Association Projects
Communal Composting
Project Manager: Volunteer Required
Project Status: Early days of research and fund raising
To aid new tenants with clearing plots and to ensure that all green waste is recycled the association is proposing the installation of communal compost bins at various locations around the site.
Community Cabin Rebuild
Project Manager: Volunteer Required
Project Status: Early days of fund raising
Following the recent arson attack on the site hut (incorporating the site shop), a new project has been started to raise funds to build a community cabin. This will serve as the hub of allotment life. There will be a resource centre and small site shop, open to all. In addition, the association will hold meetings and general get togethers in the community cabin.
Central Area Clearance
Project Manager: David Green
Project Status: On-going
The central area has long been neglected and a place where many tenants dump their rubbish. The intention is to beautify the area and provide (limited) but much needed parking bays. Phase 1 has already been completed with disused sheds removed, weeds taken up and grass seed put down. Phase 2 has now been completed with bulbs planted in the grassed areas. In spring expect to see a river of bluebells,surrounded by daffodils, with crocuses under the trees.
Wildlife/Wildflower Area
Project Manager: Chris Taylor
Project Status: On-going
The area directly behind the heritage orchard is now designated a wildlife & wildflower area. Work is underway to reduce the number of unwanted weeds to encourage flowers and plants to grow that are beneficial to wildlife. A number of hedgehogs homes have also been built.
Sponsor a bat box
Project Manager: Clare Green
Project Status: Complete
Association members donated money to sponsor bat boxes that have put up around the site. The batboxes were built by the Middleforth scout group.
New Mower
Project Manager: Paul Pells
Project Status: Complete
A new mower was purchased to maintain the Heritage Orchard and main pathways. It will only be available to a selected number of volunteers. Members of the association can continue to borrow the existing mower to maintain their pathways.
Community Hut Renovations
Project Manager: Peter Van Holsbeke
Project Status: Complete
A grant was been awarded for renovating the community hut, both inside and out. Work is complete.
Toilet Provision Project
Project Manager: Peta Carter
Project Status: Suspended
At the general meeting held on the 26th April the association voted in favour of investigating the provision of a toilet on the site. This would be a compost toilet. Peta Carter volunteered to be the project manager. The project is still in its early days but please visit this page for updates.
14/06/2010
Peta submiited her first project progress report to the committee which included plans for the key stages of the project.
16/06/2010
The association secretary sent a letter to Preston City Council asking for permission in principle for the provision of a toilet on the site subject to further investigation.
12/03/2011
Letter from Preston City Council recieved by the site rep and passed on to the association secretary.
13/04/2011
Letter from Preston City Council discussed at council meeting and next steps determined.
25/10/2011
Following a review of the project by the committee it was decided that this project should be put on hold until the future of the allotments is more certain. The committee feel that such a large investment, and subsequent maintenance costs, would not provide sufficient benefits for the association members.
Welcome Packs
Project Manager: Clare Green
Project Status: Completed
New tenants to the allotment will now recieve a Welcome Pack comprising of a number of leaflets offering advice about how and where to start on the allotment and will include an invitation to join the association. Fifty welcome packs where produced with the funding recieved. PDF versions of this information will be available on the Minutes & Downloads page for existing members and tenants to read.
Fencing Project
Project Manager: David Green
Project Status: Completed
In the summer of 2008 is was decided at an allotment meeting that something must be done about the boundary fence between the allotments and the Penwortham bypass. The increase in vandalism and theft affected many allotment holders and the low fencing did nothing to deter trepassers.
A working party was set up that consisted of both committee members and volunteers from allotment holders to determine if the fence could be raised and how it was going to be paid for.
Since then, Paul Pells has worked tirelessly to raise funds. So far, we have recieved generous contributions from the following organisations:
- Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund
- South Ribble Community Development Office
- Preston Central Area Forum
- Preston City Council Parks Department
- United Utilities
- Rotary Club (Preston South)
- NHS Central Lancashire (via Lancashire Wildlife Trust)
- Our own allotment funds
- Lancashire Locals (via County Cllr Tony Pimblett)
In addition we have recieved funds for crime prevention from Lancashire Partnership Against Crime (LANPAC).
Thank you to all those who have provided funding.
We have recieved support from Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council, Lancashire Highways and United Utilities who all have an interest in the boundary fence, and are happy for us to go ahead with replacing the old fence.
We have established a working relationship with the Probation Service who are keen to help. They will be providing the labour to replace the fence and clear the large unused bramble covered space nearby. Future possibilities include helping to keep the general areas tidy and assisting with clearing unused plots ready for new tenants.
Heritage Orchard
Project Manager: Jim Melrose
Project Status: Completed, on-going tree maintenance
Penwortham Holme West Allotment site whilst officially in South Ribble, is owned by Preston City Council. During the last 18 months the Association has received grants from various organisations to improve both the appearance and security of the site with the erection of new fencing, a new gate ordered and the clearance of a piece of land within the site, not suitable for growing vegetables, to create a Heritage Fruit Orchard. By doing this we hope to preserve old varieties of apples and pears, no longer commercially available, that were at one time grown extensively in orchards in the North West of England.
We are very pleased that the Mayor of South Ribble, Councillor Don Parkinson, the Mayor of Preston, Councillor Keith Sedgewick and the Mayor of Penwortham Councillor Jim Hothersall along with Terery Phelan, the Countryside officer from the Green Partnership Award Scheme were able to come along on the 9th March to plant a fruit tree. There have been allotments on this site for over 90 years but historically the site has played a great part in Lancashire history, in the 18th and 19th century it was one of three racecourses in the Preston area. In 1898 The Greatest Show on Earth took place on the Holme when three circuses owned by Barnum and Bailey set up on site, on the 11th and 12th of August, and in 1904 William "Buffalo Bill" Cody staged his Wild West Show.