Princess Anne visited Fordhall Organic Farm in Shropshire on September 24 to mark its twentieth anniversary, before attending a 125th anniversary ceremony at Harper Adams University.
The Court Circular records both engagements. Anne attended the university ceremony in her role as chancellor.
The community behind the farm
Fordhall’s anniversary marks two decades of community ownership. According to the farm’s account of its history, more than 8,000 people supported Charlotte and Ben Hollins in 2006 to protect their tenanted farm and family home from industrial development.
The ownership model separates the land from the farming business. Ben Hollins runs his business and pays rent to the Fordhall Community Land Initiative, with the two enterprises working alongside each other.
The farm says it is seeking 1,000 additional community shareholders as it marks the anniversary. That is a stated recruitment goal, not a confirmed increase in membership.
A second anniversary at Harper Adams
Harper Adams’ announcement says Anne has been its chancellor since 2013. The institution opened in 1901, and its anniversary programme is scheduled to continue through December 2027.
The university’s work spans agriculture, food, land, the environment, animal health and engineering. The two visits put different parts of rural life in view: community control of farmland and the education and research supporting farming.
Read our earlier report on Anne’s visit to Shrewsbury Men’s Shed, another local community initiative.