Tom lives in Warwickshire with his partner Caz and young daughter, and they have established an organic community food project on their small farm, giving people a direct connection to the land and to the process of growing their food.  They are also establishing a Forest Garden and other local projects. 

Tom writes: The time I spent with CHE and the people I got to know was transformational. It allowed me to focus on what made my heart sing, and where it was that i could be most effective i.e on the land.

I believe strongly in helping to reconnect people with their local land, and in doing so feel that folk will gradually be able to rediscover meaning in their relationship with food and land.

Caz and I are forging links within our community to establish a community support farm. CanalSide Community Food was born early in 2006 and has begun with a small 'Pig Club'. This allows members the chance to really connect with their food with regular visits to the see and help feed the pigs. In the coming months the aim is to begin a number of different projects producing food that will be sold direct to the community members. A significant emphasis of the project is to allow members access to the land and to share in the process of growing, rearing and tending. Our main push for the next 12 months is to start to grow fruit and vegetables as well as the planting of an extensive Forest Garden. Having begun organic conversion we feel the land has really taken the turn towards a more people and nature friendly form of agriculture.

There is so much variety and diversity that can be created on small farms. Perrenial crops with multiply uses offering the chance to increase the number of people employed on farms and helping them to become economically sustainable without the perverse subsidies currently handed out by government.