Gibside Community Farm is a Community Interest Company run by and for its members. A key way of supporting the farm is to become a member. By doing so you’ll be helping to provide security for the future of locally produced, organic food and ensure that we have a thriving, welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. Join our community of 70+ members and growing.
Try us out
You can come and join a team, volunteering on the field, with other, experienced volunteers most days of the week. We ask that you book at least 24 hours in advance so that we can have enough members on the farm to supervise visitors. Get in touch with us.
Become a member
New members can join at any time of the year. Our annual membership fee is £10 a year, running April to March. See FAQs below for pro rata membership rates. Your membership fee helps support the running costs of the scheme and the farm in general. Any profit goes straight back into supporting our co-operative.
All members are volunteers and pay £10.00 per year.
There are currently two types of membership.
- Members
- Workshare members – Workshare members work for a specified number of hours per week and get a veg bag as negotiated. Currently to get a bag of veg workshares are expected to work a minimum of 4 hours per week.
As a member you will :
- help to challenge environmental collapse by growing local, organic and seasonal food .
- be able to buy our local, organic produce
- have access to be part of a team working on the Field or behind the scenes
- be an equal member of the GCF co-op and able to attend general meetings, vote and influence the direction of the organisation
- have priority in attending talks/social events/training (e.g. plant support willow work, fruit tree pruning, harvest supper)
- receive a weekly update with information, news and what is happening
Join our growing gang on the field!
We support people to develop their knowledge and skills in growing food and encourage members to join in as much as possible to learn from each other. Its growing – not gardening, and as such often has a different approach but with transferable ideas – both ways!
You can join us to work in the field as little or as often as suits you. We work most days of the working week from 10.30 – 3/4pm depending on the time of year! We can also arrange to support members coming at other times.
Can you help behind the scenes?
Being part of the farm is not just about growing crops on the field, or mending tractors. We have plenty of opportunities to get involved behind the scenes. Perhaps you’re a whizz with spreadsheets, have a passion for admin or love using social media! We need help with all these things and welcome anyone who’d like to volunteer with running the organisation. Just get in touch for a chat to find something that suits your skills.
Have your say
As a co-op, all members have a voice to help steer the direction of the group. This can be done by attending our general meetings, held monthly or joining a sub group. We have sub groups to do the detailed planning work. These are:
- Team Leaders’ Group – monitors crops and decides on what to grow and where.
- Directors Group – oversees the co-op and its finances.
- Steering Group – works with the Directors taking decisions on the general direction of the farm
- Comms and Membership – arranging social events and general promotion