THE Wellbeing Farm is celebrating after receiving a Gold Green Tourism Award — just six months after opening.

The 18th century building was transformed from a rundown farm into a sustainable state-of-the-art events and courses venue with its own cookery school and opened in April.

Mum Celia Gaze came up with the idea after she was signed off her job as a director at the NHS through stress caused by working long days and weekends as well as juggling family life.

So she set up the business, in Edgworth, as a place where people can sample farm life, enjoy cookery lessons, and go walking with llamas — but also reduce its carbon footprint and reliance on external inputs through methods such as installing a wind turbine.

Mrs Gaze, managing director of The Wellbeing Farm, said: “We are delighted to have won the Gold Green Tourism Award as this provides independent endorse-ment of our environ-mental standards that we have worked hard to put in place over the past six months since opening The Wellbeing Farm.”

The Green Tourism Business Scheme is the largest environmental accreditation body operating within tourism in Europe.

Businesses who want to join Green Tourism are assessed against a set of criteria covering a range of areas, such as environmental, econ-omic and social issues.

Eleanor Pratt, grading assessor, Green Tourism, said: “The Wellbeing Farm has done exceptionally well to achieve the prest-igious Gold Green Tourism award at the first attempt.

“Celia and the team’s commitment to sus-tainable business practices is evident throughout, from the well managed building powered by the wind turbine to the superb use and promotion of home-grown and locally sourced produce.

“Excellent edu-cational work is done on site, and the entire business is geared towards improving the health and wellbeing of its visitors.”