Eden Allotment Gardens News
Local Partnership Celebrates Green-Fingered Success (23rd January 2010)
Representatives from Carrickfergus Borough Council, Conservation Volunteers and the local mental health charity, MindWise gathered at the charity’s housing service in the town recently to celebrate their joint success in recently winning a national environmental award.
The three organisations along with a local drug and rehabilitation group have been working in partnership for over a year now on the Garden of Eden project at Eden Allotment Garden. The allotments are operated by Carrickfergus Borough Council and are located within a five hectare site off Beltoy Road just outside Eden village near Carrickfergus. Eden allotments are provided and administered by Carrickfergus Borough Council.
The Garden of Eden Project was awarded BTCV’s Project of the Year award at the charity’s 2009 annual Green Heroes awards in which were held in London in November 2009 after being nominated by project manager, Helen Tomb.
The project won the award for its success in involving tenants from MindWise’s Carrickfergus housing service and participants of a local drug and alcohol rehabilitation group to get involved in a new physical activity which has positively benefited their mental health. The group have worked hard to create an allotment which is used to its full potential to produce organic home grown fruit and vegetables.
Speaking at the party to celebrate the achievement, the Chair of MindWise’s Board of Trustees Seamus Mullan was keen to commend all concerned for their efforts and achievements and to thank the partners on the project for their support and hard work. He said "It has been an amazing achievement for the Garden of Eden project to win such a prestigious award and my thanks go to Carrickfergus Council and Conservation Volunteers for making this project possible. The project has enabled individuals we support in MindWise have been encouraged to participate in physical activity and to learn more about the benefits of a healthy diet by enjoying the crops they produce. Research has demonstrated that both are beneficial for an individual’s mental health".
Stephen Daye, Parks & Countryside Development Officer for Carrickfergus Council who manages the Eden Allotment Gardens was also keen to congratulate all involved on their success, he said "The Council is delighted to have supported this project to date and we look forward to watching it go from strength to strength in the future. The Council is very proud of the community resource we have in terms of the allotments in Eden and it is great to see one of them having been utilised in such a worthwhile way"
BTCV is an environmental charity which supports 300,000 volunteers to take part in practical environmental projects in their communities. If you would like to know more about BTCV, please visit www.btcv.org and go to the Northern Ireland section of the site to learn about projects happening in your area.
If you would like to know more about the Eden Allotment Gardens telephone 028 9335 8000.
If you would like to know more about the work of MindWise here in Northern Ireland and ways in which you can support it including making a donation or becoming a member of the charity, please visit www.mindwisenv.org or telephone 028 90 402 323.
Eden set for People's Millions Vote
Eden Allotment Gardens is a finalist for this year's The People's Millions. Voting for the project will commence on 25 November.
The £46,676 project will develop a community fruit and vegetable growing project at Eden Allotment Gardens in Carrickfergus, including a demonstration garden and on-site horticultural training room which will involve local people in growing their own food and build links to local communities, encouraging cross-community working. The project will principally involve people from deprived communities in the wards of Northland, Sunnylands, Clipperstown and Love Lane in Carrickfergus and will also involve people with physical and mental health difficulties.
The impact of the project will include improved community relations and reduced tension, increased knowledge about diet and healthy eating, increased skills and employability and reduced stress and improved mental health. Local community groups have been approached and have expressed an interest in being involved in the project.
To help Growing Communities in Carrickfergus win funding you must vote by phone between 9am and midnight on 25 Nov 2009. The voting phone number will be advertised here and in the Daily Mirror on the day. A short video about this project and the competing project will also be shown on the ITV regional news between 6.00pm and 6.30pm.
Remember the Voting Date: 25 November 2009 (9am-midnight).
Further information available at People's Millions Website.
Eden Green Heroes Win Award (24 September 2009)
The Garden of Eden allotment project has won the title of “BTCV Project of the Year” in the Green Heroes Awards in association with Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland. The Garden of Eden project has been running for almost a year at the Eden allotment site outside Carrickfergus. The group work weekly on the site to produce their own vegetables and have received training in a range of organic horticultural skills. The project consists of a group of volunteers from two local charities; Mindwise and the Drug and Rehabilitation Centre. The group were nominated for the award by the project co-ordinator Helen Tomb, “The team worked really hard on the project from the start, and have produced fantastic results in such a short time.” The Green Heroes Awards are given out in recognition of the outstanding work volunteers of all ages do across Northern Ireland to improve their local environment. The project was up against other projects from across Northern Ireland in the category to win the title of “Project of the year.” The project has improved the physical abilities of those involved by providing a means for gentle exercise and improving their mental health. The group grow local organic produce which they can take home and they now have a good appreciation of the benefits of eating organically where possible. The group has also recently won 1st prize in the Garden Gourmet competition for their Brussel Sprouts. The annual show displays thousands of colourful prize blooms alongside amazing monster-size vegetables and other horticultural cuties from local gardens, allotments and greenhouses. The project would not have been possible without the funding from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the huge continuous support from Carrickfergus Borough Council.
National Allotments Week (10 to 16 August)
To celebrating National Allotments Week, Carrickfergus Borough Council and Eden Allotment Holders Association are holding a Family Fun Day on Saturday 8th August, from 12 noon to 4pm.
Carrickfergus Borough Council is committed to improving the wellbeing for all the people of the Borough, through the services it provides, including our Allotment Service. We officially opened our allotment site in Eden last year. What started as 36 plots has grown to 189 plots, Eden Allotment Gardens is now the largest allotment site in Ireland.
Alderman May Beattie, Chairperson of the Parks & Countryside Committee said “Eden Allotment Gardens has been a great success. With rising food prices, concern regarding the distance food travels and the ‘grow your own’ television programmes allotments throughout the UK are in demand. National Allotments Week is a great opportunity to highlight these issues.”
Alderman Beattie continued “The Family Fun Day will include a scarecrow competition, children’s games, face painting, plant and craft sales, a petting farm and a vegetable juggler. Throughout the week we will be holding open days that includes gardening demonstrations and launching our ‘Allotment Watch’ initiative.”
Local MP & MLA, Sammy Wilson who is attending the Family Fun Day said “I am pleased to have the opportunity to meet with local Allotmenteer’s at Eden Allotment Gardens. This is an issue that is important for many people in the constituency, which has been demonstrated by the fact that although we have 189 allotments in Carrickfergus Borough, there is still a waiting list for those who wish to have an allotment.”
“Not only is it a great hobby for people, but it is good for their health as it gives them the opportunity to get outside and it is of course a form of exercise. It is also cheaper for people to grow their own food so there is that added advantage as well which has become more important for many during the recession.”
“I am looking forward to the Fun Day and see the benefits of allotments for myself. I want to commend Carrickfergus Borough Council for their far-seeing approach to allotments. Their hard work has meant that we have almost 200 allotments and I hope that this will increase so that more people will be able to have the opportunity to have their own allotment.”
Further Information on our family fun day.
Further Information on our Scarecrow Competition.
Eden Allotments Join Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens
Eden allotments have joined Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. The federation is a registered charity which supports, represents and promotes community-managed farms, gardens, allotments and other green spaces, creating opportunities for local communities to grow. They work with these community groups to help empower local people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to build better communities, often in deprived areas, and to make a positive impact on their surrounding environment. They also provide the national face of the community farm and garden movement, promoting its work and raise its profile with decision-makers, funders, the public and the media. Their magazine Growing Places is packed full of interesting stories about members, funding ideas, good practice advice, case studies, news from around the regions and much more. You can download a copy of the latest version of the FCFCG Growing Places newsletter by clicking on the link: Download the FCFCG Growing Places Newsletter.
Annual Spring Clean Weekend at Eden Allotment Gardens
Allotment Holders at Eden Allotment Gardens participated in the annual Spring Clean weekend (9th & 10th May 2009). The Allotment Holders were encouraged to chip in by cleaning up their part of the community gardens.
"Waste bags, litter pickers, gloves and a skip where available to group. This was an opportunity for the Allotment Holders to get together to get rid of unwanted items and debris" said Stephen Daye, Parks & Countryside Development Officer with Carrickfergus Borough Council.
"The goal of Spring Clean weekend is to beautify our allotments and to get Allotment Holders to take part in cleaning up for the summer period. The allotments at Eden have grown from strength to strength since the launch last April (2008). We started with 36 allotment plots but now have 189 plots within the five hectare site. This makes Eden Allotment Gardens the largest allotment site in Ireland.”
“Allotments are a great way to relax and unwind from the stresses of modern living. They are a good way of producing healthy delicious fruit and vegetables at a relatively low cost and you could produce them organically if you wanted too. Allotments are also an effective way to make friends with people who share your interest in gardening. You will also be doing your bit for the environment by reducing the pollution associated with the transportation and packaging of shop bought food.”
Having an allotment is no longer about flat caps and thermos flasks. Nowadays allotments are the preserve of Jamie Oliver just as much as Arthur Fowler. The last few years has seen a real upsurge in the number of people who want to get an allotment. A whole generation of twenty-something’s and young families are rolling up their sleeves and picking up a trowel.
Allotment plots at Eden come in a variety of each size to suit all requirements. Rental costs for an allotment are very modest and based on the size of the plot. An average plot (160sq meter) works out at less than £1 a week. Concessions are available for those who are in receipt of a state pension, unemployed, registered disabled, or a student on a grant. “
“Eden allotments are provided and administered by Carrickfergus Borough Council. If you would like an allotment please visit www.edenallotments.co.uk/apply or pick up a leaflet at any Council facility.” ended Mr. Daye
(Picture of Allotment Holders: Richard Williamson, Melanie Brown, Carrie Gault & Andrew Gault.)
Organic plots to be released
The Council recently decided to release Field D (see map) for allotment plots and it has been agreed that they will be 'organic plots'. This means that synthetic fertilizers or pesticides cannot be used. But gardening organically is much more than what you don't do - for further information on Organic Gardening visit our organic webpage or download the Organic Gardening factsheet. If you would like an allotment at Eden Allotment Gardens please join our waiting list by completing the Eden Allotment Gardens online application.
Environment Minister Sammy Wilson visits Eden Allotment Gardens
The Environment Minister Sammy Wilson visited Eden Allotment Gardens today (10 October 2008). As part of the tour, the Minister met with plotholders and representatives from the Eden Allotments Association Committee and Carrickfergus Borough Council. "We are delighted to be able to meet the Minister and were pleased that he was able to make time in his busy schedule to visit the allotment site. It was heartening to hear and see evidence of the government's interest and commitment to allotment gardening." said Stephen Daye, Parks & Countryside Development Officer.
Mr Daye continued" During his visit the Minister was able to see for himself the fruits of the plotholders work during the Summer period. The vibrant allotment site at Eden in Carrickfergus Borough was opened in April 2008. What started as 36 plots has grown already to 98 plots and we hope to have more plots ready in 2009 to satisfy our growing waiting list which presently stands at 68. I would encourage residents of the Borough to visit Eden Allotment Gardens off Beltoy Road to view what the allotmenteers have achieved in the past few months - the area is truely transformed."
"Allotment gardening can provide a number of benefits to individuals, such as the opportunity to produce a wide range of relatively inexpensive healthy vegetables, whilst at the same time providing physical exercise in the outdoors. It can create the opportunity to make new friends and provide the chance to socialise with others who enjoy a similar rewarding pastime. Allotments can provide a great sense of well-being and give pleasure and satisfaction to people who through their own skills and effort produce their own food and of course in addition allotments are also beneficial to the environment and wildlife generally. Carrickfergus Borough Council is committed to improving the quality of life for all the people of Borough through the services it provides including our allotment service". ended Mr Daye.
Eden Allotment Holders Association AGM Meeting
The Eden Allotment Holders Association AGM took place on Wednesday 10 September 2008. A constitution was agreed and a new committee was elected, they are:
Myrtle Fraser (Chairperson) B02
Gary McCabe (Vice-Chair) A23
Austin Herron (Secretary) A13
Ivan Johnston (Treasurer) A15
Philip Allen A12
Richard Cochrane C1(b)
John Wann B10(c)
Maxine Law B12
Raymond Hanna B4
Pauline Whitley A13
Best Kept Allotment Competition
A big thank you to Sunnybank Nursery and Garden Centre who sponsor the Best Kept Allotment Competition. The 2008 Best Kept Allotment Winners are:
- Winner: Robert Johnston, Carrickfergus
- Runner-Up: Bill Johnston, Carrickfergus
- Runner-Up: Godfrey Robinson, Carrickfergus
What the judges looked for:
- environment sustainability;
- the variety & quality of the crop;
- the control of weeds & rubbish;
- the use of compost;
- general appearance;
- creativity of each plot.
The prizes are:
1st Prize: �60.00 Gift Voucher
plus two Runner-Up Prizes: �35.00 Gift Voucher
The award ceremony will take place at the October Carrickfergus in Bloom Prize Giving lunch.
A Growing Community: 9 in 10 Allotment Gardeners Make Friends On Site
Allotments-UK.com, the longest running online community for allotment users in the UK, today released the results of research into allotment users in the UK. The survey, conducted to coincide with National Allotments Week, revealed the social side of allotment gardening with 9 in 10 allotments users (92%) stating that they have made friends at their allotments. The research, conducted amongst over 300 website users all over the UK, also revealed allotment gardening to be a far from solitary pursuit. 8 out of 10 (81%) receive visits to their plot from family members and almost half (45%) receive visits from friends. Allotments are not only sociable, but also practical; the survey also found that 62% of allotments users have their family working on their plots with them, with 97% going on to share tips and 9 out of 10 (90%) swapping produce with other allotment users. The results come amidst a growing trend to reduce food miles and a preference for organic produce. Sally Berry, allotment owner for 35 years and site manager for Allotments-UK.com commented "Its great to see this research backing up a well known fact among allotment owners - that its a great social activity! I would like to see more allotment sites become the sort of multi-functional space my own has become. The addition of features such as climbing frames, bike racks and a community building for socialising and swapping how tos are just some of the ways an allotment site can become a safe, green community space suitable for all ages and abilities."
Green waste composting helps Allotments
Allotment holders at Eden Allotment Gardens off Beltoy Road are delighted with the free compost supplied by Carrickfergus Borough Council via green waste collected from residents. Alderman May Beattie, Chairperson of the Parks, Countryside & Amenities Sub-Committee explained "People ask us what we do with the green waste collected for recycling and so we are delighted to show residents that their green waste is put to good use. The Council started their green waste collection service last year and the compost made has been a real benefit to local allotment holders. The soil in the Eden area is clay and so the compost will lighten it up and make an excellent mulch for feeding the plants and improving the soil structure."
"All the green waste collected by the Council's brown bin scheme has been taken to a site where the material is shredded and turned into compost. This process takes a few months and now that it is ready it has been used on the allotments. The compost has been used as part of the conditioning process to help prepare, fertilise and level the land ready for planting. Using the compost has helped to save money and shows how beneficial it can be to compost the material rather than simply disposing of it in a landfill site."
As well as making its own compost, the Council is also keen to encourage everyone to make their own compost at home by offering compost bins for �5. To find out more about this offer, please contact Sullatober Depot on 93351192. Compost bins are also available to buy at the Family Fun Day on Saturday 9 August.
National Allotments Week
Allotment holders in Eden Allotment Gardens have been busy setting out their beds at the Borough's new allotments. All 98 plots have been snapped up since the Council started allocating them in April and there is already a waiting list. We will be officially launching our new allotment gardens in Eden (off Beltoy Road) & celebrating National Allotments Week (11 to 17 August) in Carrickfergus with a Family Fun Day on Saturday 9 August, from 12 noon. The Family Fun Day is free and open to everyone and will include a vegetable barbeque, children's games, face painting, plant sales and a vegetable juggler."
Press Downloads
Belfast Telegraph feature on Eden Allotments (PDF Version)
