Sign in
BACK
Honorary Doctorates for Ben and Charlotte
Posted Sunday 1st November, 2026
So James' Journal for November is a little different, and we have some amazing and very well deserved news to share with you!
At the end of October Ben and Charlotte were awarded Honorary Doctorates of Science at Harper Adams University. One of the highest honours a university can bestow, recognising individuals with exceptional achievements, contributions and influence have made a lasting difference to society.
Charlotte and Ben Hollins received the accolades on-stage at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury at the end of the play Arthur’s Plough; a drama which recounted both their father’s life at Fordhall Farm in Market Drayton and his children’s subsequent battle to save the pioneering organic farm.
Bestowing the awards, Harper Adams University Vice-Chancellor Professor Ken Sloan told the assembled audience:
“Ben and Charlotte’s story is one of courage, determination and an extraordinary belief in the power of community. It is also a story of family, farming and a commitment to a more sustainable future.
“As we have seen in tonight’s performance, their father, Arthur Hollins, was a remarkable agricultural pioneer. His commitment to organic farming was not simply a way of cultivating the land; it was a way of thinking. He questioned convention, learned from nature and believed in leaving the land in better condition for those who followed.
“It was this legacy that Ben and Charlotte inherited. They took over the tenancy of Fordhall remarkably, just 24 hours before their family was due to be evicted. They set out to save the farm and, in doing so, inspired a community owned farm. Twenty years on that vision has become a thriving reality.
Professor Sloan added: “Ben has continued to farm at Fordhall, building a successful livestock enterprise and demonstrating that productive agriculture and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand. Charlotte has led the Fordhall Community Land Initiative, developing the farm as a place for education, conservation, volunteering, community and wellbeing.
“Together, they have made Fordhall much more than a farm. They have created a living example of what can happen when land, farming and community come together around a shared purpose.
“So, as Harper Adams University marks its 125th anniversary, it is particularly fitting that we honour Ben and Charlotte on their 20th Anniversary year. Indeed, Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal visited our university and Fordhall on the same day.
"For 125 years, our University has championed knowledge, innovation, enterprise and practical action in service of agriculture and rural economy. Ben and Charlotte have embodied those values over the last two decades. They have built on Arthur's pioneering legacy and created one of their own; a legacy of sustainable agriculture, community ownership and belief in the future of farming.
"For their outstanding contributions to agriculture, rural communities, sustainability and community development, and for the inspiration they provide to future generations, I am delighted to confer upon Ben Hollins and Charlotte Allan the honorary degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa."
