Page 62 - ALG Issue 4 2017

Shingrig Allotments turn adversity in to an opportunity
With a focus on the gardeners of the future, and supporting pollinators and biodiversity, Shingrig Allotments in Nelson, Caerphilly, has developed its site to embrace the community.
When local authority funding for allotments ended due to austerity measures, the members looked at this as an opportunity to become more self-suf cient. The site only has about 45 members, but the amount of volunteer time they have put in, making the site more accessible and friendlier to visitors, both human and wildlife, has been phenomenal. A small ‘welcome garden’ funded by Keep Wales Tidy, planted out with pollinator friendly planting, soon attracted favourable comments from passers-by. A ‘herb island’ has been planted to allow visitors to cut herbs for kitchen use and even includes orange mint for herbal tea!
A successful application to Environment Wales to establish a school resource, community polytunnel and raised beds followed, and the National Lottery Awards for All Wales funded a composting toilet unit. Viridor (Cardiff Economic Development Fund) provided hives and bees as well as a honey production shed, and then equipment for this was funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery. Further developing the beekeeping area as a training hub and a ‘Living Hedge’ of Fruit trees was funded through the Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ scheme.
Following the rst crop of honey, advice was taken from Environmental Services and the group are registering as a food producer, and four members have been trained to Level 2 Food Hygiene. After a steep learning curve around uncapping, extracting, bottling and the labelling requirements, a small crop of honey was produced and a free jar was given to each of the members. The surplus stock is in high demand as a local and natural product and the local Chemists, Parry’s of Treharris, agreed to promote and sell the honey on their behalf at no cost.
The local school, Llancaeach Junior, visit the site regularly and their Eco-Club have their own raised beds and space in the polytunnel. Other groups from the school and the local Beavers
group have received talks on beekeeping and taken part in a range of educational activities.
Working closely with Caerphilly County Borough Council, the Rhymney Valley Allotments Federation, Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations, and the Nelson Community Council has helped grow the organisation. Shingrig Allotments won ‘Best Community Project’ at the CCBC Pride in Your Place Awards, and have been awarded a Community Green Flag for the efforts on site to become more part of the local community.
It hasn’t all been easy. Allaying fears around introducing beehives to the site were overcome by clearing a disused corner as an apiary, and all the hives and bees are owned by the association so are
not on plots. A complaint was made to the local authority that our selling of honey contravened the Allotment Act 1922, but with expert
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