Story
🌿 Celebrating 50 Years of Windmill Hill City Farm
Windmill Hill City Farm is a much-loved Bristol charity that provides a welcoming green space where people of all ages can learn, connect and thrive. Beyond the farm animals and gardens, the charity offers educational programmes for children and schools, wellbeing activities, volunteering opportunities, community events, and support for people to build skills, confidence and social connections.
This year, the farm celebrates its 50th anniversary! A wonderful milestone for an organisation that began in 1976 when local residents came together to protect the site from development and transform it into a thriving community asset. Having also overcome significant challenges over the years, including a campaign to save the farm from closure in 2009, there is so much to celebrate in this special anniversary year.
As the farm celebrates this milestone, I am raising money to help support its future so it can continue making a difference for generations to come. Through a personal creative challenge, I hope to help this incredible charity remain free, welcoming and accessible for everyone.
💛 Why this charity matters to me
Windmill Hill City Farm means a lot to me and my family.
My daughter absolutely loves visiting the farm, it is one of her favourite places. Having grown up in a natural park in the Pyrenees, surrounded by mountains, forests and wildlife, I know how important it is for children to have opportunities to connect with nature. It means so much to me that she can enjoy being around animals, green spaces and the outdoors while growing up in a city.
Over the years, the farm has become somewhere we return to again and again: a place to explore, learn, play and spend time together as a family. Seeing the joy, curiosity and confidence it inspires in children (and adults!) reminds me just how valuable places like this are.
In a world where free community spaces are becoming increasingly rare, Windmill Hill City Farm is something truly special.
🎨 Doing fundraising a little differently
Many fundraising campaigns involve running marathons or other sporting challenges. I wanted to do something that felt more true to who I am. Besides, getting marathon-ready by September might be a challenge too far!
Instead, I have set myself a creative challenge, combining my love of arts and crafts with raising money for a cause that means a great deal to me.
Between now and the farm's 50th anniversary celebrations on 12 September, I will be fundraising through a series of creative activities:
🧵 Crafting 50 Years Together
Together with two wonderful fellow volunteers, Sarah and Helen, we will be organising two fundraising craft sessions at the farm, links below:
Family craft session – 11 July
🎨 A Personal Creative Challenge
For those who aren't Bristol-based or aren't able to join one of the craft sessions, I have also set myself a personal creative challenge.
Each week between now and the farm's 50th anniversary celebrations, I will create and share a piece of farm-inspired art or craft on Instagram. It's my way of celebrating everything the farm represents—creativity, community, nature and connection—and a great excuse to post on Instagram for the very first time!
If you'd like to follow along (and keep me accountable!), you can find me on Instagram at @AgnesGetsCreative.
🌱 How you can help
Every donation, no matter the size, will help support Windmill Hill City Farm's Golden Harvest Appeal and contribute to the farm's future as a free, open and welcoming space for the whole community.
If you have ever visited the farm, benefited from a community space like it, or simply believe that everyone should have access to nature, learning and connection, I would be incredibly grateful for your support.
Fifty years ago, local residents came together to protect this space and create something special for their community. Today, I am hoping to play a small part in helping that story continue.
Thank you so much for supporting this very special place. 💛
Agnes