Meanwood Valley Urban Farm was set up as a charity in 1980. Its mission is to offer people in Leeds and beyond of all ages, cultures and backgrounds the chance to experience nature, farm animals and food growing in its urban green space so that they can learn, share, flourish and have fun in a place of calm, care and compassion.
Meanwood Valley Urban Farm work with schools on a number of curriculum linked outdoor education projects, provide day opportunities for 30 adults with learning disabilities, host two busy forest schools, as well as being a popular visitor attraction open to the public 362 days a year.
Adam Ogilvie, CEO, reflects on the impact of winning the Weston Charity Awards and Pilotlight 360.
Why did you apply for the Weston Charity Awards?
After focusing internally before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, we reached a point in our development where we wanted to look outward and plan for the future. But we knew we needed external guidance to help develop our future strategy and become a more financially resilient organisation.
The Pilotlight 360 programme offered as part of the Western Charity Awards seemed like an opportunity too good to miss. It could provide us with this strategic support alongside some welcome revenue funding.
How did the programme go?
We have found the project easy to be part of and we would like to thank our Pilotlight Project Manager for facilitating the process so well. Our Pilotlighters were very friendly, engaging and at the same time provided lots of very constructive advice, feedback and challenge.
It has been like having a group of really helpful coaches gently pushing us and encouraging us to think out of the box and challenge our assumptions.
What have been the results after the programme?
We now have the key ingredients, alongside the confidence, to produce a brand-new strategy for the organisation thanks to the work we have done with the Pilotlighters.
We have a more focused approach to developing corporate partnerships which will bring in new sources of revenue and in-kind support for the charity and a case for support which will guide our future fundraising.
Our Pilotlighters also helped us deep dive into our organisational structure and how we could improve how we do things, including helping us to see that we cannot do everything and sometimes we have to say no so that we can do our best work!
Could you provide a sentence or two describing your experience of the programme?
It has been so powerful to take time out every month with the Pilotlighters to lift our sights and imagine what our future as a charity could look like.
I would strongly encourage charity leaders who participate in Pilotlight 360 to embrace the constructive challenge and encouragement you will get from the Pilotlighters and advise them not to worry that sometimes you can’t have all the answers!
Together, with the Pilotlighters, they will, as we have, make real strides forward on the areas they collectively decide to focus on. We have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this programme and would like to thank the Garfield Weston Foundation, Pilotlight and our Pilotlighters for such a positive experience.
Related Charities
Meanwood Valley Urban Farm
Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, became a charity in 1980.
Have you applied yet?
Award winners receive a package of support that includes unrestricted grants of £6,500 to help develop a sustainability plan and accelerate growth, and free access to the Pilotlight 360 programme.
The application deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 8 January 2025.
