A community allotment project in Watford run by the Salvation Army has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.
Captain Mark Scoulding leads the church and charity in the town. On Tuesday mornings from February to October, he can be found at Cherry Tree Allotments, which feature beds, troughs, a log circle, mini orchard, summer house, and wildflower meadow with wildflower pond.
At the end of this month, the allotment is in the running to win the Congregation and Community category at the Green Church Awards 2024.
The allotment is located next to Cherry Tree Primary School and up to 120 pupils, parents and staff visit the space every week.
Mark said: “All the pupils live in an urban environment with limited access to outdoor space. All the children benefit, but those who struggle with classroom learning become different people. One boy who needs extra support can express different skills and regulate his emotions. He is regularly found picking mint leaves because the scent reminds him of his grandmother’s tea and calms him down.”
The community allotment is also used for church celebrations, corporate volunteering, and fundraising events.
Mark explained: “We invite the neighbourhood to harvest and eat the foods we have grown. Last year, we cooked pumpkin soup and apple pies – some of our neighbours had never seen pumpkins growing and tasted them for the very first time. We also held our 140th birthday party on the allotment. More than 200 people joined the celebrations!”
The allotment is also intentionally managed for wildlife and environmental methods are used to manage, reuse and recycle waste, including transforming an old bathtub into a wildlife pond.
Mark added: “It’s amazing to learn how many animals visit our little pond. We capture them all on our wildlife camera – the children love to see foxes!”
Cheska Tyler, headteacher at Cherry Tree Primary School, said: “The community allotment has been absolutely transformational for our children. They look forward to it each week and use their learnt skills around the school grounds whilst waiting for their next session.
“It is now an intrinsic part of our Cherry Tree curriculum and truly helps our children to understand the importance of looking after our world.”
Photo: Cherry Tree Allotments
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