A green-fingered group of allotment holders in Westfield, Radstock, near Bath, has secured £5,000 to help young people learn about gardening, after winning a national award.
Westfield Allotment and Garden Society (WAGS) was awarded the funding by financial mutual, OneFamily, through its Foundation Community Awards.
The twice-yearly awards provide game-changing opportunities for community organisations, groups and projects across the UK.
WAGS is a group of 40 allotment holders whose aim is to encourage children of all ages to grow their own vegetables, fruit and flowers, by giving them their own plots of land and sharing their skills and experience.
The group manages 32 allotment plots in Waterford Park, plus 15 raised beds already in use by disabled adults and children, and works with local youngsters to help raise awareness of where food comes from.
WAGS will use the award to create another six beds for the use of local school children and community groups like Scouts and Cubs.
It was nominated for a Foundation Community Award by Anthony Reed, a OneFamily customer, who is also a supporter of the group. It was one of 41 organisations presented with an award in the latest round.
WAGS member Jackie Bryant said: “We want to show young people how much fun gardening can be, and how rewarding it is to grow your own food. It also helps them to learn about where their food comes from.
“We’re hoping to join forces with some local schools and community groups to help grow the scheme, and we are planning a big open day in the summer.
“These new beds will be great for growing vegetables like potatoes and carrots, as well as some faster-growing crops like salads and even sunflowers.”
Karl Elliott, marketing director at OneFamily, said: “WAGS promotes a healthy lifestyle to young people in its community and the scheme is great way for children to get their hands dirty while also learning more about the food they eat.
“Our Community Awards go right to the heart of what being part of a mutual society is all about, directly benefitting our customers and the causes closest to their hearts.
“Our next round of Community Awards are set to launch in autumn and we’d encourage our Somerset-based customers to get involved and nominate a cause that’s important to them.”
Through its Foundation, OneFamily redistributes a proportion of its profits back to its customers, to help them to help their families, their communities and those they care about most.
In 2016, 100,000 people directly benefited from Foundation Community Awards.
Over a period of five years, OneFamily aspires to make £5 million available through its Foundation, helping to improve the lives of its customers, their families and communities.
