Heeley City Farm is a social enterprise that has been in operation since 1981 and provides sustainability, food and farming education to 1000s of school children and over 100,000 visitors each year.
They offer training and volunteering opportunities to young people from all backgrounds across a spectrum of sustainability issues, including recycling, composting, food growing, caring for animals and energy conservation. School and group visits which include tailored tours and activities can also arranged.
Another facet to the Farm are the demonstrations to teach young people about archaeology. This includes a reconstruction of an Iron Age Roundhouse on the site.
Also on the site is the South Yorkshire Energy Centre (SYEC) which opened in 2006 and is based in an eco-refurbished terraced house originally built around 1880. It demonstrates renewable energy, and sustainable building materials and techniques, with associated advice and courses (www.syec.co.uk).
Regular Repair Cafes (where people bring in broken items and learn how to fix them, rather than throwing them away) and Composting skills courses are held throughout the year. The Repair Cafes are free and the Composting courses are free to the unemployed.
To visit the Farm and Energy Centre:
Access to the Farm and the Energy Centre is free.
The Farm is open every day (best time to visit is 10 am to 4pm), except for Christmas day
The Energy Centre is usually open to the public Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 11am-3pm. Can arrange visits by appointment outside these times (check web-site)
Web-site: www.heeleyfarm.org.uk
Green Growth Generation theme: More with Less, Energy and Climate Change