Page 30 - ALG Issue 1 2025

COMMUNITY
SUPPORTING
OUR MEMBERS
I read the article in Issue 4 2024 regarding Tom’s experience with renting
a disabled plot and wanted to share
our experiences.We are a devolved management association and run our sites on behalf of the parish council in return for a peppercorn rent and a reasonable lease. I am sure though that a robust business case could be made to directly managed council sites to enable them to provide similar beds for their community, especially as such community projects attract funding these days.
A few years ago, we decided to make up a plot for those members with accessibility issues on our main site.The idea arose because we had a number of plotholders who had been members of our society for many years and we wanted to be able to continue to support them as they found that they needed to reduce their plot size because of their circumstances.We already reduce plot sizes to meet the needs of our tenants but some of our plotholders found that they were no longer able to manage even a very small normal plot.To be able to continue to support them, we needed
to be able to offer them a raised bed with reasonable accessibility from our main entrance and car park.
The plot had to be very close to the car park and entrance gate; it had to have a concrete/slabbed base; we needed a water tap on it coming direct from the mains for hygiene reasons; also, a small communal shed to keep tools in and a variety of beds to cater for different abilities.
We set out our plans, obtained quotes, and then set about seeking funding from various bodies.We were very lucky in that we did a presentation to the Co-Operative Community Fund and obtained funding and additional funding from a local charity.
So, we chose our plot, very close to
our car park and pedestrian entrance, persuaded the incumbent tenant to move to another plot further down the site,
and with help from committee members and other helpers, slabbed the first third
of the plot and built two raised beds with sleepers. Obtaining more funding from a local charity enabled us to concrete the rest of the plot, and to site three wheelchair beds on it.These beds have built-in water
reservoirs with wicks up to the soil bed, so watering the bed is not an issue.They are built for the tenant to sit at, with a horseshoe-shaped bed so they can reach all areas of the bed from their chair and allow for them to be used either from
a wheelchair or just a chair. We had a contractor ‘mole in’ a new waterpipe direct from the main supply to the allotments, so users of our raised beds site could wash their hands in clean water.
We put a small shed on site, secured with a combination padlock so all raised bed tenants can use, and we also now have a garden seat for them to sit down and have a rest after their endeavours.
The committee had lots of fun working on this and using the bits of equipment borrowed to make the plot into what it is
“We set out our plans, obtained quotes, and then set about seeking funding from various bodies”
30 | Issue 1 2025 | Allotment and Leisure Gardener