Page 35 - ALG Issue 1 2023

readers articles
LPT Veteran Scheme
A new project run by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) will see veterans working together to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers on a specially renovated plot, allocated by NAS members Leicester City Council at Boston Road Allotments, in Beaumont Leys. The produce they grow will be donated to local community shops and food banks, to support those who are under financial strain.
Within the allotment, there will also
be an area of flowers representing
the five stages of grief, to mark the process of recovery many veterans go through after leaving the armed forces. In order to get some advice on the best flowers to use for the display, one of the volunteers involved in the project, former RAF firefighter Mark Eyres, wrote to TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh MBE. Mr Titchmarsh kindly replied with his advice and wished Mark good luck, noting it was a ‘worthwhile’ project.
Brendan Daly, LPT’s armed forces lead, said: “We were so excited to hear from Mr Titchmarsh and to have his backing. We are really hopeful this project
will be a big success as there are so many elements that we know can help people’s wellbeing coming together into one experience. There are now many studies that have shown that getting outside in nature has positive effects on the mind. It also helps people to get vitamin D from being in the sun, which can help with depression, and daytime light exposure, which supports better sleep and therefore can improve mood. This project will also give our veterans a purpose and something to nurture
for the local community, helping to distract them from intrusive thoughts
and giving them space to relax. They will get the opportunity to speak to and work with fellow veterans, providing them with the camaraderie they felt when they were in the armed forces and connecting them with others who are going through similar experiences, allowing them to support each other and build their self-esteem.”
The allotment site has been cleared and made ready to use, including adaptions such as raised beds and new paths for wheelchair access, with the help of local construction businesses, Olivetti and CR Civils. Funding for the project has also partly been provided by Virgin O2 Together Fund via an application from LPT’s charity, Raising Health. Coalville Air Cadets, squadron 1188, also kindly fundraised to buy a Tommy soldier silhouette for the allotment.
In November, representatives from all organisations involved in the project came together to carry out a formal ribbon cutting event to mark the completion of the work and the official opening of the allotment.
Mark Powell, managing director of LPT, said: “The veteran allotment project is
a great example of showing that not all therapy needs to take place inside or
in a traditional way. We have listened
to feedback from our veterans, as well as our health professionals, to offer an innovative solution that we hope will have a huge impact, not only on the veterans, but also the local community too. It has been great to see us working in partnership with the local council and construction companies to launch this project and I’d like to thank them for their support.”
The veteran allotment project is a great example of showing that not all therapy needs to take place inside or in a traditional way
Leicester’s assistant city mayor for public health and the city council’s Armed Forces champion, Cllr Vi Dempster, said: “We are delighted to be donating an accessible allotment plot and supporting this important project, which is one of several public health initiatives we have in place to encourage people to get involved in gardening.
Our Food Plan prioritises local growing schemes and sets out how we can
build healthy, resilient communities by making better choices about where we get our food. The mental health benefits of gardening are now as clear and well- documented as the physical benefits it provides. By bringing together ex-forces servicemen and women in this project, we will give them the opportunity not only to support each other with their mental and physical health, but also to get together, socialise and support their wider community.”
For more information, please visit www.leicspart.nhs.uk/about/corporate- responsibilities/supporting-serving- and-ex-service-personnel/
To find out more or register to be a part of the allotment project, please email lpt.armedforces@nhs.net
Herbicide Contamination on Allotments
I am the Chair of Chinley Allotments Association in the Peak District.
Two years ago, our allotment site suffered from serious herbicide contamination, almost certainly introduced via contaminated horse manure. Crops failed and the effects are still being felt. Tests were carried out and the herbicide was identified as clopyralid (a close relative of aminopyralid) manufactured by Corteva, a subsidiary of Dow Chemicals.
We were told by Corteva that such cases are rare, and the incidence is decreasing. We want to test this assertion, as anecdotal evidence suggests a different story.
If you, or your allotment site, has suffered from herbicide contamination in the last three years (confirmed or otherwise), please contact me and I will send you a short questionnaire to complete.
Any data collected will be anonymised and the results shared with the NAS.
Thank you.
Contact: steve@minter.me.uk Mobile: 07961 002874
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 35