This will do nicely for new allotments (From Ledbury Reporter)

This will do nicely for new allotments

8:32am Friday 5th October 2012 in News

DONATIONS from generous benefactors have allowed the Ledbury Allotment Association to purchase its second field – providing extra land for people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

The association originally bought its main site, Henfield in Burtons Lane, in 2010 to provide allotments for Ledbury. This was paid for through a lottery award.

LAA spokesman Ian Smethurst said: “We anticipate a growing number of people taking advantage of the wonderful opportunities to provide food for themselves and their families and we expect to make a long-term impact in developing an interest in growing fruit and vegetables in Ledbury.”

As a condition of the original lottery handout, the association runs a ‘sow and grow’ programme providing children from Ledbury Primary School and schools from surrounding villages with equipment, plants, and seeds for their in-school garden projects.

Mr Smethurst said: “Some disadvantaged groups have been given free plots and their members provided with equipment and advice. Free events such as the recent Gardeners’ Question Time have been staged.

“The association has safeguarded its long term future by becoming a charity which also means it can access other funding streams to develop and continue the “Sow and Grow” project.”

Anyone interested in taking on an allotment plot, either full or half size, should contact Ian Smethurst on 01531 632220.