Autumn approaches....

The past month has been a quiet one for the allotment site, but today we had some great news from the council. As a condition of the 'Big Society Grant' the project had secured, we had to have at least 5 years on the licence in order to have funds released. The council today let us know that this has been agreed and the new licence documents are on their way!

This is fabulous news as it now means that as soon as we have the grant funding we can purchase the security fencing, which was a big issue as we couldn't store anything on site or do any major works without it. The delay does however mean that Summer has almost been and gone without any real physical work being done, and we will now be working our socks off throughout the Autumn/Winter if we are going to hit our target of being ready for planting Spring 2014!

http://www.meltontimes.co.uk/news/community/community-news/melton-community-allotment-project-gets-cash-injection-1-5521699?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

It's worth mentioning the kind donations we have had from members of the public as a result of the Melton Times and 103 The Eye coverage of the project, we really appreciate all the tools and equipment people are finding in their sheds and garages for the allotment. We also have £50 worth of tools to collect from Countrywide Stores, which is a real help.

We're always looking for new people to be involved in the project, if you are part of a group that you think could benefit from using the site once it's up and running, or if you would like to volunteer your time please send us an email at communityallotmentmelton@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you.

Work on the community bed

Whilst we are waiting for drainage to be completed, we decided to get to work on weeding the area where the main community bed is planned to go. This is the main area and will be run as a co operative. Hopefully it will be big enough for everyone to plant something but small enough to maintain.

Well earned break

There was plenty of wildlife on site this morning

Job done!

Update

Drainage work is (almost) complete now. As the site is at the bottom of a slope, any rainfall collects in patches and the ground becomes boggy very quickly. To counter this we are having French drains running across the site. So far the trenches have been dug, mill waste/gravel added ready for pipes to be laid and then covered over with more mill wase and soil. The idea is that the excess water will pass through the holes in the pipe, and then be carried away from the site. Hopefully, drainage will be further improved once the allotment is up and running and we actually have things growing!


Yesterday we were on 103 The Eye, Meltons local radio station, as part of their community focus morning and we're in regular contact with the Melton Times. We're really trying to make as many people in Melton aware of the allotment, obviously the project is nothing without the people there to use the site!

We are aiming to be there to provide growing space for groups and schools to use as a learning tool, and with the path and raised beds we now have funding for, we will be able to accommodate wheelchair users and pushchairs. We are also open to individuals, people that perhaps don't have the space to grow or have an interest in gardening and just want somewhere to go, grow and be part of the community.
If you'd like to be involved we'd love to hear from you.

Please contact us at communityallotmentmelton@gmail.com.

Community Forum night

Last night we went to our first Community Forum night to bid for funding for raised beds and a wheelchair path for the allotment. We managed to revise the amount we were asking for thanks to a last minute quote from Melton Building Supplies, who were able to quote for all the materials we would need for £1300 under our original budget!

There were 16 fantastic groups bidding for money towards their community projects. It was great to meet so many people, all passionate about their community groups, and it was obvious that a lot of the groups could work in partnership. The Scouts, Mencap and Young Melton were all keen to get involved with the allotment project, and it reinforced the need for a space where different groups and members of the community can socialise and work together.

We are very pleased to announce that we received enough votes for the funding we need, so work on the raised beds and path can begin soon!

If you would like to be involved or can help in any way with donations or time, please contact us at-communityallotmentmelton@gmail.com. 

Vanessa

In the news.

Here is a link to the latest Melton Times story on the community allotment.

http://www.meltontimes.co.uk/community/community-news/dig-deep-to-support-allotment-dream-1-5199037

Don't forget you can vote for 'Melton Grow your Own' in the community forum on 3rd July. 

Vanessa 

A new beginning.

We've taken on the task of getting the community allotment at the Melton Mowbray Country Park up and running. When the founder of the project Adam Basey sent out a tweet asking if anyone wanted to take over the project, we couldn't say no.
Myself, my husband David and our daughter Hannah are all keen growers.
Three years ago we moved to our new house with a garden big enough for an allotment at the bottom and it gave us a new enthusiasm for gardening. We made four lots of raised beds, filled them with topsoil and bought some seeds. We've had some amazing crops, and throughout the summer we have had to buy very little in the way of vegetables. It also means we get the chance to try all kinds of food you might not find in the supermarket; purple carrots, white brocolli and black tomatoes, there's always something new to have a go at. Hannah has really taken to the grow your own idea, she's always coming up with recipes if we have a glut, and I often catch her munching on a handful of mangetout or in the greenhouse tasting the different varieties of tomatoes.

                                                     


So, knowing the benefits of growing and eating your own grown vegetables, we felt it would be great for Melton to have something the whole community could be involved in and this project seemed a really great idea.
The project is aiming to get people involved in gardening that otherwise wouldn't be able to. It's about allowing families that don't have the space in their gardens, to be able to come and grow on a bit of local land, and have the chance to eat some fresh healthy food. Children can come and learn about gardening, get their hands muddy and try new vegetables that they might otherwise ignore. It's about individuals and groups taking time to start a new hobby, or rekindle an old one, people of all abilities coming together to create a beautiful green space that Melton can be proud of.

The site is a previously unused part of land in the Country Park, just off Doctors lane, near the Scalford Brook Play Park. It has been cleared with the help of volunteers from Mars and the project has had amazing support from Melton Building society, including a donation of £3500.

 Currently the soil is stripped back while drainage is being sorted. Once this is done the plan is to get a security fence in along the path and then the work can begin on the big transformation. We have applied for funding through the community forum for some wood for raised beds and some slabs to create a path and we have our fingers crossed people will vote for 'Melton Grow your Own'. An integral part of the project is for the whole community to be able to get involved, and a path will mean the site is accessible by all, including access for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and the raised beds will be helpful for those with limited mobility.
We're sure you will agree that this project will be really beneficial to the community and we hope you will support it.
You can view and comment on the funding proposal here:
http://www.leicestershireforums.org/mowbray/cfb-project,898.html
Voting night is 3rd July so it would be great if you could come along and vote for the project!

Any donations of tools, seeds, pots, watering cans etc would be very much appreciated, or if you are a company that would like to donate wood or slabs for paths please get in contact.

If you'd like to get involved in the project in any way, please contact us at communityallotmentmelton@gmail.com 

I'll keep this blog updated with what's happening on the project as often as I can, I hope you enjoy following the progress.


Vanessa