Affinity Water showcased its growing portfolio of environmental enhancement schemes at the Agroforestry Show 2025, reinforcing its commitment to soil health, water quality, and nature-based solutions that build climate resilience.
Among its supported initiatives is a standout project at Anne Janaway & Sons’ Ford Farm, where local farmer Tom Janaway is trialling agroforestry on a 30-hectare field of light chalky soil in the Loddon catchment. With help from Affinity Water’s Soil and Water Innovation Fund, Tom planted rows of walnut trees carefully spaced to match his farm equipment and introduced nectar strips beneath them to boost biodiversity and protect water quality.
Reflecting on the support, Tom Janaway said:
“Without the funding from Affinity Water, this project probably wouldn’t have happened. Spending money on a new initiative can be daunting. Affinity Water’s support made it possible to take that first step and actually turn a good idea into reality."
Beyond the Soil and Water Innovation Fund, Affinity Water offers:
- Water in the Landscape Grant (reopening July 2026): Supporting wetlands, ponds, agroforestry, flood or hay meadows, woodland creation, and soil management improvements.
- Functioning Soils Schemes: Targeting pesticide and nitrate reduction across priority chalk catchments.
- Farm Cluster Support Scheme (open since mid-July 2025): Funding collaborative farm clusters to protect water, biodiversity, and crop productivity.
- Rooting for Wildlife (reopening July 2026): Grants for community biodiversity projects like pond creation, hedgerow planting, or river restoration.
- INNS OUT (opens October 2025): Funding for invasive species control and biosecurity measures.
By sponsoring the Agroforestry Show for the first time, Affinity Water underlined its commitment to these initiatives and to collaboration with the farming and environmental sectors. The two-day event, co-hosted by the Soil Association and the Woodland Trust at Woodoaks Farm, Maple Cross, brought together farmers, foresters, water industry leaders, and environmental advocates to highlight agroforestry’s role in tackling climate change, restoring biodiversity, and improving land management.
Ben Raskin, Head of Agroforestry & Horticulture at the Soil Association, commented:
“Agroforestry is about creating farming systems that work in harmony with nature. Farmers who integrate trees, hedgerows, and woodland into their fields are improving soil structure, increasing biodiversity, and protecting watercourses from nutrient run-off. Affinity Water’s sponsorship and willingness to engage directly with the farming community shows real leadership and a shared commitment to a more resilient and sustainable future.”
Danny Coffey, Catchment Manager at Affinity Water, said:
“Events like the Agroforestry Show give us the chance to hear directly from the people working the land every day. Their knowledge helps shape the practical solutions we invest in to improve soil health, protect water and build climate resilience. Being here was an invaluable opportunity to learn about the latest practices and innovations farmers are implementing on the ground, including agroforestry, and to share the support we can provide through our schemes.”
Through its involvement in events such as the Agroforestry Show and Groundswell Festival, Affinity Water is deepening relationships with farmers and environmental organisations to find practical ways to safeguard soil, water, and biodiversity.