Carolyn's gift for the planet in memory of her husband

Carolyn, a supporter of charity the Soil Association, shares her story.

My relationship with the Soil Association goes back a long way, and started in the early 70s when I met my husband, Charlie.

At the time, Charlie was pursuing a range of alternative careers and became very interested in the organic movement. During a three-month trip across America we both found ourselves incredibly inspired by the back-to-the-land movement, which called for people to start smallholdings and live more self-sufficiently.

On our return from America, Charlie became a member of the Soil Association and started work on an organic market garden whilst looking for his own land.

We bought our own farm, Aeron Parc in 1975, which was one of the first farms in the UK to be certified by the Soil Association.

Charlie loved his time on the farm, and we were both very invested in the benefits that organic had for the soil, wildlife and even our own health.

Sadly, Charlie died in 1986, and the vegetable production was too much for me to maintain on my own. But I’ve stayed involved in the Soil Association ever since, even sitting on the Soil Association Council at one stage!

So, it made sense to me to include the Soil Association in my Will, in memory of my husband, but also because I continue to be very committed to the organic sector. I have seen the benefits of organic for our planet – wildlife populations flourish, our soil is healthier, and our food packed with nutrients.

I hope my gift will help the Soil Association to continue their vital work and protect this beautiful planet for generations to come.

If you're interested in finding out more about leaving a gift in your Will to the Soil Association, visit soilassociation.co/leave-a-gift to download a brochure.