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Bosavern Community Farm is delighted to have been announced as a FINALIST in the Plunkett and North Barnes Farm Partnership’s Rural Community Business Awards Rural Vision in not one, but two categories! Firstly, Bosavern reached the finalist stage in the Employment & Training Award category in recognition of the recently completed EU funded project supporting unemployed adults as well as for the ongoing volunteering, education and training opportunities offered at the farm.

Additionally, current volunteer Lilith Adler is set to receive a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Plunkett Foundation Young Person Award category.

Lilith , a 23-year-old local volunteer, has been involved with Bosavern Community Farm with her family since its conception 13 years ago. Lilith, has helped with farm-labouring, open days, catering and administration, she said ‘Bosavern Community Farm has always provided me with a positive and friendly environment in which to be myself. In November 2021, I suffered from anxiety part-way through my undergraduate degree and subsequently moved back home to St Just. Getting involved regularly with the Farm once again, gave me some structure and the support I really needed for my mental health to improve. I returned to university after a 3 month break to finish my degree part-time whilst continuing to volunteer. I have been volunteering here now on a weekly basis since I graduated. Aside from positively contributing to my mental and physical health, volunteering within the farm community has allowed me to make lots of social connections and obtain skills and experience for my CV.’

The Rural Community Business Awards are Plunkett’s annual awards campaign that recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of community-owned business such as pubs, shops, farms and woodlands, and the dedicated individuals involved in them. Winners will be announced at a special award ceremony taking place on the 15th November in London, which will be hosted by TV presenter and auctioneer, Charlie Ross.

Katie Kirk, Chair of Bosavern Community Farm and former Project Lead on the Training & Work Experience Project said ‘We are delighted that both Lilith and the farm more generally have been nominated for these two awards. Dozens of unemployed adults received support here at the farm in recent years, worked hard and many went on to find employment, college qualifications and placements to help their career progression. We would like to thank the whole project team (Dilys Down, Katie Kirk, Julie Daybell, Ali Campbell and Ross Packer); volunteer Directors past and present; Rob Pickering, Alan Bancroft and Ian Curnow and well over 40 participants for their help on the farm, for their courage in participating in this project and for helping us to reach this finalist stage of the awards. We are very proud of this achievement and of the journey each participant has made.

‘We are equally delighted that our current volunteer Lilith will also be joining Plunkett at this year’s Rural Community Business Awards to celebrate her considerable efforts over the years and her contribution to our community business.’

Katie and Lil are looking forward to be joining other finalists at a special award ceremony on 15th November in London when Lil will receive her award and we will discover which rural, community-owned organisation will be the overall winner is in the Training & Employment category – wish us luck!

You can find out more about the Rural Community Business Awards at https://plunkett.co.uk/rural-community-business-awards #Ruralcombiz