Siblings steal the show with rural enterprise award
Lycetts, the UK's premier countryside insurance broker, and The Field magazine have crowned Ben and Charlotte Hollins of Fordhall Community Land Initiative and Farm, near Market Drayton in Shropshire, the UK's Young Rural Entrepreneurs of 2007.
This year's inaugural award was presented to the brother and sister, aged just 23 and 25, at an awards ceremony in London attended by a panel of judges which included successful entrepreneurs Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones (The Black Farmer); Caroline Dickinson, director of the award winning Brocksbushes Farm Shop in Northumberland; and Nicholas Wheeler, founder of international tailor, Charles Tyrwhitt. Angus Keate, Lycetts Chief Executive, Charles Seymour, Managing Director of Lycetts Rural Division and Jonathan Young, editor of The Field, completed the composition of the judging panel.
In 2004, after returning from agricultural college and university respectively, Ben and Charlotte were facing eviction from their family farm. Determined not to leave without a fight, they showed their true entrepreneurial qualities and a real eye for business when their landlord offered them the chance to purchase the farm at an asking price of £800,000 provided that sum could be raised within a 6 month time frame. So successful were Ben and Charlotte in their fund raising initiative that they raised £1.4 million from a combination of interest free loans and sales of shares in the farm, some for as little as £50.Since establishing this unique community ownership scheme Ben and Charlotte have resurrected the farm's fortunes to place it back at the heart of the local community and economy.
With over 8,000 shareholders, including 350 from overseas, playing a key role in developing the site, they have succeeded in stirring up positive interest in this small part of rural Shropshire. They host regular community days for investors and volunteers to help to restore the farm to past glories, planting trees and helping with building work, and last year welcomed 7,000 visitors onto the farm – 4,000 of whom attended their popular annual fair day.
Angus Keate, chief executive of Lycetts, explains:
"To rescue the farm and establish the first ever land initiative set up in this way in the UK is a remarkable achievement. Where many might have given up, they did an amazing job in the first instance by raising such a huge amount of money.
"What is perhaps more impressive, however, is their commitment and maturity since taking over the farm. They have had the foresight to allow the farm to continue to grow and diversify in the longer term, and this bodes well for a successful and sustainable future to the benefit of the local economy and community."
With rising numbers of livestock, and having been farmed organically by their parents since the end of World War II, the farm expects to receive official organic certification next year. Ben and Charlotte are determined not to let their venture stand still and in recent months they have added a new visitor picnic area and launched their online shop and book.
As the next step for their ambitious plans, the Hollins would like to convert some of the disused farm buildings into educational facilities, to be built using environmentally sustainable methods for use by local schools, investors and the wider community. On receiving the award and a cheque for £10,000, Charlotte added:
"Being named as the first ever The Field and Lycetts Young Rural Entrepreneurs is extremely satisfying for us and recognition for our efforts over the last few years. While it has been a steep learning curve, I can speak for both of us when I say that we would not have done this any other way. We would like to thank everyone who has invested their time and money into turning our plans for Fordhall into reality.
"This award gives us more confidence, as well an injection of funds to allow us to go ahead with our plans to establish new eco-friendly facilities on site. In the short-term, the prize money will also help with our efforts to rejuvenate the run-down farmhouse where we have been living all this time.
"As we approach winter, it is extremely comforting for me at least, to know that we may not have to use the outside shower for too much longer!"
Ben said:
"The other finalists were all very impressive and we were speechless when we heard that we had won. The last few years have been a tremendous journey for both of us working long hours and with many ups and downs along the way but we love it here. The farm now has 200 sheep, 75 cattle and 60 pigs, and this prize money will go along way to helping with our plans to continue to build livestock with the addition of an Aberdeen Angus bull and new farm shed.
"We only sell our produce directly to the customer through our farm shop and at farmers markets. Our recently launched online shop should also make a significant contribution in helping to make the farm viable and sustainable for many years to come."
Jonathan Young, editor of The Field, added:
"These two impressive individuals have made tremendous sacrifices at such a young age to secure the long-term future of Fordhall Farm, and are now starting to reap the benefits of all of their hard work.
"At the start of this year's campaign we sought to find individuals who were making an outstanding sustainable contribution to the UK's rural economy and community. We received some impressive entries and all five finalists were deserving of the award, but there could only be one winner.
"The judges agreed that Ben and Charlotte provide an inspiration to all who live and work in our countryside and we wish them the best of luck in their future activities. The whole judging process has proved hugely rewarding for all involved, and the 80 or so high quality entries which were considered demonstrate that entrepreneurialism really is alive and well in our countryside.
"We hope that next year's award will prove just as successful in helping us to unearth some real gems of rural enterprise which are out there, and in turn to raise the profile of rural businesses."
