Gorgie City Farm: New farm to open early on site

Gorgie City Farm went into liquidation in November, with the loss of 18 jobs.

A new farm is to open at the site of the liquidated Gorgie City Farm in Edinburgh two months earlier than planned.

Love Gorgie Farm, which is run by Love Learning, will open to the public on Saturday 29 February.

The centre in Gorgie will not be a working farm as no animals will be killed for produce as was done before.

Owners of the therapy centre are now calling for volunteers to help on the two weekends before it opens.

The charity is looking for volunteers to help prepare the site in time for its official opening date at the end of the month.

'Treasured and important'

Activities for the volunteers will be "organising and tidying up the site to make it presentable and safe for both the public and the animals".

Volunteer days will be from 10:00 - 15:30 over 15/16 and 22/23 February.

Lynn Bell, CEO of Love Learning said volunteers did not have to stay the whole day and could even just come for an hour.

She said: "We are delighted to have taken responsibility for Gorgie City Farm.

"Love Learning know how treasured and important the site is for the community and we want to bring this back to the people of Edinburgh as soon as possible.

"We are asking anyone that might have been involved with Gorgie City Farm in the past, may have a fond childhood memory of the farm or that simply wants to come and give us a hand to contact us ahead of the opening.

"After we get the farm up and running we will put in place volunteer activities for those looking to continue to be involved with our Love Gorgie Farm project going forward."

Volunteers need to bring lunch and wear old clothes and mud resistant boots and contact the farm beforehand.

The farm went into liquidation in November, with the loss of 18 jobs.