New allotments bring fresh opportunities for novice gardeners

A group from Frome Community Education recently braved snow and icy winds to visit the allotment site which is under development at Birchill Lane on the edge of Frome. They were there to inspect the plot which has been made available for courses and day workshops in vegetable gardening.

Steve Neal, the Frome Allotment Association Outreach Officer has been working closely with tutor Marina Swinburne to arrange the first course of ten weekly classes, 'Grow Your Own Food for Free'.  This will enable people with limited means and no prior experience of gardening to learn how to grow vegetables at home even if they have limited space such as a windowsill or containers.  Tools are provided and the course runs on Wednesdays 10-12pm from 20th February.  Funding for the free places has been provided by Frome Development CIC.

Running alongside 'Grow Your Own Food', will be a free cookery course, 'Mandy's Meals in Minutes', starting at the Key Centre in Keyford on 22nd February.

The Birchill Lane allotments will also be used for a ten-week beginner's course on Allotment, Kitchen and Vegetable Gardening from 17th April on Wednesday evenings and for a one-day How to Garden workshop on Saturday 20th April.

Anyone interested in joining the courses can contact the Key Centre on 01373 453371 or the Cheese and Grain Box Office 01373 455420.