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FUW President Glyn Robert and Mark Williams MP at Swansea Community Farm[/caption]
Farmers’ Union of Wales President Glyn Roberts re-visited Swansea Community Farm (SCF) to once again see the multi-award winning project for himself and drum up support for the Fforestfach site, in an attempt to help save the Farm from closure.
The visit was arranged by the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Union President joined Mark Williams MP, and Cllr William Powell, who is currently the Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Agriculture and Energy.
The Farm is again facing closure unless it can get support from the public and businesses of Swansea and raise £50,000 before the end of March. They are seeking £25,000 through a Crowdfunding campaign and a further £25,000 from other sources including grants, government and business.
This money will enable the Farm to continue for 6 months during which time it will look to develop partnerships with larger organisations that share its aims of reconnecting people with their food, their environment and each other.
Founded in 1998, the farm has been an accredited Agored Cymru training centre since 2012.
As a working farm they have always aimed to reconnect people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities with their food, their environment and each other and do this through a range of unique and exciting educational, volunteering, training and play projects.
FUW President Glyn Roberts, who has previously visited a 90-acre Woodlands Farm, on the borders of Greenwich and Bexley, and which is the largest city farm in Europe, is well aware of the benefits of having a city farm accessible to the local community.
He said: “Farming and the countryside is embedded in our Welsh heritage and it is a pleasure to see how the SCF are engaging with the public by offering cookery training in the volunteer built café, through school and college visits and courses and through selling sausages, bacon and meat from pigs reared on the farm.
“It would be a massive step backwards in efforts made to connect urban and rural life if this community farm is forced to close.
“I strongly urge those in power and the people of Swansea to do all they can to support this project so that our children and children’s children can continue to learn about the ways of the countryside, food production and sustainable land management and how #FarmingMatters.”
Mark Williams MP said: “The mission of Fforestfach Community Farm is one that should resonate with us all.
“Educating our children about agriculture and farming in Wales, a distinct part of Wales’ history and heritage, is incredibly important. The opportunities available at SCF for training and developing new skills, education, and fun are wonderful and must be preserved and promoted.
“Brexit poses a real risk to the agricultural community and industry in Wales, which is why the Welsh Liberal Democrats are campaigning for Wales and the UK to remain in the single market. I remain deeply concerned about what Brexit holds for Wales, in particular our agricultural community.
“I urge those who have the ability to put this situation right to act now. As Wales’ only city farm, it would be a tragic loss if we were to lose Fforestfach Community Farm.”