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                                South West
Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset
Finally – proof that allotments are a ‘Natural’ Health Service
Allotment gardeners have long been aware of the health benefits attached to working an allotment. If you are a fan of the BBC’s Autumn Watch programme and watched the 2020 series, you will have seen an item in which science was used to back up that which we already knew to be true. I am no scientist,
but I found the relationship between the natural world and our wellbeing fascinating and thought I would share it with you.
Most allotment sites are either bordered by trees or have trees growing on them. These give off ‘phytoncides’ and when we are near trees, we inhale them
and they aid our bodies by bringing down our blood pressure and reducing the stress hormone cortisol. It’s not
as beneficial as walking through the woods, but the oak trees that border my allotment field definitely have a calming effect on a warm summer day.
As we walk around our allotments, we observe patterns in leaves and trees called ‘fractals’; these occur throughout the natural world. Examples include clouds, snowflakes, cauliflower and broccoli. These geometric patterns
stimulate the brain and can reduce stress by up to 60%.
When we hold handfuls of compost or
allow our hands to come into contact
with the soil, we are making contact
with millions of micro-organisms called
mycobacterium vaccae. Studies have
shown that these micro-organisms turn
the very soil itself into a natural anti-
depressant. organisms
proven that running water also reduces this stress hormone.
Finally, who hasn’t stopped for a cup of tea or to have a break and watched the birds on the plot? On my allotment site we have keen ‘birders’ who have identified over 40 different species. Research has proved that spotting birds stimulates the brain and releases dopamine, vital to our mental health.
All of that from just visiting the allotment – that’s before getting a spade out and getting physical exercise as well.
My wife is always telling me to stop, take a break and to absorb the wonder of nature around us, and hopefully this article will encourage more of you to do just that. It is after all extremely good for us.
I have beaten the drum for many
years regarding the health benefits
of allotment gardening and it is good to see that this is now backed up by science and that even the National Health Service is now prescribing what has been called the ‘Natural Health Service’; there are many websites and books now available on the subject.
Proof if proof were needed that allotments are our very own ‘Natural’ Health Service.
Tim Callard Chairman (NADCAA / NAS SWB)
        Many allotment gardeners will have taken on board the need to create a wildlife area on their plot to benefit pollinating insects. Among them are some who will have created a pond
to attract frogs that eat slugs. Some of those will have invested in a solar powered pump and created a water feature such as a mini waterfall effect. These gardeners will benefit from a reduction in cortisol, as it has been
turn the very soil itself into a natural anti- depressant
Studies have shown that these micro-
     Transition Town Wellington’s Allotment Project
I am sure many people, like me, have really appreciated their allotment during lockdown as a place of tranquillity and safety, helping our general mental health, and calming fears about food security. I volunteer for TTW; this is part of a global network of environmental groups, aiming to ‘transition’ our
local area from a society dependant
on fossil fuel, to a more resilient and self-sufficient community. Growing local food is, of course, a big part of that, so during lockdown I moved my vegetable growing classes onto Facebook and tried to teach a new audience of first- time growers how to produce a valuable crop in their gardens. But I could not
help thinking how privileged I was to have an allotment, when so few have access to one. It should not be this way; everyone that wants an allotment should be able to have one near to them. I should not be one of the lucky few! Thus, a project to try and get some more allotments was born.
Approaching the council, they said they required “evidence of need”. There
was no comprehensive list of all the allotments in our area to find out how many people were waiting, so I started to compile one with help from members of Taunton Transition Town, our NAS Regional Mentor, and all the parish council clerks. We sometimes had to search using google maps, and cycle
up to the gate for a contact number, but we finally had the list of all 29 sites, with 1,416 plots in total, showing 198 people waiting.
What an effort! I was sure there must be lots of people who would love an allotment but don’t know where their nearest site is. We compiled a survey too, to promote with our contact list, in collaboration with Somerset West and Taunton Council’s Strategy Specialist. It was ideal timing as the 2009 allotment strategy was being re-written, and we had a chance to influence this policy, and help create more good quality new allotments, as more houses are built. If you’d like to check it out visit https:// www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5NF52FY.
We did most of our promotion via Facebook, as I found it hard to connect with local community groups. There was an incredible response. One of our posts got 12,137 views and 49 shares! I tried to contact all the sites again, and although only half have replied so far, the numbers on the lists have grown to 318,
       62 Allotment and Leisure Gardener

























































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