Allotment holders in Newton Abbot have received funding from the National Lottery to help preserve wildlife around their plots. And the group will be holding a centenary display in the town centre tomorrow, August 17.
The Newton Abbot and District Co-operative Allotment Association has been awarded £2643 towards their five wildlife areas, and raised more funds with a recent cream tea event.
Meryl Basham, of the association, said: ‘Our grant from the Lottery was awarded to enable us to promote wildlife areas on our allotment fields, an oasis where members can enjoy the diversity that comes with the flowers, insects, mammals, birds, and reptiles that they promote.
‘Allotments are communities. The importance of allotments both to the environment and to the community is huge, providing improved mental and physical health, safeguarding the environment by encouraging wildlife and growing organic fruit and vegetables.
‘Allotments encourage a diverse community, all of whom enjoy many social and environmental activities.’
The group will be celebrating National Allotment Week this month with events including an exhibition in Newton Abbot town centre marking the centenary of the association.
A display will be outside Lloyds Bank on August 17 and 18, from 10am to 4pm. Visitors will be able to sample some ‘trench cake’ too.
Neil Dixon, representative for National Allotment Association South West, will be joining the group at their display tomorrow.
Meryl added: ‘We want the wider community to be aware of the vital role that allotments play in our busy world.
‘We’ll have music at the event from 11am for an hour and we’ll be asking people to complete a survey, so we can ascertain the interest in allotments from the general public.’
Meryl said Newton Abbot Town Council is supportive of community allotments and other green spaces and they form part of their Local Neighbourhood Plan, which states future maintenance of ‘open spaces, allotments and community woodlands’ must be built into all developments.