Winners of Newbury allotment awards crowned

The winners of the best kept allotment awards were crowned during an evening of celebrations at the Town Hall Chamber in Newbury, writes Martha White.

The mayor of Newbury David Harman and mayoress Rosalind Harman presented the awards on Tuesday night last week.

Awards were given to those who impressed the judges with their outstanding allotment plots across the six sites in Newbury.

Mr Harman said: “Our allotment tenants do a fantastic job caring for their plots.

“They don’t just grow fresh produce – they create spaces that benefit both body and mind.

“Every site is full of creativity and variety and the dedication of our tenants deserves real recognition.”

Twenty-one awards were handed out including a ‘Best Newcomer’, ‘Best Plot’, ‘Best Schools Plot’ and the coveted ‘Best Site Overall’.

Allotment steward at Southby Shannon Carr managed to secure the main prize and proudly took home the trophy.

Councillor Vaughan Miller, who chairs the council’s community services committee, said: “I was especially impressed by Southby’s.

“All of the sites were in great condition despite the challenging weather but Southby’s stood out for the steward’s enthusiasm, their innovative use of sustainable by-products for mulching and their smart approach to bulk fertiliser purchasing.’.

The plots were assessed based on a number of criteria including crop variety, path condition, overall visual impact, effective use of space and special features to support wildlife.

Many allotment tenants had used their plots to boost biodiversity with many featuring ‘bee tubes’, ‘bug hotels’ and small ponds to help amphibians thrive.

This helps to support local wildlife and contributes to wider climate action.

A special award was given to Falkland Primary School for its allotment plot at Wash Common.

The pupils tend this plot and their work will go on to inspire the next generation of gardeners.

All sites do currently have waiting lists, however if you would like to join the community and ‘grow your own’, you can register your interest at www.newbury.gov.uk/services/allotments

Across Newbury there are around 550 allotment plots including small starter spaces and larger family plots to choose from.

The tenants at these plots range from newcomers and young families to lifelong gardeners.