Cullerne Gardens Community Share Offer
Making it happen – as the world waits, we regenerate.
Join the movement towards local regeneration by becoming a co-owner of Cullerne Gardens!
The Gardens are being developed as a community-owned enterprise, ensuring that the land and its future remain in the hands of people who care for it.
By becoming a shareholder and co-owner, you’re helping to restore soil health, produce nutritious food and strengthen the resilience of our local community.
The aim is to raise £100,000 through the sale of community shares. This capital will establish Cullerne Gardens as a productive and resilient community food-growing project.
For all the details, including benefits for shareholders, potential financial returns, the Business Plan Overview and projected income streams, you can browse the Share Offer Brochure below, or download your copy.
About the offer
The minimum investment is £500 (£1 shares), up to £100,000 for individuals.
Anyone aged 16 or over may purchase shares – they can also be bought as gifts for children and held in trust.
Cullerne Gardens is designed as a low-risk, phased development, with minimal reliance on commercial borrowing and a focus on long-term sustainability.
The share offer will be supported by grant funding, donations and gifts, and community partnerships.
The return
This investment offers social and environmental return first, with potential financial return of 0-4% over time. Shares are intended to be a long-term investment in a community project.
Interest payments are expected to commence, subject to performance, from year 3 onwards. Any surplus will primarily be reinvested to support long-term sustainability and impact, including:
Land regeneration
Infrastructure
Community programmes
Future development
Frequently Asked Questions
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Cullerne Gardens is designed as a community asset rather than a profit-maximising enterprise. Any financial surpluses will be reinvested back into the project to support its long-term sustainability and community benefit.
Due to the nature of food growing, the project is expected to operate at a loss in its early years. As a new enterprise, the first five years will focus on establishing strong foundations and achieving financial viability.
The support you provide during this initial period will have a significant impact on the project’s long-term success, helping to create a resilient, community-owned asset for the future.
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A Community Benefit Society exists to benefit the wider community.
Key characteristics include:
Profits must be reinvested into the organisation
Members cannot extract private profit
The organisation has an asset lock – which means, if the Society is dissolved, its assets must be transferred to another organisation with similar objectives.
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Yes. Anyone aged 16 or over can purchase shares.
Shares may also be gifted to children but must be held by an adult trustee until the child reaches 16.
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Yes, subject to:
Society Rules
Board approval
A minimum notice period (normally three months)
Donations are non-refundable.
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Under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, individuals may invest up to £100,000.
Organisations may invest more.
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No capital gain is possible because shares can only be withdrawn at up to their original value. Therefore Capital Gains Tax does not apply.
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Gifts, donations or regular voluntary contributions are gratefully accepted. You can also support by joining the veg box scheme to have fresh veggies delivered to you! You’re also very welcome to volunteer your time and skills in the Gardens.
About Ekopia Social Investments
Ekopia is an established community benefit society (CBS) with over 25 years’ experience in Findhorn. Its total investment now stands at £2.6 million. This includes £1.7 million raised through community share offers from a network of 350 members.
Ekopia has successfully used community shares to support a wide range of community-led projects over the decades. Current investments include:
Renewable energy
Affordable housing
Community shops and cafés
Social enterprise hubs
Arts, craft, and cultural spaces
Community share investment is a powerful way for communities to finance projects that might otherwise struggle to secure traditional funding. This fosters local ownership, resilience, and long-term sustainability.