The Fordhall 2010 Calendar has arrived!

It's exciting times here in the Fordhall office as the 2010 calendars have arrived! We are really pleased with the calendars this year and hope that they will sell well, we have attached a few of the images that we have used on the calendar.

These are great to hang up in your home and also make fantastic gifts...at the same time as supporting Fordhall and they only cost £10 each!

To purchase a calendar and support Fordhall, please call the office on 01630 638696 for more details. Thank you.
Hannah

Mr Brown invites Fordhall Farm to Number 10.

Yes thats right, Shropshire farmers have been invited to Downing Street! Now, its not often that happens...

Gordon Brown organised a lovely reception at No. 10 last week to celebrate National Social Enterprise Day and as a Flagship Social Enterprise (and if you don't know, that is a business which does NOT work for 'private profit' but reinvests its profit for environmental or social benefit) for the West Midlands the FCLI (Fordhall Farm Community Land Initiative) was invited.

So off Charlotte went, into the big city of London. There were almost 200 other social enterprises squeezed into the main reception room and the fantastic food was also supplied by a Social Enterprise.

The PM said:
“Whatever job an individual is doing for whatever social enterprise in the country, you are doing something very much bigger than simply the task that you are carrying out. You are actually making our country a better, fairer and more successful country.
“You are building communities in this country that, without your help, would not be strong at all. You are making a younger generation see the importance of community solidarity and people working together for the common good.”

Charlotte said "it was a great honour to be invited to Downing Street. Whatever your political view, everyone in the room felt as though they were being truly thanked for the work that they do. It was a very interesting day, as we even got to have a little nosey around the house! It was a real celebration for Social Enterprise and has inspired me to work even harder. Role on 2010”

The Last Working Weekend of 2010

This weekend saw Fordhall Farm's last working weekend of 2009 and what a great weekend it was - plus the weather wasn't too bad either! We had 30 people come along and take part from all over the country - some from as far away as London.
We also had a fantastic bonfire party on Saturday evening and lots of people and enjoyed the fireworks and a Fordhall Sausage bap.
Hannah
The next working weekend is on the 27th-28th February 2010. To book on please email project@fordhallfarm.com

Fordhall Working Weekend - This Weekend!

This weekend Fordhall will host its last working weekend of 2009. Not only that but we have a bonfire party in the evening too.! There are still spaces left so if you want to join in the fun please let me know asap you can call on 01630 638696 or email me on project@fordhallfarm.com

Hannah

P.S - If you don't fancy this weekend then we have lots for you to get involved in in 2010, our first one is in February on the 27th - 28th, dates of the others will be up on the website shortly.

Work on the roof continues

Work continues to gather pace with the farmhouse roof. Most of the front roof is now off and supports are being added where timbers are rotten or cracked. Mike Salt Conservation Builders are working on the project and Rodney Bellamy is our architect keeping a keen eye on everything. Work is steady and we have had a few leaks during the showers but we are still hoping it will be complete by Christmas! Otherwise, it could be a cold one...


Additional works have already been found around the northern chimney stack, where a purlin had been built through its centre! Perhaps not the most fireprrof method of supporting the roof. This chimney stack is now having to be re-built and the purlins supported elsewhere.

Alongside this work, local volunteers, Maude and Jean, have been following progress to help gather and interpret the farms history. Questions which date the roofs and other rooms in the farmhouse are beginning to be answered, whilst new questions simulataneously arise. It is interesting work and we hope it will culminate into an interesting report at the end.

A big thank you must go to Maude and Jean for all the time and effort they are putting into this. But, we musn't forget our lovely architect and builders - keep up the good work chaps.... and please finish for Christmas!