Latest news

Four growing enthusiasts with a whole range of growing experiences are coming together this year on the FarmStart programme to learn on the land at Woodbank park in Stockport. Here Helen, Michelle, Nicola and Georgina share their stories on how they got there, inspirations, and their biggest challenges.

The Kindling Newsletter 2020/21 compiles information over the past year about our projects, what we are looking forward to with the Kindling Farm, plus hearing from the many people who are involved in some of our projects that link together to form a local, sustainable food system for Greater Manchester. We hope you will enjoy reading it - download the PDF below. If you need it in a different format please contact us here.

Hello!, All Kindling wants for Christmas (apart from peace on Earth and real action on climate change) is the Kindling Farm. If that’s on your Christmas list too here’s how you can help us make it happen....check out our end of year 2019 e-news to find out how you can get involved!

Want to be a commercial organic grower? - We're recruiting now for our Spring 2020 Commercial Organic Growers course!

We are serious about getting more people into commercial food growing, and we are looking to support people who are serious about doing it too! Every year we run a 4-day Commercial Organic Horticulture Course - offering people an amazing training opportunity to learn how to set up an organic food growing business from the growers themselves. 

The application is out now for our 2020 FarmStart training programme.

Our 'Do you want to be a Farmer' information event on October 2nd was fully attended with lots of interesting questions and the application is now live. If you missed this and are interested in applying you can download the application below. There is further info on FarmStart and where to submit is included in the application and the deadline is midnight Sunday, November 17th.

It’s the exciting time of year when we invite all who are interested in our FarmStart training programme to our Do You Want to be an Organic Farmer? event.  We talk about the challenges and joys of farming and the FarmStart training programme format - which is a year of supported growing based in Stockport. There will also be time for a participant led conversation, with the opportunity to ask questions to Helen the FarmStart Co-ordinator, and a FarmStart’er who will have nearly finished their year.

The Kindling Trust are recruiting!

Community Food Hub Coordinator – based at Woodbank Food Hub, in Stockport

 

We are seeking a highly motivated and organised individual, with experience of project development and management, as well as community engagement, to work with the existing team at Woodbank on this innovative project.

 

When we began the community consultation process, which shaped the early development of Woodbank Community Food Hub, one of our priorities was to identify opportunities for partnership working with existing community groups and organisations working in Stockport. One of the first organisations we made contact with was Signpost Stockport for Carers, who are an independent charity providing free, confidential information and support to unwaged carers in Stockport. Eighteen months later, we are very proud to say that this relationship is still going strong. 

On Sunday 9th June, hundreds of farms will be opening to the public so they can get closer to farming and see for themselves where their food comes from, how it is produced and learn more about farming and the fabulous job it does. Tucked away, in an unexpected corner of Stockport, Woodbank Community Food Hub provides a taster of what a better food and farming future looks like.

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of the incredible Martin Wolfe, pioneer and father of agroforestry in the UK, who died earlier this month at his home in Wakelyns Farm.