Karen Lumley & Stockwood founder Sebastian Parsons

In following our fantastic new testimonial from Ineke Meijer and in preparation for more, we would like to share some of Karen Lumley’s words at Stockwood’s Farm Fete last August. Karen Lumley has been the MP for Redditch – on which Stockwood’s land lies – since 2010. There are so many angles one could take when talking about Stockwood CBS’s benefits; Karen chose to speak largely about the benefit that Stockwood brings to the local economy.

We are delighted that Karen chose to invest herself as well, making this speech a true testimonial for everything we do here at Stockwood.

We are here today for a number of reasons: to enjoy ourselves, to enjoy being in our wonderful Worcestershire countryside … and to formally launch the Stockwood Community Benefit Society … an initiative to embed within the community a way of life currently at great risk of being erased.

[Stockwood] adds up to work for some 100 people locally and twice that number nationally together with a financial contribution to the economy of many millions of pounds.

All involved in an enterprise should be able to have a say in the workings of that enterprise. All are signed up to the notion that the impact of the park on the environment should be as friendly as possible. And all are signed up to the notion of mutual support where appropriate.

Foot and mouth essentially ended mixed farming … now after some 7 years and with the support of Natural England and the Forestry Commission, Rush Farm is a thriving organic enterprise.

I do hope not only that you enjoy your time here today but also consider seriously becoming an investor in the Stockwood Community Benefit Society …  I am now off to the tent to buy my shares!