Allotment saved for community
Main image: Members of Knowle West Alliance Working Group at Let’s Grow Community Allotment.. Picture KWMC.
A popular local allotment has been saved as a community asset – after Knowle West Alliance put in a successful bid to Bristol City Council.
Previously run by Knowle West Health Association for 10 years, Let’s Grow Community Allotment is a 1.3-acre site on Springfield Allotments off Andover Road.
Due to funding challenges, it was returned to the council at the end of last year and its future uncertain.
Knowle West Alliance (KWA) recently put in a partnership bid to the council’s Allotment Team – determined to make sure the space remained for the benefit of local people.
Alliance Co-ordinator Lucy Holburn says the success of the bid is due to “the power of community working together” and she is hopeful the paperwork will be signed next week.
KWA members will also be carrying out a site visit – with the first phase to make the allotment “safe and usable”.
Lucy says: “The plan now is to invite local groups, residents and organisations to be a part of creating a “shared, productive, learning space” that everyone can enjoy.
“The three main areas of activity will be:
- Growing local vegetables at affordable prices
- Volunteer and training opportunities
- Community: access to green space and nature-based activities for groups and individuals
“The KWA network of residents and organisations is excited about the potential this site offers to address both the cost of living and climate crisis…”
Local resident Steve Griffiths, who will be volunteer Head Gardener at the site says: “We want to grow vegetables at affordable prices for local people.
“It’s an opportunity to bring everyone together to support health and wellbeing.”
Resident and Director of Filwood Community Market Kevin Williams agrees: “We can harness the connected local network to get groups and volunteers on the site – so much can happen here.”
KWA wants to find out how local people want to use the space. It says so far lots of groups from Knowle and Filwood have come forward, keen to be part of the project – and there’s “real appetite for making this a collective success.”
