Farm Africa would like to pay tribute to Bill Acworth, a dedicated and enthusiastic supporter, who sadly passed away in February 2022.

A farmer himself, Bill and his wife Sue raised over £35,000 for farming communities in eastern Africa throughout their 15 plus years of support for Farm Africa.

The charity’s expert-led approach to helping farmers unlock their potential to grow their incomes in an environmentally sustainable way resonated with Bill:

“The reason Farm Africa appeals to me is the practical nature of the projects on the ground and the fact that it’s not all about financial aid, but about the transfer of knowledge to the farming communities who are involved right from the start and who can eventually run the projects themselves, creating long-term change.” – Bill Acworth.

Bill recognised the importance of agriculture for rural communities in Africa and as a result became a key fundraiser for Farm Africa.

Much of his fundraising efforts came from his family’s and friends’ generous donations at his summer open days, or Little Hidden Farm Days as they were called. During these annual events, Bill and Sue opened up their beautiful Berkshire farm to the public for informative walks through his wildflower meadows, craft workshops, locally produced food and live music.

Bill and Sue were also kind enough to share a big milestone with Farm Africa, their 50th wedding anniversary, when they asked their friends to donate rather than buy gifts for the occasion.

Although Bill was a member of Friends of Farm, Farm Africa’s former network of community fundraisers and volunteers across the UK who raised the profile of our work, bringing it to life amongst ever wider audiences within their communities, Bill also got involved in the sporting world of fundraising.

In both 2016 and 2017, he rallied a group of his family and friends together to take on the RideLondon-Surrey cycling events as the aptly named Little Hidden Farm team. In fact, Bill’s son, Will, took the lead in 2017 as Farm Africa’s fastest rider, beating a team of 30 with a speedy time of just four hours and five minutes.

We are hugely grateful to Bill for his tireless support over the years and we would now like to extend our sincere thanks to Bill’s family, who are continuing his legacy by inviting donations to Farm Africa in celebration of his life.

Bill’s family would be delighted to reach a target of £10,000. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bill-acworth. 

A memorial event will be held in Bill’s honour on Saturday 21 May. A church service will take place in the morning at the Chapel at Marlborough College starting at 11am, followed by a picnic at Little Hidden Farm at 1pm and an evening reception at 6pm.