A fundraising duo hoping to revive Sark Dairy have won the support of hundreds of people already.
Cerys and Harry Knight have launched a fundraising page with their dad Richard to test the water.
Initially saying they wanted to raise £1,500 – the siblings have already secured nearly £5,000 from more than 130 donors.
The 16 and 15 said that they want to “buy a prime Guernsey milking cow and begin our own herd”.
If they can do that it will give them a “future on this small and idyllic island” they wrote.
“Not only will this help set us up in business, but it will also mean the Sark Dairy is re-opened, the land is managed, and we can help promote Sark as a tourist destination.
“This has been our dream since we were tiny. Although we are young, we are dedicated, hard-working, and enthusiastic.
“We love our island home and want to continue the long tradition of amazing Sark dairy produce. Your support can make this dream a reality.”
Sark Dairy closed earlier this year when the previous tenants returned to the UK.
Jason and Katherine Salisbury had moved to the island in 2021 after the tenancy was advertised the previous year.
They crowdfunded themselves to raise money to build an actual dairy.
When they left the island, Mr and Mrs Salisbury said they had suffered a substantial financial loss during their four years running Sark Dairy.
“We have been milking on the island for four years and spent the previous two planning the farm, that’s six years in total.
“Our tenancy was for five years so we have decided to move on as we are at the point where continuing milking on the island does not make financial sense.
“The island community have been fantastic and Sark is really an idyllic place to live and work but the figures are not stacking up.
“We have lost around £60,000 in our time here in terms of buying equipment for the farm, the cows, and other costs. Plus, the trust that runs the dairy is doubling our rent in April 2026, so we see no point in continuing,” he said.
The couple said that imported fresh milk from Guernsey was competition they didn’t need, so they decided to cut their losses and move back home to Suffolk where they already had a 40-cow dairy farm.
With a pair of teenagers looking to take over the Sark Dairy to build it back up and to build their own future on their home island, messages of support have been flooding in via their Justgiving page.
“It’s so inspiring to see young people showing initiative and stepping in to provide a much needed service in Sark. Well done and good luck!” wrote Danielle Bennett.
Toby Williams wrote: “I hope the adage ‘from small beginnings’ is true for you and the Dairy Trust and the local community give you support. You have the enthusiasm! Best of luck, because you need a bit of that too.”