Residents of Sherford are learning traditional rural skills as part of a heritage programme funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The initiative, led by the Sherford Community Trust and social enterprise Real Ideas, aims to reconnect the community with the landscape’s history. Volunteers have been introduced to hedge-laying and coppicing techniques, skills dating back to the Stone Age, through a Heritage Skills Training Programme.
According to the Friends of Sherford Country Park, the sessions have provided residents with a foundation of knowledge, allowing them to share these traditional techniques with the wider community. The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant has enabled the restoration of hedge-banks and biodiversity in the area.
Preserving the Past, Shaping the Future
Although a relatively new settlement, archaeological finds and historic hedgerows link the area to a much older past.
Judy Talbot, project coordinator at Sherford Community Trust, said the project aims to help residents understand and appreciate the town’s heritage. She emphasised that having a sense of history can foster identity and pride among the community.
“It’s wrong to assume that a relatively new town has no real heritage,”
“Sherford is steeped in history and has a story to tell. This project is about understanding our heritage and making the most of it going forward. Having a sense of heritage is good for people; it gives people a sense of identity and pride.”
Alongside training in rural skills, the initiative has brought together local experts, including archaeologists and historians from The Box museum, to deepen residents’ knowledge of the area’s past. A new Environment and Heritage Group has also been established, encouraging locals to take an active role in preserving their surroundings.
Community Celebration at Sherford Day
The skills developed through the programme will be showcased at Sherford Day on 5th April, an annual event marking eight years since the town’s first residents moved in. Volunteers from Friends of Sherford Country Park will demonstrate coppicing techniques, showing how traditional methods can support conservation efforts.
The day will also feature a bring-and-share lunch, tree planting, wildflower seed sowing, and a sunflower-growing competition for children. Organisers say the event is a chance to celebrate Sherford’s growing sense of community and its commitment to sustainability.
Peter Sadler, managing director of Vistry Cornwall South West, part of the Sherford Consortium responsible for the town’s development, highlighted the balance between honouring heritage and building for the future.
Organisers hope that by equipping residents with traditional skills, Sherford’s green spaces will be maintained and enhanced for generations to come.
