The Social Farming Across Borders project was created to support the development of Social Farming in the Border Counties and Northern Ireland and further afield. Its aim is to facilitate the co-operation of all stakeholders related to Social Farming so that more farms offer Social Farming and more people have the opportunity to experience and spend time on farms, according to their personal choice. Social farming has the potential to be an important catalyst in connecting people, farming, and local communities in ordinary, natural settings and as partners for positive change in society.

This Social Farming Conference ‘Living an Ordinary Life’ is the first conference of the SoFAB project. The aim of the conference is to provide a forum for people to share and exchange experiences on the practice of Social Farming and its potential for development. The project is delighted to have Dr Tony Bates as the keynote speaker. Tony will explore the pivotal place of ‘community’ as a partner with people and organisations in establishing or renewing roles for people within society. Tony will draw on the experience of the Jigsaw Project as led by Headstrong and its focus on working with the strengths, opportunities and challenges on ordinary community places’.

We are also delighted to welcome contributions from a range of speakers with direct experience of Social Farming here in Ireland and from Belgium and the UK. We will also be sharing some of the learning and development that has taken place in the Social Farming Across Borders project. This should be an exciting and stimulating conference for anyone interested in the potential of Social Farming. There is no charge for attendance at the conference, however booking is essential as number are limited.

The Social Farming Across Borders Project is supported by the European Union’s INTERREG IVA programme, managed by Special EU Programmes Body. The project is led by University College Dublin, in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast and Leitrim Development Company. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise in Northern Ireland and Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (ROI) are also involved in supporting the Project.