Grow Your Own

By Rob Bullock

Grimesthorpe Allotments sit on the hilltop between Earl Marshal Park and Grimesthorpe Road . It has over one hundred plots and its tenants and users reflect the rich ethnic and cultural mix and broad age range of our community.

Last summer a group was formed, calling itself “Grimesthorpe Community Gardens.” The aims of the group include improving the site, attracting new allotment holders and building a community of gardeners.

The group now has over thirty members and has been working with the council allotments officer and park rangers. We have applied for lottery funding to convert two plots for use by people with limited mobility. We have also secured a supply of large wheelie bins to use as water butts and got the council to replace the dilapidated entrance gates and represented the interests of the allotments on the New Deal environment theme group.

We intend to raise funds to replace the entire perimeter fence, improve the society shop, install washroom and meeting room facilities and to support new tenants by helping to improve derelict plots. We have applied for a council start up grant to hold an open day / clean up event during the spring and hope to make a communal garden of the waste area behind the society hut.

Allotment gardening is a great way of combining outdoor exercise, health and good food, but taking on a plot can be a daunting prospect. Plot sharing is a good way of getting started and helping to make allotment gardening fit into our busy lives.

There are plots available to rent at Grimethorpe allotments. To find out more contact John or Mavis at the councils’ allotment office 0114 273 4528 or Rob 2435689 or Caroline 2738431 to arrange to visit the site.

What do you think? Join the debate on our Environment bulletin board