As a Family we are Very Keen to Try & Support Communities both Locally & Further Afield

We have lived in and been part of the Staffordshire community for four generations. We all at Packington Free Range absolutely believe in and have experienced first-hand the benefits of a strong community spirit, so it makes perfect sense to us that we should do what we can to support both our own community, and those a little further afield.

Being part of a community is, amongst many other things, fun and we try to celebrate this. As well as sponsoring The Royal Oak football team and the local tug of war team, every other year we are also involved in organising and hosting a festival called ‘Freedom Fest’. This is a local event for the local area, with sports tournaments, gift and cake stands, Packington Free Range hog roasts, music and dancing. It’s a brilliant day out for all the family, but importantly, it also raises money for amazing charities. Over the last two festivals we’ve raised over £22,000 for the British Heart Foundation and the Rainbows Children’s Hospital. Packington Free Range have also been lucky enough to be part of another fabulous local event. The Lichfield Pig Parade was part of the 2011 Lichfield Festival, and with a name like ‘Pig Parade’ how could we not get involved? Packington Free Range sponsored the event which saw local schools, groups and businesses getting creative by painting and decorating 30 fibreglass pigs which were later auctioned for charity.

We firmly believe that people based in towns and cities should be able to experience the life and workings of the countryside so that they can see the thriving industry that goes on within it. This not only helps bridge the gap between urban and rural life but can help people fully appreciate and understand where their food comes from. With this in mind, we regularly host days where we show school children and groups around the farm – they have great fun, but they also learn a lot too.

And a little further afield, Rob Mercer has been working with some young men in Ghana, encouraging, educating and supporting them on their local small holdings to provide safe food for them and their families as well as creating jobs in their local community.