Abbey People CIO and Cambridge Sustainable Food CIC are working together to establish a new Community Interest Company (CIC) called Grow Cambridge CIC to take care of the land that was previously home to CoFarm Cambridge and make sure it continues to thrive. The aim is to give people all over the city the chance to grow food together in sustainable, nature-friendly ways – keeping alive the sense of community and collaboration that has always made the site unique.
The initiative is backed by St Andrew’s Church, Cherry Hinton, who own the land, as well as Allia and Cambridge City Council, who are helping to shape the next steps. A big part of the journey will be working hand-in-hand with the existing volunteers and the CoFarm Foundation, honouring the passion and commitment that have made the farm such a well-loved community space.
“We are pleased to be working in partnership with Cambridge Sustainable Food, St Andrew’s Cherry Hinton, Allia, Cambridge City Council and the existing CoFarm community to secure a future for this important site. Together, we are committed to ensuring that the land continues to serve the people of Cambridge by providing opportunities to grow, learn, and connect through community farming.” Nicky Shepard, Grow Cambridge CIC and CEO, Abbey People.
By building on this strong foundation, Cambridge Sustainable Food and Abbey People aim to open up new possibilities for community farming in Cambridge—fostering connection, sustainability, and resilience. This project forms part of a broader movement to strengthen Cambridge’s local food system: improving access to healthy, sustainably produced food, reducing reliance on external supply chains, and investing in the wellbeing of local communities.
Taking an integrated approach, the new community farm will use nature-friendly agroecological methods to support healthy ecosystems and boost biodiversity. It will create opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to grow food together, improve health and wellbeing, build skills, and connect with others. Alongside access to land, training, volunteering and educational activities, the CIC will reinvest any surplus, ensuring long-lasting social and environmental impact for Cambridge.
 called Grow Cambridge CIC.){kind=link}