Shropshire farm eviction 'a threat to spring fair'
A family who have been farming a field for more than 300 years say are devastated they could face eviction – which would also bring their community events to an end.
Brother and sister Ben and Charlotte Hollins, from Fordhall Organic Farm, near Market Drayton, are currently trying to renegotiate the use of the 12-acre cottage field, which they are reliant on to host community events as well as winter livestock grazing.
If the negotiations don’t go well with the private landowner the family would be evicted from one of their most important fields on September 29.
The Hollins family have been farming the field at Fordhall Farm for more than 300 hundred years, and since the Second World War it has been organically farmed.
The rest of the land at Fordhall has been in community-ownership since 2006, with more than 8,000 community shareholders.
The eviction would mean the farm will not have the space to continue to hold large community events.
This means that the Fordhall Family spring fair on April 28 will be the last ever to be held.
The farm is run by tenant farmer Ben Hollins, who said: “Everyone at the farm is absolutely devastated by the news.
"It will change the way we farm, and it will hinder our ability to carry on dad’s legacy here, as we need these top fields for our winter grazing."
Charlotte Hollins, manager of the community trust which owns the rest of Fordhall, said: “We really hope we can purchase this land as we did the rest of the farm in 2006, but there is no offer on the table yet.
Displays
“We would love for everyone from the local area to come and celebrate everything our family and the community have achieved over the last 300 years at the last ever spring fair, and make it one to remember for many years to come.”
Fordhall Family Spring Fair is being held on Sunday, April 28, from 10am.
It is a celebration of spring for the whole family.
The event will feature lambs, pony rides, duck herding, exotic animals, falconry displays, a dog show, tractor-trailer rides, a straw bale maze and a chance to admire the view from the farm.
Tickets cost £3 per person and under-4s are free.
They can be purchased from Fordhall Farm’s website fordhallfarm.com
Proceeds from the event go to Fordhall’s Education Programme.
