Big birthday present for Ouseburn Farm
The much-loved urban farm in Newcastle is celebrating a £50,000 funding boost alongside a landmark anniversary. Tony Henderson reports
A city farm marking its 50th birthday has been given another reason to celebrate after landing £50,000 in funding.
The award will enable Ouseburn Farm in Newcastle, which attracts 40,000 visitors a year, to create an outdoor classroom to further its aims to connect children with nature.
The farm’s origins date from 1976 when parents from Byker took over a plot of land so that their children could have access to nature, grow their own food and take care of animals.
Situated in the heart of the Ouseburn Valley, it includes gardens to grow produce, an orchard, grazing fields for sheep and Willow the Aberdeen Angus cow, a café, shop, visitor centre and more than 100 animals ranging from chickens, goats, ducks and pigs to reptiles and rabbits.
“It is a green oasis and a sanctuary in the heart of the city which allows children and their families to have access to aspects of the countryside,” said farm manager Katie Bates.
“The farm is very much part of the Ouseburn Valley landscape. It has always been about community and learning through nature.
“This funding allows us to go further, creating a space where children can explore, build confidence, and develop a lasting connection with the natural world. We can’t wait to bring families, schools, and local partners together to shape something meaningful and long-term for our city.”
Since 2014, the farm has supported adults with learning disabilities and autism through a year-round placement programme. Participants acquire skills from gardening and animal care to catering and creative activities while benefiting their health and wellbeing.
The funding for the farm charity comes under the national Playful Green Planet (PGP) network through a competitive Open Call informed by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and led locally by the North East Community Forest (NECF).
The wider aim of the funding project is to establish a flagship PGP site in Newcastle delivered by the partnership between Ouseburn Farm and the NECF.
Coun Juna Sathian, city council Cabinet Member for Climate and Transport, said: “This funding is brilliant news for Newcastle. Ouseburn Farm is showing how local green spaces can help children build confidence, curiosity and care for the natural world, while strengthening our communities and supporting nature recovery at the same time.”
The Newcastle site will form part of a growing national network of PGP locations. The programme uses nature-based play and outdoor learning to help children build the awareness, skills and confidence they need to care for people and planet.
The RSA identified Newcastle as a high-priority area due to its need for early years nature play and the availability of green space suitable for community transformation. The project also aligns with the NECF’s long-term vision for nature recovery and environmental education in the region.
Seed funding for the PGP site has been provided by BT, whose community investment commitments support social-value initiatives. Additional funding will be provided by the North East Community Forest ‘Trees for Climate’ scheme to support community involvement, tree planting and aftercare.
The PGP network is guided by principles including accessibility to every child under 11, and to the early years, community and school settings that support them; co-creation in place: locations shaped with and for local people; and local nature regeneration.
Rachel Grice, head of strategic impact at the Royal Society of Arts, said: “The RSA is excited to be working with Ouseburn Farm and North East Community Forest as new stewards of the Playful Green Planet programme. We’ve seen through our pilot projects how outdoor play in green spaces improves connection and care for nature in children, and we’re thrilled to be expanding the Playful Green Planet Network in the North East.”
Ross Weddle, NECF chair, said: “This project is bringing together communities, children, educators and local organisations to create a shared space. By working side by side, we can nurture children’s connection with nature and help build a greener Newcastle and North East.”
Taner Mustafa, social value process lead at BT, said: “We are delighted to support this Playful Green Planet site. This is a great initiative to not only support the creation and growth of green spaces but also to invest in community organisations that are doing amazing things.”