“Our previous CCTV was well past its ‘use-by’ date. Although it was still working, it lacked the functionality we needed to ensure around the clock security of our animals and property, as well as ensuring compliance with our health & safety procedures,” said Monica. “The new CCTV system, generously donated and installed by WLS, has transformed our working lives by providing us with peace of mind in knowing we can monitor every area of the farm, including our recently opened eco-garden, without any blind spots.

“The quality of the images captured by the Dahua cameras enable us to see close up detail of any activity or incident, whilst I and other colleagues are able to use an app running on our mobile phones to remotely keep an eye on the farm when it is closed and if there is an alarm event.”

Located within earshot of Big Ben, Vauxhall City Farm is one of the oldest and most central urban farms in London. The farm was established in 1976 when a group of architects began working on a vacant plot of land and made it available to local residents for them to grow vegetables and care for livestock.

From its humble beginnings, the farm has continually grown and is now the home for over 100 animals, a riding centre and a cafe, and with the enthusiastic support of a large team of volunteers, conducts dozens of education and youth projects.

As a registered charity, the farm’s main objectives are to enhance the health, well-being and life chances of children and disadvantaged people, as well as create enjoyment and recreational opportunities for those from our local and wider communities.

WLS’s connection with Vauxhall City Farm spans over 15 years, during which it has installed and maintained the farm’s fire and intruder detection systems, as well as the now superseded CCTV system. Alison Ewen, the wife of WLS’s managing director, also has a close bond with the farm. Having been a volunteer for over 20 years, Alison has been appointed a trustee specialising in Riding for the Disabled activities.

“As a company which has enjoyed considerable success installing a great number of electronic security solutions across London, we believe we have a corporate responsibility to give something back to the community,” said Jeremy Ewen. “We have welcomed the opportunity to do so by supporting a charity which we have such high regard for, in respect of the support, education and enjoyment it gives to so many people.”