The National Allotment Society otherwise known as NAS are the leading organisation for the allotment community all over the UK. They work with various organisations and the government to provide, promote and preserve allotments for all. The theme for this year's National Allotments Week (8th - 14th August) is the acknowledgement of the importance of gardening with nature in mind. Allotment plots provide a whole ecosystem for insects, plants, microorganisms and fungi, as well providing refuge for wildlife in urban areas - so they’re extremely important in supporting and maintaining many species.
Discover the benefits of joining in with this very traditional British passion:
- Having an allotment can help you live a healthier lifestyle. If you don’t like the idea of pesticides in your food, an allotment allows you to choose what goes into your soil. You can also grow varieties that you might not find in the shops.
- Meet new people and make new friends with fellow plot-holders. Sharing advice and experiences with other allotment owners while you work can be a real bonding activity.
- Save money on expensive supermarket fruit and vegetables.
- Getting outdoors within nature and plants is good for our mental health and wellbeing. Spending as little as 15 minutes a day out in the summer sunshine can build up our levels of vitamin D which is essential for healthy teeth and bones.
- The exercise that comes with gardening on an allotment can be great for your physical health. Get those joints moving and limbs stretching. Did you know that just 30 minutes of gardening on your allotment can burn around 150 calories, the same as doing low impact aerobics.
- Help your community to keep thriving as well as essential wildlife that may inhabit in and around allotments.
- Having your own plot of land to lay out however you like can really get your creative juices flowing, not only will you feel a sense of achievement when you’ve grown your first vegetable but also the sense of enjoyment is there too.
Happy gardening!
If you have an allotment, be sure to share this with us on our social media pages, we’d love to see it!