Not every farming story begins in the countryside. For Tom, it started on a council estate in Battersea, where a childhood visit to a city farm sparked a passion that would shape the rest of his life. He was just eight years old when he decided he wanted to be a farmer — a dream that might have seemed unlikely at the time, but one he pursued with determination and heart.
At 18, Tom joined the team at Mudchute Park and Farm, one of London’s most iconic urban farms. It was the beginning of a career dedicated to education, conservation and hands‑on farming. Over the years, he has taught animal management, managed city farms and farm parks, and become a respected figure in the world of rare breeds.
Tom’s commitment to preserving Britain’s agricultural heritage runs deep. He has served as a council member of the British Waterfowl Association, a long‑standing trustee of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, a Poultry Club trustee, and Vice Chair of the Soay and Boreray Sheep Society. His work has helped champion and protect some of the country’s most endangered livestock breeds.
Today, Tom is the Farm, Park Openspace and Education Manager at Mudchute Park and Farm — London’s only RBST‑approved conservation centre — welcoming more than 250,000 visitors each year. Alongside his work at Mudchute, he keeps prize‑winning flocks of Norfolk Horns, Whitefaced Woodlands, Oxford Downs, Derbyshire Gritstones, Border Leicesters and Soays, representing a wide range of Britain’s traditional sheep breeds.
His expertise doesn’t stop at the farm gate. Tom is also a familiar face in show rings across the UK and Ireland, where he judges sheep, cattle, poultry and waterfowl. His knowledge, enthusiasm and deep respect for livestock make him a valued voice at agricultural events nationwide.
Tom’s story is a powerful reminder that farming isn’t defined by where you come from — it’s defined by passion, dedication and a love for animals and the land. From a Battersea estate to the heart of Britain’s rare breed community, his journey shows just how far that passion can take you.