Save Croxteth Home Farm

Croxteth Park is one of the most beautiful, well kept and maintained parks in the city.Very few parks can offer such a diversity of attractions from a Victorian Walled Garden, a stately home, a Rare Breeds Farm, Nature Reserves, an historic river running right through it and acres of beautiful park and woodlands.

In addition, the rich heritage is one that is envied across the region and indeed the whole country. As you will be aware it is the former country estate and ancestral home of the Molyneux family, the Earls of Sefton. After the death of the 7th and last Earl in 1972 the estate passed to Liverpool City Council, who then became the custodian of this historic and important site. The hall is designated a Grade II listed building. It is one of the major heritage centres of the North West, attracting thousands of visitors every year.

Liverpool City Council are planning to initially close the Victorian Farm which is home to may rare breeds. There have been generations of school children who have learned about local history and nature at Croxteth Park and it would be inexcusable to take these opportunities away from current and future generations of Liverpool children and the hundreds of children who visit from all over the country.

The native and rare breeds are on show in the showpiece Victorian Home Farm. They include Irish Moiled, Shetland, White Park, Gloucester, Red Poll, Dexter, Longhorn, and Highland cattle. Sheep breeds include Shetland, Manx Loaghtan, Portland, Hebridean, and Ryeland. Pigs include Saddleback, Tamworth, Berkshire and Large Black.  BST Approved Farm Parks play an important role in livestock conservation. They demonstrate the value of rare breeds to the public.

A variety of other animals (poultry, ponies, goats, etc) ensure that there is something for everyone to see. As well as the rare breeds farm there is also Croxteth Hall (shown as it was in the Edwardian era), a fascinating walled kitchen garden and 500 acres of farmland, parkland and woodland. The Country Park runs an award winning education programme, events all year round and even a grotto.

There has been no public consultation on the proposals to make any changes to the management of Croxteth Park. This petition calls upon the council to hold a full public consultation. Surely Mayor Anderson will want to be well informed before making a decision about improving or changing services, surely he and elected members will want to be confident that the decision is properly informed by public opinion.

Please sign and share this petition widely, especially now when an election is looming your local councillor will be keen to talk to you.