Progress!

After 4 months hard work the allotment is beginning to take shape! The raised bed and slabbed area is now complete and we have a path that runs along the back to the shed making access for pretty much anyone possible now. There are a few tidying up/finishing off jobs that need doing before the end of the year, along with filling the rest of the beds with topsoil. We are going to store the poly tunnel in the shed over the Winter and hopefully the weather will be kind and we will be able to get it put up ready for planting in early Spring.

Add caption

If you would like to volunteer to help the project or you know a group that would like to use the site please contact us at- communityallotment@gmail.com.

Topsoil delivery

 Today we had 40 tonnes of topsoil delivered. RJ Fenton were really helpful, not only in getting us some competitively priced soil but also by bringing the truck right onto the site to save us wasting time moving it twice!

First load.

So this is what 40 tonnes of topsoil looks like!

Not all work and no play...

We've had a busy couple of weeks, but also had some time out to enjoy the nice weather.
We had a meeting with Storehouse last week, they are very keen to accept any vegetables grown on the site for their Friday soup day and any surplus can be used to give out to people in need of fresh food. Also Brownlow school are still very enthusiastic about having their own plot to teach the children the benefits of 'Growing your own' and they may be able to use it as part of their Gardening Club. 

The main path is now completed after several evenings and a couple of busy weekends.

Knitting in the shade!!

We spent a morning away from the allotment watching the Colour Blast Dash at the Country Park. 

Although the project is well on its way to being up and running, we need some volunteers for weeding the community bed and to help fill the raised beds with topsoil. We're planning a volunteer day for the 5th July 10-2 and we're hoping that people that can spare a bit of time will give us a hand. Also if anyone has any spare veg plants they can pop in and donate them to the project on this day. 

Beginnings of a path...

The 8 tonnes of millwaste for the path was delivered, but as they couldn't get the lorry down far enough to put it in the site it meant moving it all by hand!!

Enjoying a cooling rain shower!

Ice cream break

Next weekend we have the sand and slabs coming to create the path. The following weekend the topsoil is being delivered. The community bed that we weeded last Summer is now very overgrown again so we're hoping for some more volunteers to help out with that as well as filling the raised beds ready for planting. We are also looking for a cheap/free greenhouse and shed.

If you'd like to help out in any way please contact us at communityallotmentmelton@gmail.co.uk. 

May progress

                                                  Busy couple of weekends at the allotment.

The raised beds are beginning to take shape

Hannah planted the Woodland Trust trees along the fence line

Lovely weekend for hard work!

Spring is here!

Last week we received our signed licence for the allotment. This means that the land is used on 'loan' from the council for the use of the community allotment project for the next 3 years, with a view to extend for a further period of time if the project is deemed successful. It was also a requirement of Leicestershire County Council that they have a copy of this licence in order for us the project to receive the grant from the 'Big Society' fund. Not having this has been holding us up, but we have now received part of the grant and this has enabled us to purchase the security fence.

Unfortunately upon arriving at the allotment this morning to meet with the fencing contractors we found that someone had pulled out the underground drainage pipe leaving us with another job to redo, so hopefully with this fence installed it will mean we have seen the last of the vandalism.

The fence is set back a little way from the main path in the park so it isn't too invasive but we plan to plant the Woodland Trust shrubs that were donated along the front of the fence to disguise it as much as possible. The site will be accessed with a code to enable members to come and go as little or as often as they like.

We are very grateful for the kind donation of tools and plants from Mr & Mrs Garton; the plants are currently boarding in our garden awaiting completion of their new home at the allotment. For those of us making the most of the good weather and clearing out sheds and garages, please bear us in mind if there are any spare tools no longer needed, they would be very much appreciated by the project.

Our next job is to create the raised beds. We hope to purchase and start fixing the boards in the next week or two and then begin on the path. Fingers crossed for more blue skies and sunshine in the coming weeks!

Winter update

It's winter time and we're using the bad weather as an excuse to get the paperwork organised for the allotment project. There have been delays from the council in getting the licence amended but we have been assured that this will be with us this week. The site is still waterlogged and it looks as though more work is going to have to be done on drainage before anything can continue. We have had a quote for more extensive works, but at £2000 we are more than likely going to have to gather some volunteers in the spring and dig a trench ourselves.

We have had several meetings, one with Voluntary Action Leicestershire who were very helpful in sourcing potential grants and explaining the best way to set up a committee for the group. The probation service are keen to be involved, and we are due to meet them at the weekend to discuss how we can work together.

We have had some trees kindly donated from the Woodland trust which we plan to use as hedging, but have currently taken up residence in our garden for fear of drowning them at the allotment!