The information in this section provides further detail and background to the work of Heeley City Farm. It is likely to be of interest to organisations with similar interests, to funders or researchers. It may bore others ;) For further information contact The Admin Team, 0114 258 0482.

Our Mission statement
History & Background
Where does our money come from?
Where does our money go to?
Youth and Adult Training
Heeley City Farm Training and Resource Centre
South Yorkshire Energy Centre
Young People and Youth Work
Provision for people with learning difficulties
Volunteering
Schools, Education and Adult Education
Children and Play
Visitors, Tourism and Marketing
Community Enterprise
Recycling and Composting
Community Development
Horticulture, Agriculture and the Environment

Mission & Purpose
The Mission Statement of the Heeley City Farm is as follows:

"Heeley City Farm identifies, confronts and addresses the problems of poverty, inequality, prejudice and lack of opportunity in our inner city community by supporting and promoting community regeneration and self help within environmentally friendly and self-sustaining systems, using the background of a mini farm, community gardens and related resources."

History & Background
The farm is a community project dedicated to all those who want to make Sheffield a better place to live and work in. In 1981 there was an empty, brick rubble covered site. Now two inner city hectares have been transformed into community buildings, green fields and gardens. Its a place alive with activity, never standing still and never closed.

Heeley City Farm is a special place for people. Children grow up learning about the living world. Adults find new skills and confidence. Individuals seek peace from the stresses of city life. Enthusiasts pursue excellence in gardening and animal care. Countless people find friends. Job creation, work experience, volunteering, training and education for young and old, community enterprise, day care for people with learning difficulties, play, fun and enjoyment are the themes of each day.

Some say this is community regeneration and sustainability in action. Others say Heeley City Farm is getting better all the time. Heeley City Farm is governed by a Memorandum of Association (Companies Act 1985, Reg. No. 2141420) adopted on the 19th June 1987. Heeley City Farm was registered as a Charity (Reg. No. 1111482) in 1981.

The Board of Directors and Management Committee are recruited from local people and people interested in the operations and development of Heeley City Farm and the associated enterprises. Directors receive no remuneration for their contribution to Heeley City Farm. Directors appoint staff as appropriate to manage and run Heeley City Farm.

Heeley City Farm suffered a serious arson attack in June 1995. Whilst the physical damage to was limited to a collection of old buildings, the blow it delivered to the community had a deep and lasting effect. A major new project to build a Training and Resource Centre at the farm emerged out of the trauma of the event and developed with an emerging vision of the future for Heeley City Farm. A future based on building on the energies and support of local people together with the skills and experience of the farm in creating social wealth in its community.

For further information, see the section on the Training and Resource Centre.

Where does our money come from?
The farm has an annual turnover of around £1,000,000. Funding comes from a variety of sources including Europe, regional agencies, Central Government, the Learning and Skills Council, Sheffield City Council, Charitable Trusts, contracts and earned income (from the farm's community enterprises).

Where does our money go to?
Recent research in conjunction with the New Economics Foundation has resulted in us being able to examine exactly how effectively Heeley City Farm supports its local economy. The following document is a simple explanation of how we have done this.

More information on Plugging the Leaks

Youth and Adult Training
Heeley City Farm is a major centre for the provision of training and work experience for young people and long term unemployed adults. Nearly 400 long term unemployed people have been on a variety of vocational and Supported Learning training programmes, work experience and student placements at Heeley City Farm.

For the past 15 years significant resources have been channelled from central government through the Employment Services, TECs and other agencies to provide training and work experience for long term unemployed adults and young people. Heeley City Farm have managed a series of these training programmes. The farm has consistently achieved above the city-wide and national average results for 'positive outcomes' as participants moved into jobs, further education, self employment or volunteering. At present, the resources available from Central Government to fund adult training and work experience are severely limited.

Heeley City Farm Training and Resource Centre
The Heeley City Farm Training and Resource Centre Project has:

• resulted in a range of purpose built buildings together with refurbished redundant premises adjacent to the farm;
• enabled the delivery of accredited training in the environmental industries, including horticulture. It replaced very poor facilities and the buildings lost in the fire of 1995;
• enabled capacity building and the development of local partnerships for economic regeneration in this inner city area of Sheffield;
• created vocational training opportunities and jobs in the local construction industry during the building programme through partnership arrangements with other organisations;
• provided a vital capital asset for the Heeley City Farm core enterprise as part of a long term strategy of a sustainable future and
• met some of the needs of the farm's community enterprises for business support services as they grow and develop.

The new buildings are exemplary in terms of their design and construction in demonstrating best practice in energy efficiency and community safety for the public/voluntary sectors.

The Centre is a focus for the increasing involvement of local people in the development of the social, economic and environmental wealth of the area.

South Yorkshire Energy Centre
Heeley City Farm started an energy efficiency project with Department for the Environment funding in 1999. Today, the South Yorkshire Energy Centre (SYEC) is being established as a regional resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy both as a physical asset and as a resource for individuals, organisations and businesses.

This is a significant new enterprise of Heeley City Farm and will be established and run through a new vehicle: the South Yorkshire Energy Centre Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary company of Heeley City Farm Ltd.

The following is taken from the executive summary of the SYEC Business Plan, which is available as a separate document.

“South Yorkshire and Sheffield, in common with other regions and cities, is obliged to meet government renewable energy generation targets and energy efficiency targets in relation to housing. In addition, Fuel Poverty in South Yorkshire has been recognised as a significant problem for low-income householders and is among the worst in the UK. Agencies involved in these agendas have limited capacity and variable track records in delivering energy targets. South Yorkshire Energy Centre (SYEC) is a new enterprise whose objective is to raise awareness, create physical assets, train people, create new enterprise activity and support organisations and individuals in relation to all aspects of energy efficiency and renewable energy. SYEC will work with a range of existing partners including housing and welfare organisations, statutory bodies, and the private sector. SYEC has already developed good working relationships with Sheffield City Council, Doncaster and Barnsley Metropolitan Authorities, Energy Companies, South Yorkshire Energy Network, Heeley Development Trust, Yorkshire Forward and others and has a track record in delivering contracts and projects with all of them.

South Yorkshire Energy Centre will demonstrate and promote renewable energy and Green Building, acting as a hub for a wide range of training and educational activities, signposting and consultancy in those fields. It will also manage a range of energy efficiency and Affordable Warmth contracts in the region.

This business plan covers the establishment of the South Yorkshire Energy Centre and the funding of the first phase of delivery: the refurbishment of a demonstration centre and the recruitment of a staff team.

Find out more at South Yorkshire Energy Centre.

Young People and Youth Work
Up to 30 young people (aged 14-25) come to the farm on any one day for a variety of reasons. Most have left school and are unemployed. Some have been coming since childhood. Some come with their friends. Some come on work experience from Sheffield schools. Some come because they are bored doing anything else. The farm provides informal supervision and activities for these young people but would like to do much more.

Provision for People with Learning Difficulties
A work experience, training and day care programme for people with a range of needs is provided. Up to 16 people per week participate at any one time. Heeley City Farm provides approximately 50 person days of day care each week. At present most service users have learning difficulties but some have additional disabilities, including physical disabilities, deafness and mental health problems. The service users play an integral part in the daily work routines of Heeley City Farm.

One of the present staff is himself deaf and with limited speech. Several staff and volunteers are learning British Sign Language.

In 1992 the National Proficiency Test Council (NPTC) accredited a series of pre National Vocational Qualifications, the National Vocational Foundation Certificate Scheme. These courses were designed specifically for people with learning difficulties. Heeley City Farm was the first agency in Sheffield to offer these courses. People with and learning difficulties a re recruited locally or referred by Sheffield City Council Family and Community Services Committee (F&CS), the Sheffield College, the various Health Authority agencies or voluntary sector agencies.

Through participating in work experience, day care and training services users:

1. develop increased self confidence and assertiveness
2. learn social skills and more independence
3. acquire basic horticultural, animal care and other skills
4. are assessed on these skills by qualified assessors
5. receive personal support and counselling
6. can receive literacy and numeracy tuition
7. develop an awareness of 'work'
8. participate in the day to day activities of a busy and dynamic community project and public attraction.

Heeley City Farm has been the lead organisation in the Northern Gardeners' Network, an association of groups and individuals involved in promoting good practice within horticultural and environmental projects for people with learning difficulties in the North of England.

Volunteering
To complement our staff, students and trainees around 50 volunteers each week help with the day to day work of the farm. They may work with the animals, in the gardens, at the plant centre or café. Regular volunteers may milk goats, work with people with learning difficulties, answer the telephone, provide reception and administrative support, drive the farm truck, provide night security and many other tasks. Some volunteers come every day, others respond to particular appeals or come to develop a specific project or to learn a skill.

The majority of our volunteers are unemployed people. Some have participated on a training or work experience programme, Other volunteers are gaining work experience while waiting to start university or other further education. Some are young people who can't get a Youth Training Place. The South Yorkshire Probation Service places people on Community Service Orders at the farm. Students from a variety of further and higher education courses, including nursing, community care, horticulture, agriculture, environmental studies and teacher training, are offered placements on the farm.

Not all volunteers are unemployed people. Local residents, interested professional people and others are involved in work ranging from an evening goat milking rota to membership of our Management Committee.

School Visits
Heeley City Farm is the perfect place to learn about the environment, sustainability, renewable energy, habitats, caring for animals and healthy eating. We link into the following government initiatives:

• Eco-Schools
• Sustainable Schools
• Every Child Matters
• Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto

Early Years
Story sessions, with farm trails and craft activities for nursery groups /

Key Stages 1 & 2
A variety of school sessions based on the National Curriculum, covering subjects such as Science, Geography, Citizenship, Literacy, Art and D&T. Some sessions include a visit to the Energy Centre, where pupils can test out interactive energy-saving devices for themselves!

Key Stages 3, 4 and beyond
The farm can be used as an exciting outdoor research centre for students, with support available from the Education Officer.

Outreach
If you would like an assembly or workshops based in school please get in touch.

For more information about our programme, please contact our Environmental Education Officer: Jo Laycock or phone 0114 258 0482.

Children and Play
The provision of play and out of school activities for children of all ages is more important than it has ever been before. Dangers on the street and in public places, the easy and casual availability of drugs and the poverty of many families limit the play opportunities of many children.

Up to 60 children come to the farm every weekend and during the school holidays. As well as taking part in the daily practical work of the farm they are encouraged to become involved in the decision making and management of the farm. We have participated in young people exchanges with farms and community projects in other cities.

In the summer holidays the farm organises a four week playscheme. An average of over 50 children have attended in recent years.

Visitors, Tourism and Marketing
Tourists are visitors who stay at their destination overnight. Heeley City Farm has never attempted to become a tourist and visitor venue, but independent estimates indicate that we receive in the order of 100,000 visitors each year. We welcome senior citizens, clubs, scouts, brownies, Woodcraft folk and many more. We have been visited by the Duchess of Kent and on September 12th, 1991 over 12 million television viewers watched the Challenge Anneka team rebuild some of our buildings.

10,000 to 15,000 people regularly attend the annual Heeley Festival in June, the largest event of its kind in the region. In addition we host a regular programme of open days, horticultural shows and special events which are always well supported by the public.

Community Enterprise
Heeley City Farm is one the best examples of a Community Enterprise in the UK. After 15 years the farm employed 15 people. Now, after almost 25 yeras, it employs over 40. In addition Heeley City Farm have established a number of Community Enterprises including a Community Café and a Nursery/Garden Centre. The Café aims to provide wholesome food in a relaxed atmosphere for visitors to the farm and members of the community. The promotion of healthy eating is a priority. The Café employs two salaried managers and casual kitchen staff and had a turnover around £30,000 in 1996.

The Garden Centre (a garden centre which sells plants rather than horticultural accessories) was opened in May 1994. All plants are grow in peat-free growing media in our own plant nursery. In addition to the usual range of garden centre plants, a wide range of herb and wild flower plants are on sale. The plant centre is managed by two members of staff with help from volunteers.

Recycling and Composting
Heeley City Farm manages a highly successful Community Recycling Centre. The public bring and contractors collect: paper; glass; plastics; textiles; aluminium and steel cans; silver foil; books and Christmas cards. We are able to accept donations of timber, paint, stationery, office equipment and much more which are used in our daily work. In 1996 nearly 100 tonnes of glass, over 100 tonnes of paper, nearly 3 tonnes of textiles, 500 kilograms of Aluminium cans, 250 kilograms of steel cans, 50 kilograms of aluminium foil and nearly 3 tons of plastics were collected.

Heeley City Farm has over 15 years experience composting in a community setting with the involvement and participation of local individuals, community groups and private enterprises. We have developed a saleable end product for gardeners and landscapers and are working to develop organic, peat-free growing media for amateur and professional users.

Heeley City Farm is now the home of the national Community Composting Network which supports community composters throughout the UK.

Community Development
Heeley City Farm and partnership organisations are involved in, or are planning a series of projects in the Heeley area some are now happening whilst others are still ideas: Anns Grove Childcare Centre, Heeley Electronic Village Hall, Heeley Wise Group, Heeley Millennium Park, Putting the Sheaf Back in Sheffield and the Schools and Homes Energy Education Project.

Horticulture, Agriculture and the Environment
Heeley City Farm comprises a 2 hectare open space in an area of mainly terraced housing and light industry, about one mile from the centre of Sheffield. The land was originally low quality housing, demolished in the mid 1970s and then reclaimed as a city farm during the early 1980s. The site slopes downhill to the north west and is bounded on all sides by roads. The open areas of the site are used for grazing, vegetable & herb gardens, demonstration gardens, a children's play area and recycling/composting facilities. Office and training accommodation is housed in the new Training and Resource Centre and in temporary buildings.

The farm is a hive of activity and interest for the farm workers, people living nearby and the many thousands of visitors to the site. On the ½ hectare of market garden, plots of Asian and other unusual vegetables, herb gardens, conservation and wild flower areas, soft fruit patch and 5 big polythene tunnels are farmed. Organic and permaculture techniques are used.

Our Goats win prizes at Agricultural shows. Incubators hatch chicks and ducklings. Southdown and Soay sheep and two Irish Moiled cows graze the pastures. Large Black pigs root the fields. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs are popular with the younger children. The farm Supports the work of the animal breed societies and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in conserving rare and unusual breeds of farm animals. Bees produce nearly 200 pounds of honey each year.

The farm has significantly improved the local environment, making it greener and more attractive for local residents and businesses. The farm is widely acknowledged to add to the popularity (and value) of Heeley as a residential area - at one time the area was dominated by difficult to let properties and very low house values. The effect on local businesses in the area and prospective inward investors is also considered to be positive. In June 1995 a serious arson attack destroyed offices, classrooms and stables for three horses. A public appeal to raise £250,000 for a new building was started in July 1995 but resulted in a £400,000 wind and sun powered building being created on the site in 2001.

Today the new buildings (see Training and Resource Centre above) provide for most of our needs whilst we continue to raise funds to meet our ever growing future needs.