So we got allotment because me and my husband are dreaming one day to have countryside life, where we can have our own big garden through working hard. So our allotment is, for us, an escape from town. 

Personally, I grew up in the countryside and this allotment site is friendly and has a helpful community -it just reminds me of home. 

We want our kids to be involved and understand that it is hard work but we want to create something nice. We are so happy and thankful that we got one!

I have had the allotment for approximately 18 years. Me and my husband David took it on following a visit to the Annual Show one year.

Unfortunately, my husband died 5 ½ years ago but I decided to keep the plot on. There is a lot of David here as he made the raised beds and shed out of scrap materials. I am trying to continue this when things need replacing.

The allotment is a place where I feel happy and close to David. It is so peaceful when you come here and I get great satisfaction growing my own vegetables and fruit. 

I hope to keep my allotment for many years to come.

Oh! And by the way - I am not on my own when I come here  - I have my trusted friend Teddy!

Dave:

“Having retired from the RAF, I needed something to fill my time and something to rebuild my recovery from a serious illness. Allied to this, it gave me the opportunity to grow my veggies, fruit and the like, plus gave me the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends”.

Lesley:

“IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, JOIN EM'!!!

Whilst not in my top 10 of things to do back in January 2015, Dave took over plot 50b. 

It took a while for me to get involved, but now I cook lunch down here, sit in a deck chair, read, chat a lot and have the odd glass of wine and plant a bit of what takes my fancy. All at the same time as getting a nice sun tan.

....whats not to like”?! 

“It's a suburban sanctuary from the day to day rat race. A friendly plot of land to retreat to on sunny (and damp) evenings.  An opportunity to grow (and eat!) vegetables you can't buy from your local shop; from crookneck squash to asparagus kale.  As well as the children get a chance to muck about in mud and subtlety learn the fork to plate ethos, whilst meeting new friends along the way”.

So where to start? For as long as I could remember Dad always had an allotment. He had to - with 7 kids, he had to feed us somehow! So, whilst Dad grew for the family, mum hoed as the kids dragged watering cans up and down the garden path to the allotments at the back of the garden. Those were the days - when the summer was always hot and the sun shone every day (it seemed).

The lifelong lessons stayed embedded and about 7 years ago, one of my sisters took on a plot in Derby city, though as her work grew, she asked me to help her on her plot and I did. As her work took over her life, I took over her plot and settled into allotmenting and Bill became the ‘allotment widower’.

As my journey to that plot got longer in the traffic, I decided to move sites and on the 19th February 2016, I had the tour of the plots here at ARDAA. A day not to forget and one that Bill will requote! He thought I was bonkers but I saw the potential of the plot and knew we would be happy on the site. In the following 3 months, we pulled in favours from family and friends and never looked back.

A relaxing pastime with a fruitful ending and a happy one too – Bill and I work now plot together and as they say…..live happily ever after…..(after, that is, I have told him what to do of course)!

The reason I decided to have an allotment was years ago as I sat in the endless queues of traffic as I made my way to teach the Derby folk at Wilmorton College.  Every morning I saw this elderly gentleman, probably the age I am now, so a mere youngster, pushing his wheelbarrow on his way to the allotment and thought you know what one day that's what I'm going to do, I have always loved gardening and he looked so relaxed and I thought how wonderful.

So, as it got closer to my retirement I got in touch with several allotments and had my name put down and 18 months later I got a call to say one had become vacant.  We, you notice I now say WE, went down and when we saw the plot Trevor said OMG, half had not been cultivated for 12 years and the brambles were over 6 feet tall, we discovered an apple tree totally hidden with brambles several weeks later.  We took the plot as I was so excited and set to and 5 years later we are still at Plot 80 which has been transformed but love it.

An allotment is not just about growing things but you meet lots of wonderful people, have a laugh, share ideas and problems, etc.  It has certainly been our bolt hole on many occasions over the last few years.  

You arrive there with the weight of the world on your shoulders and leave a different person!!!  It is so quiet and peaceful, the birds are singing, your produce is growing and weeding is the best!!!

I was introduced to the allotments by a friend and shared her plot for a few months. I enjoyed it so much I applied for a plot as soon as some came available. 

Coming to the allotments gives me a space to think and the joy of growing my own, it tastes so much better. 

The allotment has been a place for making new friends and recovery from serious illness. A place for creativity and to enjoy the great outdoors at any time of the day.

We have always grown veg at home but only had a very small area.\

When we retired we applied for a plot and were fortunate to get one almost straight away. 

We grow most fruit and veg and eat fresh as much as we can. What is over we give to neighbours and family, and freeze jam and pickle the rest.

Julia:

After years of suffering from depression, and after a particularly bad episode in 2009 I was encouraged to start growing my own veg at home. I enjoyed doing this so much I started to take over the flower boarders with potatoes...then I started thinking perhaps I should get an allotment!

I went in at the deep end and took on a full-sized plot. Initially I didn't know if I could cope with being around other people, but that's the beauty of most allotments; if you want to be on your own you can be but if you want company there is always someone around to chat to.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, having an allotment has been the best thing for my mental health, it's my little haven and I get a great sense of calm when I am on my plot. The satisfaction and wellbeing from producing your own fruit and veg is incredible, plus I have made some wonderful friends on this site and my previous one.

I would encourage anyone considering taking on a plot to go for it, it's hard work at times but well worth it.

Mark: “How else would I get to see my wife?!"

Nature is magical. After planting a few small seeds you are rewarded with delicious food which money can't buy.

After several years of opening our garden under the NGS "Yellow Book" scheme and raising thousands of pounds for charity we were forced through ill health to re-think and start again. 

This allotment means we can continue to grow the foods we love, cook amazing meals for us our friends and family and stay healthy.