Sheffield, United Kingdom
City population: 548261
Duration: pre-1990 – unknown
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 25793 m2
Type of area: Previous derelict area
Last updated: November 2021

Heeley City Farm came into existence in the middle of 1981 (ref 3). It is a community-based and led training, employment and youth enterprise (ref 1) and a much needed green space in the inner suburban Sheffield with recycling, healthy living facilities, a garden centre, cafe, and charity shop. Heeley City Farm also manages food growing projects across Sheffield. (Ref 3) The Farm addresses poverty, inequality, prejudice and lack of opportunity by supporting community regeneration and self-help within environmentally friendly and self-sustaining systems, using the background of a mini-farm, community gardens and related resources. (Ref1)

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
  • Community gardens and allotments
  • Community gardens
  • Horticulture

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social cohesion
  • Social interaction
  • Environmental education
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Enabling opportunities for physical activity
  • Improving physical health
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Economic development: agriculture
  • Tourism support
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable consumption
  • Sustainable production

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Transformation of previously derelict areas

Project objectives

Heeley City Farm addresses the problems of poverty, inequality, prejudice and lack of opportunity 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. (ref. 1). It is dedicated to creating economic opportunities for disadvantaged people (ref 3), The farm identifies as an educational charity, environmental project, regeneration project and several other roles but it has the following Primary aims: 1. Creating Jobs 2. Training 3. Enterprise 4. Community Engagement 5. Environment (ref 1)

Implementation activities

A working friendly farm and environmental visitor centre with ongoing social and environmental initiatives. Heeley City Farm is providing a range of integrated services and activities for the local and citywide community including employment, training, education, older peoples' activities, youth work, play, heritage and 100,000 visitors - with organic gardens, farm and smaller animals, low-energy buildings, wind turbines, green waste management etc. (ref 2.) As a regeneration project: Heeley City Farm has reclaimed 2 hectares of derelict inner-city land as a farm and is working with partners to regenerate further 6 hectares (ref 3.) Wind and sun-powered city farm (ref 4).

Main beneficiaries

  • Citizens or community groups
  • Marginalized groups: People with functional diversities

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality
  • Non-government organisation/civil society

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Heeley City Farm is a community organisation ans was registered as a charity (ref 3)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? No
... a national policy or strategy? No
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
  • Crowdfunding

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
  • Donations

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Restoration of derelict areas

Economic impacts

  • Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. Source link. 2020. Home - Heeley City Farm. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 9 August 2020].
2. Sheffield Hallam Students' Union. nd. Heeley City Farm Work Placement. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 9 August 2020].
3. Heeley City Farm. 2004. Heeley City Farm Social Audit. Accessed: Source link. 2004. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 9 August 2020].
4. Farm, H., 2020. Heeley City Farm - Farm In Sheffield, Sheffield. [online] The Outdoor City. Available at: <Source link [Accessed 17 July 2020].
5. Source link. 2020. Heeley City Farm. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 9 August 2020].
6. Trips with a tot. 2020. Lovely Day Out At Heeley City Farm - Things To Do In Sheffield With Kids. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 9 August 2020].