Page 60 - ALG Issue 1 2017

Eastern
Sowing Seeds for Better Health
Barnet residents have been supporting refugees to improve their mental and physical well-being through the Sowing Seeds Therapy Project at Pointalls Allotments. Over 30 people aged from 20 to 70 have turned a neglected plot into a garden full of owers and vegetables.
The project was established in April 2015 by the Barnet Refugee Service* through
its eco therapy programme. Their aim was to tackle social isolation amongst refugees and encourage them to integrate into the local community and improve their mental health. They have been so successful
that they have just been awarded the Ted Green Award Memorial Cup at the Barnet Allotment Federation (BAF) annual prize- giving celebration. The award was presented by Councillor Brian Salinger, who praised
the project and the health bene ts that allotments give citizens across the Borough.
Donald Lyven of Pointalls Allotments says: “the project has already achieved so much in just one year. We’ve had a lot of interest from people who are amongst the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society. This project has enabled them to connect with nature and has boosted their mood and self-esteem.”
The project is entirely led by volunteers, who have a wide range of skills to offer.
“One refugee was a farmer in his home country” says Donald. “He has supervised the gardening sessions and has run practical training sessions on the plot. Others help with the day-to-day running of the project and support clients, providing translation and educational services as well as organising refreshments.”
The Memorial Cup was set up in memory of Ted Green, who was a stalwart of the Barnet allotment scene for over 25 years and who sadly died a couple of years ago. He was the Secretary of The Barnet Allotment Federation, which acts as an umbrella
body for all the allotment sites in Barnet, and helped create thriving and prosperous allotment gardening in the Borough. This is the second year the Memorial Cup has been awarded.
“We were absolutely thrilled to be awarded the Memorial Cup,” says Donald. “It is testament to the hard work of Barnet Refugee Service volunteers and the efforts of all the clients of the project.”
Hushang Balyuzi, Chair of BAF, said:
“we are thrilled that Pointalls has won the Ted Green Memorial Cup. They are a very deserving winner and Ted would have been proud to have his name associated with a project that was doing such good work with isolated people.”
Barnet Allotment Federation was formed in 1965 at the time of the amalgamation of the Boroughs of Finchley and Hendon, and the urban districts of Barnet, East Barnet
Welcome to our new members...
Heath Garden Club
11 individual members
1 landowner
Southwold Allotment Holders Association St Annes Gardens Allotments
Bushwood Allotment Society
Aylmers Road Allotments
and Friern Barnet to become the London Borough of Barnet. The membership of the Federation comprises the 37 societies that now manage the 44 allotment sites in the Borough. Day-to-day Federation business is conducted by a committee of volunteers elected annually by the membership.
For most of its existence, the main role of the Federation was to represent the interests of the allotment societies individually and collectively in discussions with Barnet Council. Until 2013, Barnet’s allotment sites were managed either directly by the Council, jointly by the Council and allotment societies, or by those allotment societies that had leased their sites from the Council on rolling six year terms.
Following seven years of negotiations between the Council and the Federation acting on behalf of the societies, an agreement was reached whereby the allotment societies would lease their
sites from the Council for 38 years for a peppercorn rent, in return for which they would assume responsibility for all aspects of the site management. During the negotiation of the deal, the Federation recruited a support of cer to advise and assist the allotment societies and to strengthen their own capabilities.
With the adoption of self-management,
the primary role of the Federation has been changing from that of a representative organisation to one that provides a framework for mutual support between
the societies. The Federation now organises around eight meetings per year including workshops, discussion groups, a horticultural show and an allotment competition.
http://www.barnetallotments.org.uk/ federation.php
*Barnet Refugee Service is a charity that works in partnership with individuals and agencies to improve the quality of life and promote
the physical, social and mental well-being of refugees and asylum seekers. The Sowing Seeds project was funded by London Catalyst. In the photograph are, from left to right, Cllr Brian Salinger, Farida, Zeba
and Vegan (all from Barnet Refugee Service).
http://www.b-r-s.org.uk/ http://www.londoncatalyst.org.uk/
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