A FARM that grows birdseed and 100 acres of sunflowers celebrate raising £2 million for wildlife conservation.

Vine House Farm is a family farm in Lincolnshire, recently they have announced that they have raised £2 million for wildlife conservation.

The black sunflower seeds are part of 400 acres of bird seed crops, which will go into wild bird food mixes, alongside red millet, canary seed, oilseed rape, and naked oats, all homegrown on the farm.

The farm is also a haven for flocks of wild birds, including rare tree sparrows, red-listed linnets, and lapwing. This is thanks to hedges, ponds, and wildflower margins at all the fields edges, created by farmer and conservationist, Nicholas Watts.

On the cash boost, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Chief Executive, Matt Pratt said: "Through their own love of wildlife, and working for nature, Nicholas Watts and his family have enabled many other people to experience the joy of nature in their homes and gardens and in doing so to provide fantastic support to the work of all 46 Wildlife Trusts.

"Customers of Vine House Farm who are feeding their garden birds are playing an important part too, helping wildlife thrive to support nature’s recovery. We are extremely grateful to Nicholas and his family for their support and look forward to working with them all for many years to come."

The money, which has been raised over the last 14 years, supports the nature conservation work of all 46 UK wildlife Trusts. 

The Northumberland Wildlife Trust has received a cash boost of £3,613,66 from catalogue and online sales during the 2020/21 financial year, taking the total received since 2007, to almost £25,000. 

The £3,613,66 raised is an increase on the 2019/20 figure of £2,150,99.