'I thought, oh my god, it’s Peter Rabbit’s house!’ recalls Kelly Ross, studio lead at interior design firm Sims Hilditch, of the first time she saw the Georgian farmhouse the team would be helping to transform for Jamie’s Farm. Founded in 2009 by co-CEO Jamie Feilden and his mother Tish, this charity equips struggling young people with the skills to thrive through residential programmes on working farms in England and Wales. Groups are invited to experience rural life for a week, through engaging in tasks like tending chickens and working in the vegetable garden – cultivating important practical knowledge in the process. In addition to welcoming groups of young people to stay, the farms are also available to rent which helps raise funds for the growing charity.
The Sims Hilditch team, based not far from the original site, Hill House Farm near Bath, had rolled up their own sleeves and slipped on the wellies to help out back in 2023, painting furniture in need of sprucing up, and pulling up weeds. ‘We got to experience some of what the kids experience, like mucking out chickens, it was really fun,' says Kelly.
When the new farmhouse at Lower Shockerwick was acquired, the team reached out to offer their services pro-bono. Having belonged to a former schoolteacher of Jamie's, there was already a sentimental connection. For the design team at Sims Hilditch, the goal was to capture the magic this country house while ensuring the children would feel comfortable. ‘You want the children to feel at home,’ says Kelly.
‘It has real charm with its beautiful old features,’ says Kelly, of the listed farmhouse in a valley at the edge of the Cotswolds. ‘We didn’t change it too much, because Jamie’s Farm wanted people to experience country living in this old house and feel the bones of it.’ The design team focused on colour and texture to create a welcoming, light-filled space. ‘It’s got lots of quirks in the living room, as you expect in a period house,' says Kelly. ‘There’s a beautiful old stone fireplace and we kept all of those features in order to keep that character alive.’ A generous use of pattern in rugs, cushions and blinds (made by a local seamstress with leftover fabrics) contributes to the warm atmosphere.
The sustainable farm with its revamped house was opened by Queen Camilla in July 2025 and began welcoming young people that September, just in time for the harvest season. The renovation was a true community project, with local architects, electricians and joiners collaborating with suppliers recommended by the interior designers. ‘Everyone was very willing to help and to give and to support and just being in that environment was really lovely too,’ Kelly recalls.
Sims Hilditch is one of a number of interior design firms who offer their expertise, time and connections to non-profits such as Jamie's Farm or Furnishing Futures, to help transform spaces that have the potential to transform lives. While undertaking this project, Sims Hilditch also achieved B Corp status. The certification awarded to businesses with high social and environmental standards has, Kelly explains, affected how the studio sees its work. ‘That really pushed us. B Corp certification is not just about sustainability, it’s also about how you give back to the world. It’s a good underlying tone to have, even in what we do now.’
For more information visit jamiesfarm.org.uk. The Lower Shockerwick farmhouse is also available to book on Airbnb, with the proceeds benefitting the charity.
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