did thousands more of you. So when you think that your one or two shares were insignificant, think again. It was the result of so many of you putting in that little bit that enabled that colossal sum of £800,000 to be raised, and thats what makes this campaign so amazing. You all did just as Ghandi said.

"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi.

Thank You for Christmas 2006.
May 2007 take Fordhall to a new level.