Community backs Welsh farming family threatened with eviction

Credit: Gareth Williams

Model Farm, Rhoose, Wales, has been farmed by three generations of the Jenkins farming family since Griffith Jenkins first worked there back in 1935.

Third-generation Gethin Jenkins now works the farm with the help of his son Rhys and daughter-in-law Kelly. Gethin had hopes of passing the farm through the Jenkins family, just as his father had to him. They produce beef from the suckler herd, grow arable crops, and have recently started their seed business, Wild Wales Seeds.

The dreams of the Welsh farming family could be shattered as a plan by landowners Legal and General would consume more than 100 acres of Model Farm’s land. The family is appealing to the company to scrap the plans.

“These fields are important for food production and for wildlife,” Gethin said. “The area doesn’t need another business park. My son is happy… and thought we’d have a bright future here.”

Overwhelming community support

A Facebook page has been set up to support Model Farm, which has 1.6K followers already. Details of a peaceful family protest from the Senedd steps at 11 am, Saturday 21st August have been shared over 60 times.

Local photographer Gareth Williams is dedicating half the profits from his photographic artwork, ‘Model Farm’ collection to the Jenkins family.

The change.org petition is just over 1,500 signatures.

There is also a fundraiser for the Welsh farming family on GoFundMe with a target of £15,000. 

Even the leader of the Welsh Conservative Group at Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, said: “Bad for farming, bad for the environment and bad for the family who are losing their livelihood”.

Gethin’s granddaughters, Ffion and Freya. Credit: Gareth Williams.

Financial services giant Legal and General said planning permission has been granted to develop warehousing and offices. The company states that the project has a “strategic role to play in delivering wider economic, social and environmental benefits,” including the possibility to accommodate 3,000 jobs.

Under the current proposals, existing buildings would be destroyed and the ground levelled to build the intended infrastructure.

Gethin added: “We fully expected there was going to be some sort of development. Progress happens, you can’t stand in the way of that. But to have 100 acres taken out in one hit. Is there really a demand for all this? Where is the demand coming from?”