We’ve worked with The Collective at Woolsery since its inception and been delighted to help shape one the UK’s most ambitious lifestyle projects.
The project is the vision of two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs: Michael Birch and his wife and business partner Xochi. Michael has deep family roots in the picturesque village of Woolsery in Devon and spent his childhood summers there.
When he and Xochi learnt that the village’s historic pub, The Farmers Arms, was up for sale and likely to be turned into flats, they decided to rescue it. It turned out to be the jumping-off point for a large-scale regeneration project in the village.
The Collective now comprises an award-winning dining pub, boutique accommodation, a gourmet fish and chip shop, traditional corner store and Post Office, and a 150-acre regenerative farm with private dining space. It’s a beautiful must-visit destination, rooted in nature and sustainability, which has scooped lots of awards and national press coverage.
Hand-crafted branding and illustration
The first part of the project was to work with the team at The Collective to devise a strategy for the brand and the marketing of the project. That strategy trickled down into brand logos that were formed using the lino-cut process and then redigitised (read all about that here). We also created a series of original illustrations and collages, and worked with the team to develop the house-style for photography and copy.
Website, social and email newsletters
All of the above was distilled into a website for the project, which invited users to take an exploratory journey into the wilds of Devon.
The site was built around journal posts: feeding the site with fresh content; creating SEO opportunities; and providing features to bolster email newsletters and social.
We manage the website’s technical, SEO and content updates and ensure awards, press coverage, images (overseeing photoshoots) and news are up to date. Performance of website, email newsletters and social are monitored for optimisation.
‘Driven by the vision of two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs’
Marketing support
In addition, we design adverts, marketing materials and provide general strategic marketing support for the team at The Collective.
Events
As The Collective at Woolsery grows, so too does our relationship with it. In 2025, our publication Food Lifestyle magazine collaborated with The Collective on the first in the brand’s series of exclusive seasonal suppers called A Year at Birch Farm.
‘From branding to our amazing website, you have been there every step of the way! Can’t wait to see what’s next for all of us’
Emily Harmon, managing director, The Collective at Woolsery
