<![CDATA[Pressat Main Newswire]]> https://pressat.co.uk/rss/ <![CDATA[Pressat Main Newswire]]> https://pressat.co.uk/media/site/logo.png https://pressat.co.uk/rss/ en-gb Copyright: (C) Pressat Pressat <![CDATA[ Tackling Allotment Waiting Lists- NAS Launches Plan to Include Allotments in New Housing Developments ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/tackling-allotment-waiting-lists-nas-launches-plan-to-include-allotments-in-new-housing-developments-c605314251ec607a42e24de96bfc3de2/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/tackling-allotment-waiting-lists-nas-launches-plan-to-include-allotments-in-new-housing-developments-c605314251ec607a42e24de96bfc3de2/ Tuesday 15 November, 2022
The National Allotment Society (NAS) launches brand new service for housing developers and local authorities.The service supports developers and local authorities to provide and manage allotments in new housing developments.This new provision is part of a NAS strategy to promote sustainable, thriving communities.

The National Allotment Society (NAS) has launched a brand-new service that supports housing developers and local government to include allotment space in new developments in an aim to reduce waiting lists and increase greenspace in communities.


Councils and developers are increasingly recognising that allotments have multiple benefits within the community beyond food provision, with research into the health and wellbeing implications of allotmenteering showing a positive impact on individuals and the wider population. Better health and wellbeing in the local area can lessen the demand on council managed services such as medical centres, care in the community and mental health services.


When well designed with the support of the NAS, allotments embrace the existing landscape and the character of a new development creating community pride, and a habitat for wildlife. With a long-standing tradition of community management allotments are also a low-risk investment with few long-term commitments.


The creation of new allotment sites could mean shorter waiting times for potential plot-holders and will help to meet some of the demand for allotments that the NAS expects to increase with the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis.


For developers and local authorities, well-designed allotments in new developments contribute to their statutory duty to provide allotments under Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act (1908) and will enable them to achieve many local and central government targets for sustainable, well-designed, and thriving communities.


This new service provides design-led, policy-based, guidance for planners and developers who are looking to include allotments and covers a variety of new developments e.g., a single housing estate, a series of new ‘Garden Villages’, or a new industrial development where allotments in the immediate residential surroundings can help to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain.


The ‘21st Century Allotment Design’ elements recommended in the guide provided as part of this service enhance new developments by providing Public Amenity Value, and Green Space.


Developers or local authorities can request more information via email at natsoc@nsalg.org.uk





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https://www.nsalg.org.uk/ 15 Nov 2022 15:11:22 GMT Business & Finance Charities & non-profits Construction & Property Home & Garden Leisure & Hobbies Public Sector & Legal
<![CDATA[ The National Allotment Society obtains exemption for all Allotment Sites in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from the hosepipe ban. ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-national-allotment-society-obtains-exemption-for-all-allotment-sites-in-hampshire-and-the-isle-of-wight-from-the-hosepipe-ban-4e1e537f4794bbf2c49848ac52dbbef1/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/the-national-allotment-society-obtains-exemption-for-all-allotment-sites-in-hampshire-and-the-isle-of-wight-from-the-hosepipe-ban-4e1e537f4794bbf2c49848ac52dbbef1/ Friday 5 August, 2022



Southern Water announced the ban from Friday, August 5 at 5pm for customers in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.


The National Allotment Society have successfully obtained an exemption for all Allotment Sites in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in connection with the hosepipe ban.


We all need to be mindful of our precious water resource and Southern Water have asked that our members use the supply sparingly. This does mean that members who struggle to carry water to their plots will be able


ensure their produce survives the extreme drought conditions.


If anyone is challenged on this situation, please contact NAS on natsoc@nsalg.org.uk so the organisation can provide evidence.



The Society are currently working on what other bans may mean for other mean allotment holders including South East Water customers in Kent and Sussex.




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https://www.nsalg.org.uk/ 05 Aug 2022 16:30:01 GMT Business & Finance Charities & non-profits Environment & Nature Farming & Animals Home & Garden Leisure & Hobbies Opinion Article Public Sector & Legal
<![CDATA[ National Allotments Week Celebrates 20th Year ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/national-allotments-week-celebrates-20th-year-09d8fd2fa59ee88bc80b927949bb7aaf/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/national-allotments-week-celebrates-20th-year-09d8fd2fa59ee88bc80b927949bb7aaf/ Tuesday 26 July, 2022

National Allotments Week started in 2002 as a way of raising awareness of allotments and the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships, and bolster communities. The campaign week is still thriving 20 years later and interest in growing your own fruit and vegetables has never been stronger since the WW2 Grow for Victory campaign.


Marking its 20th year, National Allotment Week 2022 - running 8th-14th
August- looks to the future and how we can conserve allotments for the next generation through education and engagement of children and young people. 


This year's National Allotments Week theme is Bugs, bees and broccoli and acknowledges the importance of gardening with nature in mind.


An allotment plot is a complex web of plants, micro-organisms, fungi, insects, and animals that not only produces food but also supports eco-system services such as pollination and offers a refuge for wildlife in urban areas.


Although allotment plots like pollinator ecologist Nadine Mitschunas' beautiful wildlife allotment garden (winner of Gardeners World magazine, 2021 Garden of the Year award) are few and far between there are thousands of plot-holders endeavouring to reduce pesticide and herbicide use, encourage beneficial insects, small mammals and amphibians and tolerate losing a few crops to achieve a balance eco-system on their plots.


Plot holders can take part in a bug survey that will help inform the work of Buglife and the conservation of insects. Gaining a better understanding of creepy crawlies on allotment sites in the UK will guide how the organisation preserves them.


Paul Hetherington of BugLife said:


‘Bugs are so important to the healthy functioning of our allotments. As gardeners we tend to focus on the ‘pests’ and ignore all the great work the other bugs are doing for us, but if they were not, we would miss them be it pollinating our fruit and veg, controlling our pests or improving our soil they are vital to healthy growing.’


As part of National Allotments Week young people aged 2-12 can take part in The Big Bug Hunt with their school or learning community!


Being outside has such a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of children and the summer holidays are the perfect time for them to have fun outdoors, learn a bit about their surroundings and how they can protect the creatures that live there.


Pupils at schools and early years settings taking part can email a picture or a scan of their finished worksheet with their name, the school's name and address to natsoc@nsalg.org.uk by 14th August.


The school or setting that has the MOST bug hunts returned in their region will win a prize to help them grow their own veg in the classroom.


The grow your own veg boxes and seeds are sponsored by Chris Knott Insurance and will encourage young people to engage with the process of how and where their food comes from.


NAS PR and Marketing Co-ordinator Lauren Lawless said:


‘It is vital to the preservation of allotments that we work to engage and educate young people about the importance of these green spaces and the creatures that live there. A lot of our members remember spending time on the allotment as a child and that passion for growing things has stuck with them. Not every child has access to an allotment but if we can work with schools and early years settings to help children learn about growing their own food and the benefit to the environment, we will hopefully inspire a new generation of plot holders’


Chris Knott added: ‘Chris Knott Insurance is delighted to sponsor the prize for the National Allotments Week Big Bug Hunt 2022. It's a fantastic way to get children out of the house while nurturing their interest in the natural world. We can't wait to see how many children get involved!’


The NAS have sent bug hunts to 125 school in 11 regions up and down the UK but there are plenty more- schools and nurseries can email marketing@nsalg.org.uk for a copy of the bug hunt and more information.




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https://www.nsalg.org.uk/ 26 Jul 2022 13:17:49 GMT Charities & non-profits Children & Teenagers Environment & Nature Farming & Animals Food & Drink Health Home & Garden Leisure & Hobbies Lifestyle & Relationships Men's Interest
<![CDATA[ National Allotments Week 2021 9 to 15 August ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/national-allotments-week-2021-9-to-15-august-062f49c5bd264c9c53180aab156a3796/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/national-allotments-week-2021-9-to-15-august-062f49c5bd264c9c53180aab156a3796/ Thursday 5 August, 2021

This year the National Allotment Society is Plotting for the Future and celebrating the contribution that allotments make to a sustainable future, by being economical with resources, caring for the land and supporting a balanced eco-system. We would like to take this opportunity to applaud all those gardeners and plot-holders who:


recycle and re-use throw away itemssupport bio-diversity and feed the soilShare their food growing knowledge with othersMake compost and mulch the soilHarvest rainwaterHave reduced pesticide and herbicide use

We would also like to mention the Plotters of the Future, young people who visit the plot with their parents or school group. These children will have planted seeds and watch a crop develop and are much more likely to do well at school, establish healthy eating habits and care for the environment in the future. The young growers who have got in touch with us here at the National Allotment Society have shown such dedication and enthusiasm – excited by the food growing skills they have acquired and their knowledge of the natural world.


Another round of applause goes to those councils creating or promoting new sites to cater for the present increase in demand for plots and the far-sighted housebuilding companies creating allotments along with new housing developments. Rose Sandell, Group Communities Director at housebuilder Redrow, has told us:


“Our research* shows that proximity to green space is the most sought-after community feature when searching for a new home, a bigger priority even than being close to local transport routes and supermarkets and shops. Green spaces come in all shapes and sizes and allotments provide a host of benefits for the communities they serve.


“They are an increasingly important deliverable alongside our new homes as they encourage users to enjoy the outdoors, get active in the fresh air and spend time in nature, as well as promoting a more nutritious diet through own-grown fruit and vegetables. We are committed to creating more opportunities for people to get closer to nature and enjoy the resulting benefits. Allotments have the advantage of encouraging pollinator species and are an ideal location for beehives and other wildlife friendly areas.


“Over the next two years we will be creating just over six hectares of allotment space, the equivalent of up to 1,000 quarter-sized allotment plots for the use of local people, within or close to our new developments. To help visualise this, that’s around 10 football pitches of new space dedicated to growing fruit and vegetables, providing a haven for people and wildlife.**


“We are finding allotments are increasingly in demand as people become more aware of the benefits of growing their own produce. As a result, the local authorities we work with at the planning stage to deliver new communities are flagging them more frequently than previous as a key feature people would like to see delivered alongside new homes. Our expectation is that they will continue to be a valuable neighbourhood amenity in the years ahead.”


It’s clear that Redrow and the other homebuilders providing allotments have seen the long term benefits to communities of having access to a space to grow your own. We sincerely hope that this will continue and allotments will be seen as a vital part of any new housing developments. In recent months there has also been an increase in the number of requests for help and support from councils wanting to expand their allotment portfolio and enable their residents to access allotment growing and Plot for the Future.


Ends


Notes to Editors


About the National Allotment Society


The National Allotment Society is the only national organisation which campaigns for the rights of allotment holders across the UK; protecting, promoting and preserving allotments for all. It is a not-for-profit organisation that provides free legal advice, a bespoke benefits package and the services of a regional representative to its members. To find out more visit www.nsalg.org.uk


For PR and media enquiries relating to The National Allotment Society contact diane@nsalg.org.uk Tel 0117 941 8419


About Redrow


Redrow was established in 1974 and today is one of the most successful and acclaimed homebuilders in the country. For the year to 28th June 2020, Redrow built over 4,000 premium new homes across England and Wales.


* Research of 2,004 UK adults was conducted on behalf of Redrow by Opinium, June 2020.


**Redrow is due to create just over 6.3 hectares of sites for allotments to be delivered in the financial years ending 2022 and 2023 (combined). Allotments come in different sizes depending on location and demand, but based on the full allotment size of 250 square metres this equates to 252 plots; or 504 half plots; or 1,008 quarter plots.


A full plot (250 square metres) is around the size of a doubles tennis court, for reference. Source: National Allotment Society. The comparison to 10 football pitches is based on a football field being 0.714 hectares in size. Reference here.




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https://www.nsalg.org.uk/ 05 Aug 2021 17:03:24 GMT Children & Teenagers Environment & Nature Food & Drink Health Home & Garden Leisure & Hobbies Public Sector & Legal
<![CDATA[ National Allotments Week 2020 10 to 16 August ]]> https://pressat.co.uk/releases/national-allotments-week-2020-10-to-16-august-a7a845722d213428b7c7b50dc859835c/ https://pressat.co.uk/releases/national-allotments-week-2020-10-to-16-august-a7a845722d213428b7c7b50dc859835c/ Monday 3 August, 2020

This year the National Allotment Society is celebrating National Allotments Week by sharing the allotment stories of plot-holders, across the UK, who enjoy growing food for health and well-being. From 8- year old Noah to the villagers at Great Chesterford Allotments, all their stories illustrate the value of allotments and the benefits they bestow.


Over the last few months, the virus pandemic has inspired the desire to join this allotment community and grow your own in many more people than there are allotment plots. Local Authorities are reporting significant rises in waiting list applications compared to 2019. However, unless more land is found or released for use as allotments the eager gardeners will have to wait to taste their first home grown spud. It is the responsibility of Local Authorities to provide allotment facilities for their residents. Interest in renting a plot rises and falls slightly but it has been steady for many years now resulting in long waiting lists. In the 2019 Association for Public Sector Excellence State of the Market Allotments report, which uses data from their membership of District, Borough and City Councils, over 49% of respondents stated that the average waiting time for a plot was over 18 months.


With 1 in 8 of the UK population having no access to a garden (1 in 5 in London) and a rise in awareness of the fragility of our food systems perhaps now is the time for central government to reassess the potential of allotments to support public health and make a significant contribution to food security. During the WW2 Dig for Victory campaign 18% of fruit and vegetables were home grown in gardens and allotments, in 2017/18 that figure was just 3%. The My Harvest research team at Sheffield University have been working for the last 5 years to better understand the role of allotment gardens in improving household food security. Their preliminary findings have shown that the yields of fruit and vegetable crops achieved by allotment gardeners in the UK were often as good or exceeded those of commercial horticulture. Ultimately their work will provide evidence of the amount of crops produced by allotmenteers that will hopefully create a positive impact on local and national policy. In the Food Research Council, 2018 Brexit Briefing Professor Dave Goulson urges the government to buy up land to help provide more allotments that could be part of a local, sustainable, nature friendly food production system. He argues that competent allotmenteers can produce the equivalent of about 35 tons of food per hectare, which compares more than favourably to farm productivity. He also adds that,


“allotment produce is zero food miles, zero packaging, healthy fruit and veg, often produced with minimal or no pesticides. Allotment soils tend to be healthier than farmland soils, with more worms and higher carbon content, helping to tackle climate change”


Amongst the allotment stories we are celebrating for National Allotments Week, two videos are of co-operation between authorities and residents that has resulted in the creation of new sites and our office receives regular requests for assistance in setting up allotments. A recent study by the My Harvest team found that former allotment land exists in 4 cities (where studies were carried out), a proportion of which could be used to provide more allotment plots. Salford Council has worked with Salford Allotments Federation to create 3 new sites and regenerate 10 areas of allotment land that had fallen in to disuse, including Addison Rd in Irlam that had not been used for 30 years. In 2019 Rochdale Council committed to creating 100 new plots a year, every year, for the next 5 years. We at the National Allotment Society believe that new allotment sites can be created, there is evidence it can be done, even in urban areas where competition for land is fierce. So, let’s Dig for Recovery and grow the allotment movement.


Ends


Notes to Editors


The National Allotments Week videos can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLV4aec7MGcdNcaSoaASgw


More information about the MyHarvest project can be found here https://myharvest.org.uk/




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https://www.nsalg.org.uk/ 03 Aug 2020 16:14:23 GMT Environment & Nature Food & Drink Government Health Home & Garden Leisure & Hobbies Public Sector & Legal