Organic farm gets £10k grant for river project

One of the initiatives would involve new bathing pools for cows, away from the watercourse

An organic farm has received a £10,493 grant to pay for initiatives to support a local river.

Fordhall Farm, near Market Drayton in Shropshire, said it aimed to "slow the flow, store more water on-site, clean more water and provide places for wildlife, livestock and people to enjoy".

It said it was clear the River Tern "needed help" and that it was hoping to become an example of river-friendly farming.

Known as England's first community-owned farm, it was saved from development in 2006 by Charlotte and Ben Hollins, who set up a scheme giving ownership to more than 8,000 community shareholders.

Ms Hollins, general manager of the Fordhall Community Land Initiative, said the "Friendly Farm project" included cow bathing pools away from the watercourse to avoid any slurry entering it.

She said the farm would also plant apple trees along the riverbanks to reduce erosion and provide food sources for wild animals such as water voles.

Children from local secondary schools would be invited to help design a new bird hide, and the farm plans to deepen and restore a pond to allow it to store flood water and to create a habitat for insects and birds.

Ms Hollins said she wanted to "provide resources for our local community which will help build a love and appreciation for water".

Sarah Dodds from Shropshire Council, which provided the funding, said: "The River Friendly Farming project from Fordhall Farm responds to a growing need in Shropshire to do more to look after our rivers and waterways."