In a quiet space surrounded by a Westfield housing estate, cheering and clapping could be heard as the Parish Council and Westfield Allotment Group (WAG) celebrated the official opening of a new allotment site at Larch Court, which will allow more people to grow their own fruit and veg.

Due to the unprecedented success of the first allotment, located near the Doctor’s Surgery, and with a large waiting list as a result, this unused piece of land, left by developers, Persimmon, has now been turned into a space for residents to be green-fingered.

The Parish Council has worked hard to secure this land as part of an asset transfer, and WAG set about, with the help of local landscaper, Darren Barnes, from Lazy Days Landscaping Ltd., to transform the space into seven plots and raised beds. Already, there is another waiting list!

In just a few weeks, there are vegetables already growing on site – and residents have been quick to put the space to good use. One family told The Journal: “We put our names down thinking that we would have to wait years for an allotment, but are absolutely thrilled, if a little stunned, that it came up sooner.

“We work long hours, so we don’t often get to meet our neighbours. But here, we do. The children are also coming out to help us, so it is encouraging them outside, away from screens, and also learning more about the food that we eat, planting it and watching it grow.”

Mark Cassidy, B&NES Council’s Team Leader for Parks and Green Spaces, said: “Allotments are in high demand – they have been around for many years, and are needed now more than ever. Research recently found that pollinators really rely on these spaces; so creating allotments from underused or anti-social spaces is a really positive thing.”

Westfield Allotment Group will be holding an Open Day on Sunday, 1st September from 12 noon – 4 p.m., at the main allotments near the Doctor’s Surgery, where visitors can find out more. There are often veg sales there, too!

WAG was recently awarded £500 from the Big Local Dragon’s Den to help pay for the new polytunnel and water supply at Larch Court.