Allotment association in North Devon is supporting a new generation of growers

Allotments in Barnstaple are enjoying a renaissance and the people behind it have been busy working to pass on enthusiasm, support and practical help to the next generation of young growers in the town.

Barnstaple Allotment Association has been working with The Park Community School and Pilton Community College and as part of that, has donated £300 to each for their own thriving green-fingered projects.

The Pilton Community Farm is a well-established facility for the school and has been presented with £300 in gardening gifts to help continue its work enabling students to gain valuable hands-on skills and a love of growing.

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Meanwhile, The Park Forest School is also proving popular in helping young people to enjoy the outdoors, with a mix of gardening and wildlife areas plus the opportunity to take part in a range of activities.

Above: Katie Helliwell, secretary of Barnstaple Allotment Association at The Park Forest School with staff Yazz Guest and Ellie Watson to present the gardening gifts.

Barnstaple Allotment Association (BAA) was set up in 2006 by Ayesha Hooper and more recently has been driven by Mark and Katie Helliwell, who serve as chair and secretary respectively.

Katie said the grant funds were mainly raised through the sale of manure and compost to BAA members.

She added: “As a group, we are keen to encourage the younger people in our community to connect with nature and gain an introduction to the delights of gardening!”

Mark said: “There are five allotment sites in Barnstaple, with 250 plots in total. Gardening and allotments have seen quite an upsurge in the past few years with many younger people seeing the benefits of growing their own fruit and veg.

“The allotment sites have also welcomed families from Eastern Europe and further afield. We pride ourselves on making these sites happy places where everyone feels welcome and valued.”

Park’s Forest School launched in October 2024 – it runs three times a week and is led by Ellie Watson and Jazz Guest.

Above: The fire pit and outdoor area at The Park Forest School. 

Ellie, alternative provision co-ordinator at the school, said: “It’s become a calm, welcoming space for students who are disadvantaged or who have additional learning, social, emotional, or behavioural needs.

“The sessions give them a chance to learn outdoors, build confidence, develop resilience and feel part of something meaningful.

“Even in just a few months, we’ve noticed such a positive difference. Students are more willing to attend mainstream school, more eager to get stuck into activities and many have formed new friendships through shared tasks and teamwork.

“Being outdoors - digging, building, exploring - has given them a sense of achievement that’s wonderful to watch.”

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Pilton Community Farm has seen students build raised beds, lay paths, plant and harvested produce.

It helps to support pupils in developing confidence, resilience and emotional well-being through hands-on nature-based experiences and outdoor work, in partnership with local schools to provide real-world learning opportunities.

Above: Pilton Community Farm is well established with raised beds, pathways and areas to grow a wide variety of produce. 

Charlotte Bond, farm administrator, said: “The Pilton farm is an exciting hands-on learning environment where students are at the centre of everything we do.

“Since our start just a few years ago, the combined efforts of our students and staff have transformed a disused field into a thriving school asset.

“With increasing numbers of young people struggling with mental health and school attendance we want to create a space outside of a traditional classroom where they can feel safe to learn, develop new skills and passions and grow as person.

“The farm tries to meet each students individual needs and give them confidence that goes beyond the school gate.”

Alesha Hooper, who founded the BAA and also the South West Counties Allotment Association, reflected on how far things had come.

She said: “The allotment sites in Barnstaple back then were very run down and were not a council priority, there was a lot of empty plots and major amounts of rubbish had built up over time.

“We set up the association to work alongside Barnstaple Town Council in getting the allotments back to how they should be.

“There was a big waiting list at that time (I waited two years for mine!)  Between the BAA and the council, we organised clean up days on all the sites and got rid of all the rubbish and re-established plot boundaries.

“When I first heard the committee were standing down, I was so worried no-one else would come forward and I can't tell you my relief when people did. With the way things are going in the allotment world, having active associations on allotment sites is so important, they are the voice of the allotment holder and there is always safety in numbers.”

Allotment plots in the Barnstaple area are available through Barnstaple Town Council. The average standard plot costs around £30 a year and it’s £3 a year to join the Barnstaple Allotment Association and £5 to join the SWCAA which includes public and product liability insurance.

To find out more about allotments in Barnstaple and availability, please visit https://www.barnstapletowncouncil.gov.uk/facilities/allotments