Wildlife Trust wins green grant

YORKSHIRE Wildlife Trust’s ambitious scheme to turn an abandoned Huddersfield farm into the focus for a community food project has been awarded £300,000 by The Veolia Environmental Trust.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Aug 2011, 15:29 BST

The charity is bringing the 250-acre Stirley Farm, off Ashes Lane, Newsome, back into use, creating a base for a project that will give people of all ages and backgrounds the chance to grow food and learn about animal husbandry.

The chief executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Dr Rob Stoneman, said: “We are very grateful to The Veolia Environmental Trust for this generous grant.

“Stirley Community Farm is a fantastic project and this grant gives a massive boost to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s work to restore the farm and involve local people in its future. This will help us create a real living landscape in this part of West Yorkshire.”

Stirley Farm was an upland diary farm until it went out of business several years ago. It is being redeveloped as a community farm, primarily as an organic beef social enterprise.

The aim is to rear hardy breeds fed on grass and hay. The farm will have a visitor centre and self-guided trails.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Huddersfield