Poundbury's Hidden Gem: Transition Town Dorchester wins National Lottery funding for the Community Farm

6 days ago
3 min read

Tucked away off Parkway Farm Business Park on Middle Farm Way, there's a place in Poundbury that not enough people know about—and that's something we'd very much like to change.

The Dorchester Community Farm is run by Transition Town Dorchester (TTD), a remarkable volunteer-led organisation that has spent nearly twenty years quietly and passionately championing sustainable living in our corner of Dorset. On the farm, volunteers grow food, care for rescue hens, tend to beehives, nurture wildlife habitats, and work together to build the kind of practical, hands-on community resilience that the word "sustainability" sometimes struggles to convey. It is, in the very best sense, a labour of love—and it's right on our doorstep.

Just recently, that dedication was rewarded with some very good news.

A Lottery Win for the Whole Community

TTD has been awarded two-year funding from the National Lottery Community Fund through the Awards for All programme, and for a volunteer-run organisation that operates on goodwill, elbow grease, and a deep commitment to doing things the right way, it's a genuinely significant moment.

The grant will do two important things. First, it secures the role of Community Coordinator Michelle Markham for the next two years: she is the person who keeps the farm connected, the volunteers supported, and the plans moving forward. Second, it funds long-overdue upgrades to the farm's poultry, beekeeping, and harvesting facilities: the kind of practical improvements that make a real difference to the people who give their time there every week.

Michelle is understandably delighted. "I'm thrilled that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised the Community Farm's work through this award," she says. "It means so much to me to be able to help bring these future plans for the farm to life."

TTD Director Kate Forrester is equally enthusiastic about what the funding will make possible: "This is a fantastic opportunity— our ethos is to reuse, repair and upcycle items as much as possible but there really comes a practical point where we need to renew some of our infrastructure. We're looking forward to having some sparkling new facilities and equipment!"

And for the volunteers who turn up week after week to make it all happen, the news couldn't be more welcome. Bella, one of the farm's dedicated team, puts it simply: "We want to thank National Lottery players for enabling the farm to upgrade its facilities, making things much more accessible for us volunteers, and helping us to create an even more fantastic home for our lovely rescue hens."

Why It Matters

TTD's vision, of a community that is more connected, more self-sufficient, and more conscious of the world around it, is one that resonates deeply with everything we believe in at the Community Association of Poundbury. The farm isn't just a growing space; it's a place where people come together, learn new skills, find friendship, and contribute something real and lasting to the environment they share. Projects like this make Poundbury and Dorchester richer places to live.

We'll be featuring the farm regularly in the newsletter over the coming months, looking at the plans in more detail, introducing the volunteers, and sharing the story of the seasons as they unfold on site. Please watch this space.

Support and Get Involved

If you've never visited the farm, do seek it out as it's a genuinely special place. TTD is always grateful for donations, however small, which go directly towards keeping the farm running and growing. You can also find out about volunteering, follow the farm's progress on their newly launched social media channels, and stay up to date with everything they have planned.

Find TTD and the Community Farm at www.transitiontowndorchester.org and at https://linktr.ee/DorchesterCommunityFarm

Information about the National Lottery Community Fund is at: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

For more information about volunteering in Poundbury click here.