A CHARMINSTER farm will be able to buy new equipment to harvest rainwater after winning a prestigious award.

Cowden Care Farm has been given a Sustainable Watermark Award for £800, which will also be used to buy two 1,000-litre water butts.

The farm’s vegetable and flower allotments will now be sustainable in water and will contribute to their ‘from soil to plate’ project.

The vegetable and flower allotments were started two years ago for the farm’s adult attendees. The farm now sells vegetables, flowers and salad boxes through their Community Farm Shop.

Anna Hall, from Cowden Care Farm, said: “When the Princes Trust helped us set up the allotments, the site was little better than a rubbish dump.

“Now the allotment provides vegetables for the farm and grows enough surplus to sell.

“It is such good news to receive this Sustainable Watermark.

“A rainwater harvesting system is something we have wanted to install from the beginning and is an essential part of achieving sustainability for food production.”

The Watermark Award provides funds for environmental projects within the Wessex Water area.

Wessex Water’s Martyn Brooks will present the cheque to the farm and its volunteers today.