Green-Fingered Volunteers Needed For Planting-Up Day

A special community training allotment plot on Sparkmill in Beverley needs volunteers to dig deep and help it get all set to grow.

The plot is part of Beverley Town Council’s Local Food Big Lottery funded ‘From Field to Table’ project, and it’s been allocated to training individuals and groups interested in finding out how to grow fruit and vegetables and look after an allotment. Primarily the plot is to be used for the benefit of Beverley residents.

Any green-fingered volunteers willing to get involved in planting vegetable plants at the plot are asked to come along to Sparkmill allotments on Saturday 15th June anytime between 9.30am and 2.30pm. Gardening tools and gloves will be provided, but volunteers can bring their own equipment if they prefer.

Local Food Co-ordinator, Marie Louise Robinson, explained more: “We are asking volunteers to come along on Saturday 15th June and help us to get this community training plot planted-up. There are over 500 vegetable plants to be dug into the prepared beds, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Allotment champions will be at the site to assist and provide information to volunteers. It is hoped that this plot can provide a valuable resource to help people of all ages, especially young children and their parents, learn how to grow their own food.”

Town Clerk, Helen Watson explained more: “The plot on Sparkmill Lane is one of the allotments owned and run by Beverley Town Council. Over many years, the plot had become very overgrown with tall trees and shrubs and needed substantial clearance work. As part of the remit of the Big Lottery funded ‘From Field to Table’ project, the plot was cleared and made safe, and it’s now ready to be used for community training purposes.”

Helen continued: “Taking a partnership approach to the plot, we commissioned Hall’s Special Projects to work with us to clear the site and make it suitable for community use, and asked Mires Beck Nursery in North Cave, a charity which provides training and work experience for people who have a learning difficulty or disability, to grow the vegetable plants for us.

Describing the work carried out at the plot, Halls Special Projects Project Manager Mark Storr said: “Hall Special Projects completed a new access for Beverley Town Council to Sparkmill allotments. This included clearing the existing site of tree roots, stabilising the existing bank, constructing steps from railway sleepers and a concrete wheelbarrow ramp down to the allotment.

“Halls fully support the “From Field to Table” project as a way of encouraging people of all ages to grow their own food and become more involved in projects within their local community. We are delighted to have been working with Beverley Town Council on such an important and worthwhile project.”

Anyone wanting to find out more about the planting-up day, or the community training plot, should contact Beverley Town Council on 01482 874096.