Last week, I was thrilled to hand over a cheque for £1100 to Howell Road allotments in Ettingshall to help develop their site in order to offer more opportunities to local groups of young and elderly people who are vegetable growing enthusiasts!
Having spent time at Howell Road allotments over the summer, I was really moved by the contribution these allotments in Ettingshall had on our local community. I set out on a mission to help these dedicated volunteers grow their love for vegetables in to something a little bigger!
Not only do they offer beds for planting to individuals and families to take up, they also offer out community beds so that local groups can come for days out at the site and try their hand at growing vegetables.
Howell Road welcomes a variety of community groups including charities who work with young people who have disabilities and care homes for older people, who, all year round enjoy getting their hands dirty and growing a bit of veg.
The allotment’s committee were desperate to build some more raised beds to support these community groups, as often, all the beds they currently had were occupied.
So, I set out on a mission and with a donation of bricks from Lovells, a digger from Wolverhampton Homes and ward funds from the Council, we have everything we need to build some additional raised beds! Work has already started and soon bricklaying students from Wolverhampton College will be on site to lay the foundations for this new project.
The money will be spent on outstanding materials to build the raised beds and also a storage area where community groups will be able to undertake woodwork activities and store their materials.
I’ve met elderly people who use the allotments and grow everything from asparagus to onions. Equally, I’ve met teenagers who grow vegetables as a hobby passed down by parents and grandparents.
The £1100 donated will go a long way in opening up the opportunities to the wider community, there are already plans to allow more and more community groups to use the new raised beds and these include groups of young people with learning difficulties and local care homes for the elderly.
This project has been one close to my heart since I met the volunteers and it has been a pleasure to assist them with such a wonderful project.