Banbury allotment group ‘delighted’ to receive £500 grant from local charity fundraiser group

The volunteer-led group have been maintaining the allotment space on Boxhedge Road since 2018, but the site has been home to allotments for at least 130 years.

A welcome sum of £500 from Localgiving.com’s Magic Little Grant will go towards significant improvements to one of the site boundaries and cutting down the ivy on an old cherry tree in the corner of the allotment.

The members of the group hope that the improvements and clearing of the ivy will lead to a more productive summer and a much expanded growing space for people to use.

The director of Friends of Neithrop Allotments, Steve Kilsby, said: "The Magic Little Grant came at just the right time for us. During Winter 2023, the Friends of Neithrop Allotments were able to appoint a local professional tree care company to tackle the ivy on the boundary. The improvement we have achieved was immediately apparent, and we expect the benefit of it to be felt for many years.

"We are very grateful to the Magic Little Grants scheme, to Cotefield Treecare and to local neighbours for their help and understanding while the tree work was underway.”

The site requires ongoing maintenance, but thanks to the recent boundary clearing work, the Friends are hoping that more local people will be encouraged to take up allotments to grow their own fruit and vegetables and protect local wildlife and the environment.