by David Skentelbery
GLAZEBROOK has seen nothing like it since the war years when people were urged to “Dig for Victory.”
Nearly 80 people – most of them local – have signed up for allotments on a nine acre site off Glazebrook Lane and have started to “grow their own.”
The development is the brainchild of Patrick Moran, 42 and his partner Kam Dains, 40 who moved into the area nine years ago.
Named, “Betty’s Allotments” after Mr Moran’s mother, they were officially opened by Warrington North MP Helen Jones
According to the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG), there are some 120,000 people on waiting lists for a plot of land for vegetable growing across the country.
So it’s no surprise the most of the plots have been snapped up since they became available in March.
Patrick said: “What we’re doing here is more than simply offering people space to grow their fruit and vegetables.
“We hope to create a sense of community too. There’s a field full of rescue horses and I’m planning to build a hay climbing frame. There are people of all ages, young and old, and families.”
Donna McDaid, general secretary of NSALG welcomes the development.
She believes allotments are becoming more popular because of interest in grow-your-own, the influence of TV chefs and the falling cost of gardening equipment and supplies.
She said: “Most of all, people are making a lifestyle choice. They want to take control of what they are eating. They don’t want things that are genetically modified or chemically induced.”
Picture shows Helen Jones opening the allotments.
