Farm Fest – Saturday 21st June 2025

An urban farm in the heart of South London
Spring brings new life to our farm – playful lambs, buzzing bees and vibrant gardens. But beyond the beauty, we are also a place of learning, growth and community connection. Thousands of children, families and young people rely on Deen City Farm for education, work experience and a chance to engage with nature.
We need your continued help to thrive into the future.
Last year was one of the toughest we’ve ever faced. Rising costs—especially from unexpected electrical problems —put our future at risk. Yet, thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we persevered. Together, we were able to:
* Welcome 147,000 visitors, providing a free, open space where families and individuals could connect with nature.
* Deliver 3,100 riding lessons, 28% of which were for children aged 4-10, helping young riders build confidence and skills.
* Offer 260 work experience placements and a number of youth volunteering days, empowering young people with valuable skills.
* Educate 1,900 schoolchildren through workshops and guided experiences, inspiring the next generation to care for animals and the environment.
This impact is only possible with continued support from people like you. Your donation is an investment in our community—ensuring that families, schools and individuals have a place to learn, grow and connect with animals.
Every Gift Makes a Difference
Can you help us keep our farm open and free for everyone? A regular donation or one-time gift will ensure we can continue caring for our animals, tending our gardens and supporting our community for generations to come.
Thank you for being a part of our farm family. Your kindness keeps us going!
Get ready for a fantastic day of creativity and community at the Deen City Farm Craft Fair on Saturday 31st May 2025, from 10:30 to 15:00.
Local makers and artists will showcase a wonderful selection of handmade items, including art, jewellery, crochet, and more. Whether you're looking for a unique gift, a special keepsake, or just a fun day out, there will be plenty to explore!
While you're here, why not visit our animals, grab a bite in the café, or take a stroll around the farm?
The event is free to enter, donations welcome. You can book your visit here.
Are you a maker, artist, or craft enthusiast looking to showcase your handmade creations?
Fill in this form and send it to information@deencityfarm.co.uk.
Note: we have limited spaces for stalls so get your application in soon to secure your pitch.
We have an exciting line up of spring-time activities this Easter, including workshops, an Easter Trail and a special visit from Polka Theatre on the 5th April.
We have welcomed six beautiful new lambs to the farm — and you’re invited to meet them and their mums! 🐑💕
Sessions last 30 minutes and cost £15 per person. Everyone attending will need a ticket, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Please note: sessions are shared unless all six slots are booked together for a private experience.
Saturday 5th, 12th & 19th April
10:15 - 15:45 (45 min sessions)
Tickets: £6.00, suitable for ages 2 and over.
Sunday 6th, 13th & 20th April
10:15 - 15:45 (30 min sessions)
Tickets: £4.00, suitable for ages 2 and over.
Tuesday 8th & 15th April
10:15 - 15:45 (30 min sessions)
Tickets: £3.00, suitable for ages 2 and over.
Wednesday 9th & 16th April
10:30-11:00 & 13:30-14:00
Tickets: £10.00, suitable for ages 2 and over.
Thursday 10th & 17th April
10:15 - 15:45 (30 min sessions)
Tickets: £3.00, suitable for ages 2 and over.
Monday 21st April
10:30-11:00, 11:30-12:00 & 14:30-15:00
Tickets: £5.00, suitable for ages 2 and over.
Friday 11th April
10:30-11:20
Tickets: £4.50, suitable for ages 3-7 (adult supervision required)
Friday 18th April
10:30 - 11:20
Tickets: £4.50, suitable for ages 3-7 years. (adult supervision required)
Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th April
11:00, 12:00 & 14:00 (35 min sessions)
Tickets: £4.50, suitable for under 5 years.
The community team from Polka theatre will be taking over one of our rear fields on Saturday 5th April in spired by Polka’s Spring production, Chicken Licken!
Join us for a fun and creative Valentine's Day workshop where children and adults alike can explore love, kindness, and self-expression through art!
Friday 14th February 2025
10:30-12:30
This hands-on experience will include two special activities designed to help us celebrate what makes our hearts grow:
🌳 Compassion Tree Art – Create your very own tree that represents love and kindness! The trunk is you, the branches are your family and friends, and the leaves will be decorated with kind words and symbols of love.
❤️ Map of My Heart – Draw a map of your heart filled with the people, places, and memories that are most special to you. This colourful activity helps us reflect on what we love and appreciate.
Each activity will begin with a short and gentle meditation to help everyone feel calm and ready to create. This is a wonderful opportunity for children and families to express themselves, share their feelings, and connect through art in a warm and welcoming space.
Meet Sarah Jane DeNeumann, your creative guide for the workshop! Sarah is an artist who loves using art to explore the spiritual journey. Inspired by nature, love, and kindness, she creates spaces where everyone—kids and adults alike—can express themselves freely. With her warm and encouraging approach, she’ll help you tap into your creativity and bring your heart’s stories to life through art.
Tickets: £4.00 suitable for children and adults, all attendees should have a ticket. All proceeds of this event go towards supporting Deen City Farm.
All ages welcome—no art experience needed! Just bring your imagination and a kind heart.
Deen City Farm, nestled in the heart of the London Borough of Merton, recently welcomed a special group of visitors for a delightful morning on the farm. Residents from the Acacia Care Centre, part of the Future Care Group, spent a memorable day engaging with the animals, soaking up the sun, and enjoying the vibrant atmosphere that our urban farm has to offer.
At Deen City Farm, our mission is to educate the local community about the rural environment and the origins of their food, while also providing enriching experiences through our volunteering programme and affordable Riding School. The recent visit by the residents of Acacia Care Centre perfectly encapsulated the joy and connection that can be gained through these interactions.
The day began with the residents eagerly feeding the farm animals, an activity that brought about many smiles and moments of fun. The joy on their faces was unmistakable as they interacted with the animals, a reminder of the simple pleasures that such experiences can bring.
The visit also coincided with perfect weather, allowing the residents to relax and unwind in the warmth of the sun. They were treated to watching a horse-riding session, which added to the excitement of the day. Watching the graceful horses in action was a highlight for many, sparking conversations and evoking memories of past experiences with animals.
To top off their visit, the residents enjoyed coffee and snacks in the farm’s welcoming surroundings. This break offered a wonderful opportunity for social interaction, with lively discussions and the chance to connect over shared experiences. The combination of fresh air, engaging activities, and a change of scenery provided a refreshing and uplifting experience for everyone involved.
Acacia Care Centre staff said:
"Outings like these are more than just a pleasant diversion for their residents; they are vital for enhancing the well-being of the residents. By offering a change of environment, encouraging outdoor activity, and facilitating social connections, these excursions play a key role in enriching their lives, and we were delighted to be a part of it."
At Deen City Farm, we remain committed to providing meaningful experiences for all members of our community, and we look forward to welcoming more visitors like the residents of Acacia Care Centre in the future.
We are completely amazed and humbled by the speed at which you, the public have helped us reach our initial target! Thank you all so very much for your generous donations.
The more money we are able to raise, the longer we can stay open whilst we work to secure the financial future of the farm. Please do keep donating and sharing our appeal if at all possible.
Sadly, 2024 has been a catastrophic year for Deen City Farm. A major power system failure combined with massively increased costs means we are now struggling to keep afloat and, without your help, we will have to close.
At the beginning of the year, we asked for donations to help us fund the electrical repairs onsite and your amazing donations helped us raise £30,000. However, it has not been enough to cover the rising costs of this problem, and we are once again needing to ask for your help.
Staff and volunteers have worked relentlessly to keep the farm open and maximise our income, but the electrical fault stopped us from running at full capacity for almost 8 months and we incurred substantial extra costs to simply stay open.
Closing is the last resort and we will do whatever it takes to keep our farm gates open for you, but it is now a real possibility.
Closing will mean the local community will lose a vital community asset and the important work we do supporting children and disadvantaged people will come to an end.
Without your help we cannot continue to:
* Welcome over 130,000 visitors annually, mainly families where they can meet and feed the animals, engaging in therapeutic, fun and educational experiences, use the playground or enjoy the garden, free of charge.
* Offer work experience for over 244 students a year, 64% of which have identified as disabled.
* Support volunteer opportunities for over 190 people a year, of those 43% in 2023/24 were unemployed, and 56% identified as individuals with additional needs.
* Host students who have lost their desire or ability to thrive in mainstream education.
* Run mental and physical health and well-being programmes within the local community
* Offer workshops and guided experiences for school children: 1,475 children from 43 different schools benefited in 2023.
Please donate today and share this message to ensure we can remain open for the community.
We are talking openly about our financial position to the people who matter to us the most; the people that use us, value us, support us. We do not want to see another inner-city, free to access community, family and educational space, have to close.
Sadly, we know our situation is not unique. Many charities in the current, challenging, external environment are struggling, but we hope you can really dig deep, see the value Deen City Farm brings to South London, and donate today.
With your support, we can remain open, whilst we review how the Farm can move forwards in a sustainable way. We will do this transparently and in consultation with our community, stakeholders and supporters.
Please donate today and share this message to ensure we can remain open for the community.
THANK YOU!
Saturday 21st September 2024
17:00 - 21:00
Grab your Stetsons and Cowboy boots and join us for a Barn Dance!
Refreshments: There will be a BBQ and bar available during the evening.
Tickets: £15 for adults* (12 & over), £5 for children aged 5-11, free for those 4 and under.
*One free drink included with adult tickets.
Terms & Conditions
Dear Friends and Supporters,
I would like to start by saying a huge thank you for all of your help and support regarding the power faults that we have had to cope with since the start of the year, hopefully this will be my last letter about the subject. The good news is that the faulty cables have now been replaced. If you have visited the farm recently, you will see there is a new fence running down the service road, with the new electrical cable running through it in a secure conduit.
The farms team have done a fantastic job in keeping the farm running, despite only having 2/3rd of the power we need, and I am very appreciative of their hard work and dedication.
This was a major electrical fault, not of our making, and it has cost us more than sixty thousand pounds to repair the cables and pay for additional services needed to keep the farm open. In the process of fixing the fault, and getting the farm back to full working order, we have had to use most of our (already limited) cash reserves . We have also had to put several of our other redevelopment projects on hold.
We have already had some really generous donations from our fundraising campaign earlier in the year but we now know the final costs of the repair and still need to find at least another forty thousand pounds to recoup the costs we’ve incurred. We are working with Merton Council and other stakeholders to see what support they could offer, but we need more help to stay open.
There are many ways you can support the farm. If you are able to donate anything at all that would be a tremendous help. To find out more about other ways you can help visit our support us page on our website: Support Us | Deen City Farm.
We really appreciate any help you can give us at this difficult time, and we look forward to seeing you at the farm soon, especially at Farm Fest on Saturday 31st August. This year’s event will be bigger and better with live music from some fantastic local bands, fair games and activities, crafts, soft play, dancing and a bar for the adults!
Many Thanks for taking time to read this letter and for your support of Deen City Farm.
Best Regards
Matthew Linden
Chair of Deen City Farm & Riding School
Charity Number: 1008028
Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August 2024
Share your favourite memories of Deen City Farm and Riding School with our memory wall.