FAITH in COMMUNITY ALLOTMENT 

This is an interfaith alloment that grows food and keeps poultry. The project is managed by volunteers and offers opportunities for volunteering placement, hobby, information and advice, and training workshops.

The project de-mystifies basics such as composting, recycling and reusing, showing how bird boxes, poultry housing and planters could be made from recycled timber and other materials. It provides information and advice on healthy eating, green exercise and poultry care, showing visitors around the plot and the chicken, duck and geese enclosure where visitors have an opportunity to handle birds and learn how readily available materials,  such as white vinegar as a cleaning supplement, can be used to promote hygienic accommodation.

Open Day Report – 8^th OCTOBER 2009

Our open day welcomed twenty visitors of mixed age, gender, ethnicity and ability. As well as discussing  approaches to growing fresh fruit and vegetables in a variety of settings, including hanging baskets, window boxes, tyres, pots and other containers, people were able to assist in planting winter onions and help complete raised beds through various stages. We de-mystified basics such as composting, recycling and reusing, showing how bird boxes, poultry housing and planters could be made from recycled timber and other materials. We answered questions on healthy eating, green exercise and poultry care, showing visitors around the plot and the chicken, duck and geese enclosure where they had an opportunity to handle birds and learned how readily available materials,  such as white vinegar as a cleaning supplement, can be used to promote hygienic accommodation. We told them how vegetable peelings and bread leftovers can be made into a mash as an addition to the staple grain diet; explained the place of cider vinegar in drinking water as a tonic and shared egg recipes.

 Elaine, John, myself and the volunteers explained our long term aim to see home food production back in local communities in keeping with Manchester City Councils intention to promote healthy eating and to support nature by reintroducing bee-keeping to the city. A range of books and magazines on various aspects of food production, poultry care, composting and related issues were displayed for people to browse through and our intention of developing a library for participants in the project outlined. All participants were given a Battery Hen Welfare Trust leaflet and covering letter and told how to join our scheme to rehome battery hens in a local special interest network to bring the benefits of fresh eggs to schools and families across Manchester. All visitors were invited to take a selection of vegetables and fruit grown on the plot to try at home, with recipe suggestions for large squashes, marrows and pumpkins for those unfamiliar with these vegetables. Some people picked apples from our fruit trees to try.

 Overall, we had a very positive response. Our estimated costings were reduced by the donation of fruit juice, plates and cups and by reductions on prices originally quoted. Also, a schoolgirl who came along with her mother has arranged to do part of her Duke of Edinburgh award with us in the New Year, while two people, including a local shop-keeper, have offered to help as volunteers. Other projects working to feed vulnerable people have learned about our Pharaohs Barn sharing scheme and many people expressed a wish to come back in the spring to see how the new ideas we are implementing have progressed and to share how they have put ideas into practice at home. Two photographers attended and an item in the Advertiser featured an image of John Steadman of Gorton Horticultural Society, one of our partner organisations, picking apples on the day.