Preston Lane Allotments Association
business is blooming thanks to our donation
Budding gardeners in Stockton learned new methods of gardening thanks to a £250 donation from The Co-operative Membership Community Fund.
The green-fingered group Preston Lane Allotments Association manages an allotment site, and offers a basic course for people keen to learn more about gardening. The group used the money to buy a generator which enables the gardeners to use power tools and lighting during the course.
Co-ordinator and mentor John Doherty said: "After a slow beginning we have now come of age and are finding our evening classes are over-subscribed and the Saturday Morning Club is more popular than ever.
"We are proud of this outreach to the local community and have been really helped by the Community Dividend in two ways: Firstly, we have been able to purchase a shredder to help us compost almost everything from the garden, which has improved the fertility of the garden and reduced waste which would otherwise go to landfill. Also, we have commissioned a fine pair of new gates to show all passers-by that we care about our gardens and to show the less-honest that they cannot just walk in to help themselves.
"The Community Dividend contribution has made all the difference to this latest project by 'match funding' an award from elsewhere. We are now busy persuading those who are not already members to join The Co-operative Group so that others can benefit their own communities just as we are doing."