[2] Fordham first gained notability in Birmingham where he was involved in a number of initiatives in support of traditional handicraft.
[4] Fordham's main passion, however, was rural reform, and he formed the Land Club Union in 1908 which aimed to establish model farms, organise farmers' banks and loans, provide machinery, and revive traditional life and festivals in the country.
[2] The following year, he published Mother Earth: A Proposal for the Permanent Reconstruction of our Country Life as an effective manifesto for the Union, with a foreword by John A. Hobson.
[5] After the publication of this book, he became involved with a number of rural reform groups, such as the Agricultural Organisation Society and Land Clubs League, arguing in favour of his desire to see a return to small-holdings.
[7] He established the Rural Reconstruction Association in 1926 and served as its Council Secretary for 20 years, with the group at the forefront of the agricultural reform movement.