Woodgate Valley Urban Farm

General information

Woodgate Valley Urban Farm is a Registered Charity dedicated to offering a range of practical work and volunteering experience for those within our local community. There is a special emphasis upon young people suffering from social exclusion, and elements of the Project provide a focus for rehabilitation into the local community through hands - on work giving a variety of basic competences including livestock management, horticultural and conservation activity, and improved social and life skills.

The Farm Project is managed and supervised entirely by unpaid Volunteers from the local community on a day to day basis, with an overview by eight Trustee/Directors. The Farm is also a Registered Company Limited by Guarantee (Without Share Capital). Copies of our Annual Reports and Accounts may be viewed through either the Charity Commission or Companies House Websites.

Although the Farm holds and manages land within the Country Park under licence from Birmingham City Council, it is not a Council facility, and does not receive any grant funding from the local authority. Our continuation relies entirely upon donations from the general public, grant giving trusts, benefactors, service level agreements ,and partnerships. Our Area of Benefit as a Charity radiates for seven and a half mile from the site, not only into Birmingham but also into Sandwell and the Black Country.

In addition to our main responsibilities (and although we are not primarily a public facility) we also open the Farm to the general public as casual visitors to view the result of our core work and involvement with our placements, and to benefit from using it as a resource displaying good livestock management and practice. For individuals and families entry is £1 for each (EXACT CHANGE REQUIRED) adult entering but for accompanying children under 18 it is free. For School and other Groups (including playgroups) there is an inclusive formal charge covering up to 30 children plus their accompanying teachers/other adults i.e. an average class (with a further £15 for each portion of 30 children after that). Such Groups MUST book in advance (Refer to Contact details above).

The Farm is designated as a Non-Animal Contact Project within current Health & Safety Guidelines as laid down by The Health & Safety Executive, and as applicable to establishments with livestock which are open the public. This means we cannot allow any form of contact with the animals by general visitors. The only contact is by supervised placements and staff. For health and safety reasons we do not allow visitors to bring food onto site for either human or animal consumption. We strictly enforce a ‘no picnics’ and ‘no animal feeding’ policy which all visitors have to comply with as a condition of entry.Last entry is 45 minutes before closing time.

As a Registered Smallholding we are regularly inspected by DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs) in respect of our legal responsibilities for livestock livestock, and by the Animal Welfare Officer of Birmingham City Council in respect of associated Regulations.