£30k campaign launched for new Lancaster community farm

Tuesday, 3 February 2026 15:52

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Summerhouse Farm supporters launching the Crowdfunder at the recent Potato Day at The Friends Meeting House, Lancaster. Image credit: LESS (Lancaster District) CIC

A fundraising campaign has been launched to bring a new community farm in Lancaster to life.

The team behind the purchase of Summerhouse Community Farm in Lancaster wants to raise £30,000 to transform the land off Ashton Road into a productive community farm with a market garden, orchards and wildlife habitats.

The farm offers an opportunity for the community to get involved in creating and delivering practical solutions for local food resilience.

A series of community consultations and workshops took place during 2025 which has led to the creation of a permaculture design for the site which means the farm will be developed in a holistic way that cares for both people and nature.

Funds raised by the Crowdfunder means the design can begin implementation later in 2026.

The purchase of the farm is part of the wider vision of North Lancashire’s FoodFutures Partnership to see more land put into community ownership and being used for sustainable agriculture, education and growing healthy soils and food for local residents.

“The farm is a fantastic space for people to get hands-on experience of local nature-friendly food production," said Ellen Pearce, Project Coordinator at LESS.

“We hope it will also help to inspire more community owned agriculture in the district and provide opportunities for people to build skills and confidence to respond to the impacts of climate change in their own lives and communities."

Anna Clayton, FoodFutures Coordinator, said: “This campaign will allow us to lay strong foundations, so the farm can provide seasonal, organic produce for the local community with a focus on teaching skills and expertise in sustainable agriculture - but it’s just as important to create spaces for people to enjoy and get close to nature on their doorsteps.''

The initial target of £30,000 will include match-funding from the Aviva Community Fund which matches up to £250 of the first donation by each person until March 11.

There is also an enticing selection of rewards on offer to suit a range of pockets from veg boxes, workshops and harvest meals, to opportunities to commemorate a loved one by adopting a tree.

The team invites everyone to browse the rewards, watch the campaign video, donate and share with friends and family and help create a thriving community farm in the heart of Lancaster where both people and nature will reap the benefits.

You can find the crowdfunding link HERE.

FoodFutures North Lancashire is an award winning Sustainable Food Place initiative. It is made up of representatives from the local farming community, local food businesses, the public sector, Lancaster City Council, NGOs, community food groups and our local academic institutions.

LESS is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company set up in 2007 to provide practical support to help the residents of Lancashire live more sustainably. It coordinates a wide range of environmental and community projects, including North Lancashire's FoodFutures.

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