City farm fundraisers urge people to pledge support

By The Editor
Oct 2, 2009

Managers of Windmill City Farm are urging the public to sign up to a pledge to raise £12,500 by the end of the month and help save the threatened attraction.

The farm pledge is based on a promise to pay £25 if 500 people sign up to the plan. Once the 500th person joins, all those who have made the promise are asked to pay.

Save our Farm: Fundraisers are looking for £12,500 in pledges by the end of the month (Picture: Rachel Logue)

If the target of 500 people is reached, the farm – which needs to raise £50,000 before Christmas – will make a quarter of the cash required to keep it going.

So far, 173 people have signed up to the pledge. Now bosses at the farm are calling on more people to help the popular site.

“The great thing about the pledge is that you are not just donating £25 on your own – essentially your pledge is worth £12,500 to the farm – as long as we reach our target of 500 pledgers by the deadline,” said Carolyn Hecker from the Save Our Farm Fundraising Team.

“We are excited that the pledge has got off to a good start but we need to keep up the rate of sign ups and make sure it reaches a total of 500 pledges, so we can really turn those promises into the funds vital for the farm’s survival.”

Windmill Hill City Farm launched its appeal in August when it hit a financial crisis and the future still looks uncertain unless funds can be found.

More than £15,000 has already been raised, but more still needs to be found and farm bosses are also looking to make £50,000 of cuts over the next few months.

Later this month, the site in Bedminster will host an art event – ‘Aardman Down on the Farm’ – with Bristol’s Aardman Animations. This will be a day of drawing, modelling and animation workshops for children and there will also be a kids cinema and a farm animal fancy dress. Entry fee is £3 for adults, £2 for kids and under-3′s go free.

Information on how to join the pledge can be found at www.pledgebank.com/savewhcf or on the farm’s website www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk