Promoting the Farm in the Chew Valley

The Valley Promotion Group
We are a small group of enthusiasts that have been meeting in local pubs since October to plan how to increase awareness and promote the Community Farm in the Valley.

With this wonderful resource on our doorstep, it doesn’t seem right that presently only a small proportion of locals are involved as veg. box customers and/or members/investors/farm volunteers.

The group (in no particular order) are currently: Sarah Kee, Andrew Woodfield, Luke Hasell, Wendy Phillips, Nick Baker, Francesca Price, Suzanne Wynn, Nick Scholefield and Alison Belshaw.  Most of us last met up in the Queens Arms, Chew Magna, and hatched some plans.

• We have already started on a Primary Schools project, which looks like it should be a win-win-win! Some local Primary schools are already supplied with our veg. boxes, and hopefully, with the cooperation from B&NES currently being sought and more Food for Life (Soil Association) awards gained, we can increase the uptake.

In addition to the obvious mutual benefit, our veg. boxes could also provide a useful 'foot in the door’ for CF presentations in school assemblies, arranging educational visits to the farm, and the provision of a real time, hands on resource for parts of the science curriculum. We’re looking into being able to enhance the growing and eating experience by encouraging school gardens and/or providing dedicated 'school veg. plots’ at the farm.

Chew Magna and Chew Stoke Primary are leading the project: hopefully the children will soon be educating their parents!

• We want to make sure that the Community Farm is shown off at local village and school events, Fairs, Harvest Home etc. This will need planning, and could include veg. preparation and tasting sessions and supermarket/veg. box price comparisons along with the displays and information.

We liked the idea that our own CF organised events at local indoor venues could also include the showing of 'The Real Dirt on Farmer John’, an amusing American documentary film with a serious message on CSA.

• Also, not to forget village notice boards and websites to increase publicity for local involvement with our wonderful farm.

For more info on the work we are doing, or to enquire about joining the group  please contact Alison Belshaw at