‘Monday. Woodchopping and jobs around the place in the morning. A beautiful autumn day, and we took the teenage boys to the outward-bound centre. On the way we picnicked at Newbridge. The sun was warm and the woods aflame with autumn colours. Three of the boys swam in the cold waters of the Dart, and were pleased with themselves for bracing the cold.
‘In the afternoon, we met up with the other members of the group in Widecombe, and went for a walk in glorious sunshine. A stiff climb at first, and then over Hameldown to the beacon, accompanied by grumbles and groans from the young people, and two of the boys wanting to turn back; but in the end all enjoyed it, and more so as they watched the horse riders, cantering over the down.’
That was a long time ago. Almost fifty years ago. They were from handwritten notes from the first group of young people from Providence House youth club in Battersea to visit Widecombe. That first group stayed at Bag Park Manor, but the following year East Shallowford Farm was purchased, and school groups and youth groups began to regularly arrive over Widecombe hill, to begin life enhancing experiences that in some cases would last forever.
On International Women’s Day, Shallowford posted on Facebook some photographs from those early days, and this comment: ‘We pay tribute to a true visionary, and the founder of Shallowford Farm, Elizabeth Braund (1921-2013). Elizabeth believed passionately in improving the outcomes and life chances of young people, first setting up Providence House, London in 1963. Elizabeth then purchased Shallowford Farm on Dartmoor in 1976, which she called “a lung for the city”, to connect urban youngsters with farming and the countryside, which offered long lasting and life changing positive benefits – in ways that continue today, nearly half a century later.’
One person viewing the Facebook post, wrote: ‘I grew up on one of those housing estates in Battersea. Went to Shallowford farm 78/79. I hated it, as it was snowing and cold. Now live and work on Dartmoor. Amazing place.’
It was a long time ago, but what was an uncertain flickering hope of a project took root, and grew, and held firm, and remained true to its first aspirations to connect young people to the natural world.
This year has seen groups of young people from varied places staying at East Shallowford, tasting hands on farming and Dartmoor life.
In 2026, The Shallowford Trust will celebrate 50 years in this community with a series of events to mark this achievement.
As Elizabeth Braund herself wrote: “East Shallowford Farm is a ‘Lung for the City’. The project arose from our conviction, living in Battersea, that we should obtain a farm if we could, to take children with us to experience something of a home in deep countryside and become personally involved in the day to day work of the farm in caring for animals and its surroundings.”
Watch this space. 50 years and more to come.
Robert Musgrave MBE.