Buy Shares in Fordhall – become a landlord!
Good news - shares are still available! A minimum shareholding in the Fordhall Community Land Initiative is £100 (2x £50 shares), and they mean that you part-own Fordhall Organic Farm for life.
Purchasing our non-profit-making community shares enables us to continue our story and share the journey with you - safeguarding livelihoods on the land, nurturing nature, nourishing our soil and supporting our community through the activities we run.
The impact!
You can help us show that small-scale farming, connected to local communities, offers a viable way of life for generations to come.
You'll be supporting the community-ownership movement which means organic farms in Shropshire and beyond!
Your share supports our community work onsite from Care Farming, volunteering, to our Youth Project, conservation work, social prescribing and educational visits...
What does this mean?
- You will have a voice within each strategic direction we take, helping us to navigate the future together for the benefit of our community and our planet.
- These lifelong, non-profit-making community shares entitle you to one vote at the Annual General Meeting.
- You will be issued with a beautifully presented share certificate and a free annual subscription to our quarterly ‘Grazer’ Magazine for your first year as a landlord.
- You may purchase as many shares as you wish, but each member is only entitled to a single vote, ensuring the FCLI remains 100% democratic.
How it works
Before purchasing community shares, it is important to be aware your first share (£50) is non withdrawable. Any further shares, are withdrawable upon request. This is at the discretion of the Board (the FCLI Board has the ability suspend this option without notice if deemed in the best interests of the Society) and may be subject to a small administration fee.
These rules are here to safeguard the FCLI as a charitable community-benefit (not member-benefit) society.
We strongly recommend that you read the FCLI Society Rules before purchasing shares in the Fordhall Community Land Initiative.
With the boring bit read and understood, the rest is about sharing a journey for a new future together. Sharing ideas and aspirations as we work together to build a movement of community-ownership that safeguards organic farms, livelihoods on the land and reconnects our communities to the land and the food that nourishes us. Being a shareholder in the Fordhall Community Land Initiative is more than simply a vote at an AGM or a certificate on the wall - it is about taking small steps that when taken together creates meaningful change for people, planet and soil. We look forward to hearing from you!
Investing in the future
Investing in the Fordhall Community Land Initiative is an investment into a new future. Your share supports our five impact areas:
Sustaining livelihoods on the land
Experiencing nature
Nurturing the planet
Nourishing bodies and minds
Inspiring others
We strongly recommend that you read the FCLI Society rules for our charitable community benefit society, prior to purchasing a share.
The Future and More Farms?
The Board of the Fordhall Community Land Initiative (FCLI) and our members have been discussing the concept of 'More Farms' more broadly. We consulted with our members in 2026 and asked:
Do you think we should use the knowledge and skills we have gained over the last twenty years to help more farms move into community ownership?
80% of our members said - Yes, definitely, and 19% said Maybe, as long as Fordhall is not put at risk.
As a result of this, the FCLI will be investigating ways it can encourage more land and farms into the ownership of their local and wider communities. Helping to further our objectives of safeguarding organic livelihoods on the land and connecting our communities to that land and the people on it. We are currently seeking funds to support a larger feasibility study, bringing all those working in the space into one room to see what the possibilities are, and what Fordhall's place could be in this new future of a more national community-ownership movement.
Already, this is not just about Fordhall Farm, but the FCLI is proud to be accepting the donation of a second farm in Devon in 2027. For more information see our West Town Farm page
Join us to share in this exciting journey.
Buying shares as a gift
For a child
- Applications need to be placed in the child’s name, held on behalf by a Guardian. Please make sure their name is clearly marked in the relevant box.
- When the child turns 16 their shareholding will revert to their name, as an adult shareholder.
For a birthday / anniversary / wedding / christening
- Applications need to be made in the name of the shareholder and can only be made under one name.
- If you would like the application to be sent to you to pass on to the recipient, please give your full name, address and contact details in the large box at the bottom of the application.
The important bits
- You are buying shares in the Fordhall Community Land Initiative (FCLI), which is registered as a charitable community benefit society.
- Shares cannot be transferred or sold, but, aside from the 1st on you purchase, can be withdrawn from the Society on request. This is at the discretion of the FCLI Board (the FCLI Board has the ability suspend this option without notice if deemed in the best interests of the Society) and may be subject to a small admin fee. These rules are here to safeguard the FCLI as a charitable community-benefit (not member-benefit) society.
- Share capital is not a guaranteed investment. There is a risk that it may not be possible to withdraw the value of your shares in the future. If you are thinking of investing significant sums, then we recommend you seek independent financial advice first.
- The value of your shareholding never changes.
- The Fordhall Community Land Initiative has existed since 2005, and it currently owns 128 acres of land and buildings at Fordhall Organic Farm, renting the land to a tenant farmer on a 100-year Farm Business Tenancy, whilst simultaneously using it as a valuable community resource.
- Purchased shares have a 14 day cooling off period, this includes gift purchases also.
The community landlord
Managed by founder, Charlotte Hollins, and a team of incredible paid staff and volunteers, the Fordhall Community Land Initiative (registered no. IP30030R and registered Exempt Charity with HMRC XR91116) runs many community projects onsite including a care farm, youth project, volunteering, school visits, cafe, youth residentials, meeting room, weddings, glamping and more. Fordhall is a working farm and the first community owned farm in England. It currently has over 8000 community non-profit making shareholders from around the world!
It's not just at the heart of the community, but run by them and answerable to them - how cool is that? We'd love for you to join us too.
Read the story of the Fordhall Community Land Initiative here.
Join Our Community
We'd love you to become a community landlord and join us in the future of Fordhall Organic Farm.
Please follow the form on the page below to buy your shares or feel free to contact us if you have any queries.