An exhibition of The Salvation Army's work at Hadleigh Farm, a chance to talk to local authors and a former farm manager, and a demonstration of how to ride a penny farthing bicycle were highlights of the London 2012 Open Weekend at Hadleigh Farm from Friday 23 July to Sunday 25 July.  

Enthusiast Eddie Knight shows how to ride a penny farthing

Plans for the Olympic mountain-biking route were also on display at the exhibition, which was visited by the local MP, Rebecca Harris, and the Deputy Mayor of Castlepoint, Councillor Jackie Govier.


The founder of The Salvation Army, William Booth, bought the land at Hadleigh in 1891 to train unemployed people in farming and building skills. The farm continues to grow wheat, peas and beans, and supports a herd of beef cattle, and a special training centre trains the long-term unemployed in retail, catering, horticulture, rare breeds, estate management, IT and graphics, and carpentry skills.

The centre also has tea rooms and a rare breeds farm, which were open to the public as usual.

The display of Hadleigh Farm history, called ‘Living Well with The Salvation Army', was one of 900 events taking part in the third London 2012 Open Weekend, which many venues hosting a 2012 Games event took part in. Hadleigh Farm will host Olympic mountain-biking in the summer of 2012 and the venue plans were on show by arrangement with Essex County Council.

Other events at the Open Weekend included talks about Hadleigh Farm by former farm manager Peter Howard on Friday 23 July and Sunday 25 July, and a book-signing from the authors of Hadleigh Salvation Army Farm - A Vision Reborn on Saturday 24 July and Sunday 25 July.

Authors Gordon Parkhill and Graham Cook

Visiting the exhibition, the Deputy Mayor of Castlepoint Borough Council, Jackie Govier, said: 'I think it's great. I could spend ages here just looking. It brings back memories of my young days. All these things are part of life when I was young. Hadleigh was The Salvation Army really.'

The Salvation Army officer at Hadleigh Temple, Major Stuart Dicker, said: 'The Open Weekend was a good opportunity to show people what's happening at the farm, and gave an opportunity to display the history of the farm. It was a succesful time, serving as a prelude to the 2012 games, and we hope to build on the experience for a similar event next year'

Work has begun to create the Olympic Mountain Bike Event course at The Salvation Army's Hadleigh Farm in Essex. Against a stunning backdrop of Hadleigh Castle and the Thames Estuary, the course is being created in harmony with the natural contours of the park land, to test the mettle of the world's best mountain bike riders. More information is available at www.essexlegacy.org

The Salvation Army's Hadleigh Farm is in Castle Lane, Hadleigh, SS7 2AP. Click here for more information on the Hadleigh Training Centre and Farm

Full event listings for the London 2012 Open Weekend can be found at www.london2012.com/openweekend