A local woman who worked at Gorgie Farm for nearly ten years has been heartbroken over its closure and wants to do everything she can to save the community resource as she witnessed it save lives through her many years working there.
Maia Erin Gordon, 28, spent most of her adult life working at Gorgie Farm starting as a volunteer who loved animals in 2013 and working her way up to being a volunteer coordinator.
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Maia left in November 2022 after getting a job at a vet surgery and moving to Fife but says the farm gave her everything she has today and made her dreams come true.
Edinburgh Gorgie Farm which has been run by Love Learning announced the shock closure stating they cannot survive in the new year without financial support.
The tragic news came on December 30 as they announced that due to Covid and the cost of living crisis it would not be possible to stay open.
There is now a petition to save the farm which has gathered over 500 signatures since the news was delivered on December 30. You can find out more and sign it here. Maia is also urging others to email Edinburgh council to let them know how invaluable the farm is.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live Maia said: "I worked at Gorgie Farm as a paid staff member from 2013 til November 2022.
"I always wanted to work with animals so I started volunteering, six months later after learning as much as I possibly could, I was offered a paid position and eventually became a senior team member, my titles being Animal Husbandry Supervisor and then also Volunteer Coordinator in the last few years.
"The farm gave me everything I have today. Education, opportunities and friendships that will last forever.
"I moved to Fife and began work in a veterinary practice in November of this year, something that wouldn't have been possible without the farm. It kicked off my career and literally made my goals possible."
Maia remembers the last time the farm had to fight t stay open. She said: "I was there in 2019 when the farm closed, myself and two other staff members stayed for months working long, long hours with minimal breaks feeding the animals and doing everything we could until LOVE came on board to rescue us.
"It broke me and my two colleagues mentally and physically but it was worth every second to see the farm live another day."
The farm meant so much to the local and wider Edinburgh community. Maia explained: "I saw first-hand the impact the farm has had on the people I supported, vulnerable young people and adults, people battling with mental health issues, people with additional support needs.
"Each and every single one of them is an incredible, amazing person, they get so much from the farm and give so much back in return.
"The farm gave so many people a sense of inclusion they hadn't had before.
"Through conversations with people I supported over the years, I heard from them that being at Gorgie Farm gave people a sense of purpose, independence, direction, community, love, and warmth.
"It gave them educational opportunities they may not have been able to get elsewhere. It is a place that makes people feel welcome and equal and there is a reason the term 'Farm Family' exists among staff, visitors and volunteers because that's what the farm makes you feel part of regardless of how you're involved in the farm."
She also told of the huge impact of being involved with Gorgie Farm staff over most of her adult life.
"Every volunteer I ever spoke with said the farm had improved their life in some way, and I have worked alongside quite possibly hundreds of volunteers, from the regular volunteer team to high school students and veterinary/animal care student placements.
"I watched first-hand so many young people who at first were unable to engage in any kind of mainstream education, come to the farm and transform, grow in confidence, build friendships, begin to enjoy learning again, and then go on to further education, something that seemed impossible to them before starting at the farm," She said.
Finally, Maia explained the impact on people's lives she was able to witness in her several years working at the farm.
She said: "I heard people say that Gorgie Farm saved their lives. Those are only some of the amazing things that take place at Gorgie Farm.
The educational opportunities at Gorgie Farm are endless, you can learn about nature, sustainability, kindness to animals, farming, food, gardening, community engagement, and the list goes on.
"To just let go off somewhere that provides all of that for so many people would be careless and shortsighted.
"In a world where we are fighting a cost of living crisis, and people are becoming increasingly anxious, depressed, stressed we need places where anyone can go, regardless of how much money is in their pocket.
"A place where they can feel included, where they can spend time with their family and make memories, again, without having to worry about breaking the bank. Edinburgh Zoo, for example, costs nearly £100 for a day out with a family of 4. At Gorgie Farm, memories in a therapeutic environment cost nothing."
The City of Edinburgh Council has been leasing Gorgie Farm to Love Learning but it is unclear what the future holds for the community farm.
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Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s really sad to hear Gorgie Farm is in financial difficulty. Sadly, they’re not alone in feeling the devastating effects of the pandemic, with many organisations struggling to cope with falling visitor numbers and rising costs.
“As a Council, we stepped in to support the venue three years ago – giving it a new lease of life and allowing Love Learning to take over – and have offered to work with them again.
"We’ve already discussed potential new operating models with them and are due to meet again early next month.
“The capital city of Edinburgh remains the lowest-funded local authority in Scotland. As a result, our city and the essential services we provide remain under immense pressure.
"This is exacerbated in our 2023/24 budgets that are looking at at least £70 million of cuts from the Scottish Government leaving us to face some extremely difficult decisions as we look to set budgets for the coming year.”
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