A North Yorkshire-based plus size lingerie business and bra specialist, AmpleBosom, has appeared on BBC TV promoting farm diversification.

As part of recognising the importance of farm diversification to the rural economy, BBC Look North visited Valley View Farm, near Helmsley, to learn about the sustainability and efficiency of additional income streams for farms.

The feature focused on how the 220-acre operational family farm is also home to thriving lingerie business, AmpleBosom and six holiday cottages onsite, alongside life on the farm and how owner Sally Robinson used her assets to create multiple income streams and futureproof their business.

The Northern Echo: Sally Robinson with members of her AmpleBosom team

A survey by NFU Mutual has revealed that 34 per cent of farmers now run a diversified business, up six per cent since 2018, highlighting the growing importance of diversification to aid the longevity of farms, provide employment opportunities in the countryside, significantly increase farmers' income and spreading their risk, which is what Sally Robinson began doing in North Yorkshire over 25 years ago.

Valley View Farm is home to 140 British Blue and Limousin cattle for commercial markets, 40 Wagyu cattle and 500 North of England Mules crossed with Texel and Suffolk tups and supplies a butcher in the London market, farmed in partnership with Sally and her son Stuart. Due to the farm’s picturesque location, Sally initially took the more traditional route of farm diversification, converting existing farm buildings into six self-catered holiday cottages, which are frequently fully booked.

The Northern Echo: Adam Powell & Camera Man, BBC, Sally Robinson, Ample Bosom

In 1999 Sally founded AmpleBosom, an online lingerie retail business after being shocked by how difficult it was for one of her employees to find a nice bra for her wedding day. Having initially started out as a mail order business supplying plus size bras and lingerie, Ample Bosom now caters for women of all shapes and sizes and has expanded to offer customers worldwide a vast online collection of underwear, nightwear, cup size swimwear and lingerie from the world’s leading brands.

After investing in a state-of-the-art website, customers are also able to search for detailed and specific attributes ensuring every customer can find what they are looking for, and the business continues to grow from strength to strength.

Sally said: "We are incredibly proud to have been able to successfully diversify our farm through Ample Bosom, helping women everywhere to feel comfortable and confident, and through our holiday cottages, which allow the public to visit the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Diversification has been essential in aiding the long-term future of our farm and being innovative is what has kept us going for 25 years, and we are thrilled to be able to welcome BBC Look North to showcase what we do."

The farm appeared on BBC Look North on January 2.