Allotment uplift helps feed East Durham families.
Our thanks to The Northern Echo for covering this good news!
A PETERLEEnallotment project that grows vegetables for its local foodbank is celebratingnafter an uplift to its community plot.
Lowhills Leisure Gardeners’ Association was awarded £2,860 by County Durham Community Foundation to improve its set up for community groups and wheelchair users in particular.
The Association, which has plots on Lowhills Road, Peterlee, is run by local gardeners Peter Atchinson, Billy Robinson, Albert Cully and Billy Robson. Community groups like Direct Steps, which works with adults who have learning disabilities, and Peterlee Scouts use the community allotment -as do local schools including Acre Rigg Juniors.
Peter said:n“We want to show children that carrots don’t come from the supermarket. Thennthey go home and want to grow things themselves. We have even had some youngnmen take on their own allotment this year.”
Thencommunity grant was used to make higher raised beds using sleepers and to addnquality topsoil free from foreign bodies so that the children who use thenallotment stay safe. Nets to keep rabbits out of the vegetable patch were alsonpurchased and hedgehog boxes were installed to encourage the hedgehognpopulation for conservation reasons and as a means of organic pest control.
The projectngrows huge amounts of healthy produce for the local foodbank: includingncucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, beans, onions and potatoes.
Peter said: “Thenamount we produce has grown each year and this year we expect to help fill aroundn400 bags of food to East Durham Trust for the foodbank. Over the last year fewnyears we have helped fill around 1,000 bags. No-one should go hungry – it’sndisgraceful.”
Jackie Smith, managing partner of Direct Steps, said: “Our clients absolutely love to go to the allotment and contribute to their community. It’s been brilliant with Covid-19 that we’ve been able to get outside and give them the chance to achieve, grow in independence and get some physical exercise. Many people with learning disabilities also have health problems, and can’t do extreme exercise, but with the allotment they are doing something pleasant and active that really helps with their health and wellbeing.”
NationalnAllotments Week 2021 runs from August 9th to August 15thnand the theme is Plotting for the Future; which will celebrate the contributionnthat allotments make to a sustainable future.
MichellenCooper, chief executive of County Durham Community Foundation, said: “With thensupport of our donors we make hundreds of ‘small’ grants like this each year:nbut it is always a joy to see what a huge impact they have. The team atnLowhills have found a way to bring people together to garden, and in doing sonthey have made an incredible contribution to our goal of Zero Hunger.”
