You may be aware that SSB has been negotiating with South Hams District Council for a 99-year lease of a field within the Hope Wood site for a Community Orchard and Market Garden.

The negotiations commenced in October 2024 following the offer of “Heads of Terms” outlining the proposed conditions of the eventual lease.

The lease was to take the form of a Farm Business Tenancy. Negotiations have progressed quite slowly with discussions between SHDC and SSB via solicitors. There is some feeling that an FBT is not entirely appropriate for the transaction given the 99-year term and a “Not for Profit” stipulation. FBTs are normally for shorter terms and permit operation for profit.

Despite these and other issues negotiations were progressing whilst the Charity were able to conduct a limited range of activities under 3-month licencing arrangements. In March 2026 140 mixed top fruit trees were planted and protected to establish the beginning of the Community Orchard.

There were, however, restrictions on the development of the project due to the absence of SSB’s control of the site pending the lease. For example, urgently improving access involves significant costs and raised the question of spending the charity’s resources without a settled lease. In addition, access to grants and agricultural subsidies are subject to having control of the site before application.

The Trustees were therefore delighted to be informed on the 30^th of April that SHDC were preparing to offer to sell the freehold of the site on good terms, discontinuing the lease discussions.

The principle of the transfer was agreed by SHDC on 4^th June and SSB trustees have agreed to progress the purchase, engage a solicitor and allocate funds for the conveyance.

This change solves many of the issues which arose from the proposed lease, we are grateful to SHDC for the opportunity and their unwavering support of the project.

Caroline Grundy, who with Penny Wainwright co-ordinates SSB’s Tuesday Fair Share (TFS), has been walking to raise money for FareShare SW which supplies food for both Tuesday Fair Share and the Community Fridge.  She has walked across Scotland from the English border to Cape Wrath on the north coast.  It’s over 500 miles and she was hoping to finish on 16 May.

“I‘m attempting to walk the Scottish National Trail over April and May 2026. Its a crazy 536 miles long walk and will take me over some pretty challenging areas, taking in much of the Cape Wrath trail, the UK‘s toughest with its river crossings, bogs and wild camping.

I’m 66 this year, so this will be quite a challenge and probably a little insane. With this in mind, I‘ve decided to also do this for charity and would like to support a charity which I partner with in the work I do as a volunteer in my local village where we provide low cost food to people to both help with the cost of living and prevent food waste.

I‘m aiming to fundraiser £1000 which is enough to provide food for 4000 meals. Right now, more than 1 million people in the south west are living in poverty. By saving nutritious food destined for landfill and sharing it with people in need, FareShare South West joins the dots between hunger and food waste. It’s a local charity run by wonderful people so every £1 I raise I know will be well used. Please help me raise money for this brilliant charity.

Thank you“

If you’d like to support Caroline, CLICK HERE for her ‘Just Giving’ page

Update 17 May 2026: “finished walk today – nearly £1000 raised. Sore feet and happy memories”

(- The ‘Just Giving’ page is still open)

Visit the Hope Wood project page – Click Here

We want to give you advance notice that the site will shortly need to be closed for three weeks so that long-planned essential repairs can be made to the compost bays and ground surface. The session on Sunday September 28th will run as normal, but after that the site will then close and not reopen again until Sunday October 26th. During the period of closure, no deliveries of garden waste can be made to the site.

For more info contact: marsh@ssb.org.uk

Join our Planting Days. Turn up on Friday or Saturday mornings from 10.00 onwards starting on Friday 31 January and Saturday 1 February. Please just turn up with wellies, waterproofs, spades, lump hammer, snacks and a warm drink. We’ll signpost the wood from Palstone Park Recreation Ground (where you need to leave any cars) if you haven’t been before. These planting days will run through until the end of March (unless we’ve planted it all by then).

With your help we’ll be doing two things by the end of March:

1. Planting the rest of the trees and shrubs – a mix of native trees (such as alder, aspen, birch, rowan, cherry and willow) and a range of native shrubs (including hazel, blackthorn, elder, hawthorn and spindle). These will be mixed between the oak circles that we planted on the 4th January.
2. Putting wool mulch mats around the trees and shrubs to limit grass growth and give them the best chance of establishing well.

For more information visit the Hope Wood Project page

Due to the poor weather forecast from mid-afternoon onwards on Saturday 4th January, the Community Tree Planting event has been scaled back to focus primarily on tree-planting.

We’ll start the day with the unveiling of the woodland name at 10am before setting about planting as many trees as we can before the weather closes in at around 1pm.  Hot drinks will still be available, but food and children’s activities have been cancelled. 

A reminder that limited parking is available at Palstone Recreation Ground, a few minutes’ walk from the planting site.  The route will be clearly sign-posted.  Wellies and very warm, waterproof clothing will be essential. Do bring a cheery sense of humour and – if you have one – a spade.

Limited parking available at Palstone Recreation Ground TQ10 9PU – What3Words: shock.lushly.sparks. Entrance to tree-planting site – What3Words: someone.snowstorm.amends.

We talked about the fact that it is temperate rainforest and so an incredibly rare and special habitat, what the group are doing to manage it and how people can get involved.

If you want to know more about the group and our programme of work days, visit our webpage: ssb.org.uk/projects/hedges-and-woodland.

Find out more about the wood, which is owned by the Woodland Trust here: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/penstave-copse/.

Name the new South Brent Woodland:

After a first round of suggestions enabled a short list to be drawn up, please pick the one you prefer from the four listed below, and email it to communitywoodland@ssb.org.uk by Saturday 30 November (one vote per person)

• Hope Wood
• Palstone Wood
• Portford Wood
• Primrose Wood

The Woodland, in which around 25,000 trees will be planted, is part of the 65 acre site purchased by South Hams District Council with the support of the Government’s Trees for Climate Land Acquisition Fund. (Ten acres of the site have been given over for SSB’s Orchard and Market Garden project (see https://ssb.org.uk/projects/market-garden-orchard/)).

• See: https://southbrent.gov.uk/new-community-woodland-for-south-hams/
• and www.southhams.gov.uk/news/2024/we-have-agreed-ambitious-woodland-deal
• and www.southhams.gov.uk/palstone-land.

Name the new South Brent Woodland:

The Woodland is part of the 65 acre site purchased by South Hams District Council with the support of the Government’s Trees for Climate Land Acquisition Fund. Ten acres of the site have been given over for SSB’s Orchard and Market Garden project (see https://ssb.org.uk/projects/market-garden-orchard/).

Let us have your suggestions by midday on Thursday 10th October. A shortlist will then be drawn up for people to vote on.

Send your proposed names (no Woody McWoodface please!) to: communitywoodland@ssb.org.uk.

• See: https://southbrent.gov.uk/new-community-woodland-for-south-hams/
• and www.southhams.gov.uk/news/2024/we-have-agreed-ambitious-woodland-deal
• and www.southhams.gov.uk/palstone-land.

Tuesday Fair Share

A new weekly opportunity for residents of South Brent and the surrounding area to access affordable, good quality surplus (in date) produce, minimising food waste and landfill.

Everyone is welcome; You’ll be asked to check in each time, and there is a suggested donation of £3.50. (The food is free but we need to pay transport and rent). For that you can get at least 10 items of food and groceries, from a selection of produce that changes every week and includes a selection of fruit and vegetables and store cupboard essentials.

If you feel you would like to donate more than £3.50 you are welcome to.

The main supplier is Fareshare SouthWest, a national charity that redistributes surplus food from the food industry to community groups.

There is free parking on site at the Rec.

This is a volunteer led project, if you are interested in volunteering, please email tuesdayfairshare@ssb.org.uk.