It’s about so much more than food…
Anyone having an allotment will tell that it’s not just fresh fruit and veg they get from thier plots: meeting with friends, sharing food and knowledge, reconnecting with nature and getting some healthy exercise are also among the vital benefits that these growing spaces can offer—and now research also demonstrates this.
Miriam’s latest work, just published in the British Food Journal, shows that allotments provide a multitude of social and environmental benefits to tenants, furthering the cause of increasing dwindling allotment supply in the country. Our previous research has already demonstrated that urban horticulture can bring substantial food security benefits, and now there is also evidence that providing more people with space to grow their own could have a positive impact on many more aspects of their life. You can read the full article here.
This study would not have been possible without the help of many growers who had participated in Miriam’s allotment diary project, so here is a huge thank you to them!