A FAMILY-RUN dairy farm is diversifying into a glamping site following a successful application to a local grant scheme.

The Hannam family, who run Colber Farm in Sturminster Newton, were visited by Simon Hoare, MP for North Dorset, to celebrate receiving a grant of £25,480 from the Northern Dorset Local Action Group.

The money will be used for groundworks and to purchase two locally-made shepherd’s huts.

Hannah will be managing the new project, called Farmstead Glamping, with her mother-in-law, Mary.

She said: “The farm has been run by my husband Jon’s family for generations. We’re a dairy farm with 120 cows, but we were looking for ways to diversify and gain an additional revenue stream.

“I fell in love with the idea of shepherd’s huts for glamping. It’s an up-and-coming trend and a wonderful way to get back to nature.

“I was looking into some sources of funding and came across the Northern Dorset Local Action Group, and it went from there.

“Although it was quite a long process, I got the amount I applied for, which is 40 per cent of the eligible costs. Everything is in production now, and we’re getting two luxury shepherd’s huts made by Plankbridge, based in Dorchester.”

The site is around an acre in size, and each hut will contain a kitchen with a gas stove and a wood burning stove, a bedroom with a king-size bed and an en-suite with a shower.

“We also plan to have wood burning hot tubs,” Hannah said.

“We’re trying to keep as much of Dorset in the hut as possible – the sink is being made by a local potter, and the tea and coffee will be from local suppliers, as well as the breakfast hamper.”

She continued: “It will be a nice, private experience for people who want to get away from the hustle and bustle. The site is in the heart of the dairy farm and has far-reaching views over the River Stour.

“We couldn’t have realised the full potential of the project without the help of the LAG,” she added.

The grant was funded through the LEADER scheme, a European grants programme delivered through a Local Action Group. Grants are available for capital projects in farming, tourism, forestry, rural services, and small and micro businesses

Businesses, individuals, and community organisations are able to apply at any time until the UK leaves the EU.

Farmstead Glamping site is set to open in April 2017.