A volunteering project to engage local students in the creation of new Community Starter Plots, for ARDAA, an inner city allotment.
G F Tomlinson facilitated work experience for local students, giving them the opportunity to learn new skills and enjoy some of the benefits of allotment gardening. Liaison with the Department for Work & Pensions local Schools Advisor enabled students from Horizons 6th Form to become involved during the planning stage so they could participate in the plans for the new plots.
Nine students from the Derby-based SEN Sixth Form attended site one day per week, working with the ARDAA and G F Tomlinson volunteers to help transform a disused and overgrown plot to create the six new smaller plots. The work experience helped the students work towards a Level 1 Prince’s Trust qualification.
The new plots, designed to be easier to manage and maintain, are allocated to beginners for 12 months, giving them the opportunity to learn and gain confidence and skills before taking on larger plots, resulting in improved retention of plot holders.
To support the new plot holders and the wider community, a new Growing Academy was developed using upcycled waste materials donated from G F Tomlinson’s site at the nearby Brackensdale Primary School. The learning hub enables plot holders and local residents to learn the basics of planting and growing your own fruit and veg to promote healthier lifestyles.
A team of 18 volunteers from G F Tomlinson (including skilled craft operatives) donated their time to help deliver groundworks, create pathways, erect fencing and build and paint sheds and benches.
Support was also provided by G F Tomlinson’s sister company Total Hire & Sales and local supply chain partners CSJ and Browns Builders Merchants, who all donated materials and equipment for the project.
Funding – ARDAA is an inner city allotment run by a dedicated volunteer committee who deliver community projects without external funding. They use fund-raising through their on-site shop to generate monies to purchase materials where they cannot re-use or upcycle existing materials. Like all their community projects, they were looking for help (manpower, machinery and materials) to undertake the works, not financial investment.
G F Tomlinson’s support from planning stages through to completion provided:
- Skilled employees who worked with ARDAA to plan and undertake the works, optimising the space on site, use of materials and reducing waste.
- Waste materials from our nearby project at Brackensdale Primary School (delivered through the Scape Regional Construction framework) were saved and redirected to the allotment project.
- Donation of materials from local supply chain.
Working with Post-16 students – Nine students from Horizons were selected for work experience on the project. Early engagement with staff from the centre ensured the placements supported the students’ progressive pathways to education, employment and life skills. Risk Assessments, completed by all parties, ensured all risk and hazards were identified and mitigated with the correct levels of adult supervision in place for the duration of the volunteering days.
OUTCOMES
- 413 volunteer hours
- 9 work experience placements
- 18 new plotholders started plus 51 on the waiting list
- 100% social value added
Student Engagement – Nine SEN students completed the placement, gaining valuable experience of both construction work and planting and growing from seeds.
Project Success – The six new smaller plots were ready for immediate use at the start of the growing season. Each plot included a planting area and sentry shed with essential tools. A communal area with fruit bushes, resting space and a shared composter provides the new plot holders with a sense of community and the Growing Academy offers support and learning.
Further Developments – Following the success of the new plots and, in order to meet the increasing demand for smaller, more manageable plots, the ARDAA volunteer team have used their new skills to create 6 additional small and medium sized plots. These better suit the needs of new and existing members, making allotmenting more accessible to every member of the community.
Elaine Crick, ARDAA Committee Member and Volunteer Co-ordinator, commented: “We’re thrilled with the new starter plots. We know how daunting it can be to take on a plot for the first time and these new spaces provide the perfect introduction to allotmenteering for our fellow community members.
Its been fantastic to work alongside G F Tomlinson, the students from Horizons 6th Form and our dedicated team of site volunteers from ARDAA to create the plots and to see everybody come together over the winter months. We’re excited to watch the new plot holders get started and hope they find their life on site is as wonderful as we do.”
Joe Johnson, Teacher and School Careers Lead, Horizons Sixth Form, commented: “This was a great opportunity for our students to get out in the community and make a difference. They really looked forward to going to the allotments every week, even throughout the coldest months of the year, and it was a real boost for their wellbeing. We are so grateful to the G F Tomlinson team and ARDAA volunteers who passed on their knowledge and such a diverse range of skills.”
