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Liverpool Charity Farm Faces Heartbreaking Closure
3 Feb
Summary
- Rice Lane City Farm in Liverpool is at risk of permanent closure.
- The farm requires £6,000 monthly and £30,000 total to continue operations.
- A GoFundMe appeal has raised over £7,500 towards the urgent fundraising goal.
Rice Lane City Farm in Walton, Liverpool, is confronting a severe financial crisis that could lead to its permanent closure. The farm, which opened in 1979, requires £6,000 each month to maintain its operations and needs a substantial £30,000 in its reserves to continue functioning. The chair of trustees expressed deep sadness over the potential closure, emphasizing the difficulty of the situation.
The 21-acre city farm is a cherished community resource, offering youth groups, playschemes, and arts workshops. It is also home to a variety of animals, including sheep, goats, and donkeys. Financial strain has been exacerbated by a sharp decline in gross annual income for 2024/25, which fell to just over £10,000, forcing reliance on cash reserves.
Reduced government grants have added further pressure, making it challenging to cover essential maintenance, repairs for barns and fencing, equipment upkeep, animal shelter provisions, and feed costs. While a GoFundMe campaign has garnered over £7,500, additional donations and grants are critically needed to prevent the farm from shutting its doors.
