Learn a lot about allotments

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is running workshops all about allotments in the New Year.

There are currently three allotment sites in the borough, Eden Allotment Gardens, Greenisland Allotment Gardens and Larne Allotment Gardens.

Thirty-six Allotment Workshops will be delivered across the three sites, from January right through to December in 2018.

The workshops will run on each site every month to show keen gardeners what they should be doing on their plot all throughout the year.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Council, Cllr Paul Reid, said: “Allotment gardening can provide a number of benefits, such as the opportunity to produce a wide range of relatively inexpensive healthy vegetables, whilst at the same time providing physical exercise in the outdoors. It can also create the opportunity to make new friends and they provide the chance to socialise with others who enjoy a similar rewarding pastime.

“Allotments can provide a great sense of well-being and give pleasure and satisfaction to people who through their own skills and effort produce their own food. Allotments are also beneficial to the environment and wildlife generally. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is committed to improving the quality of life for all the people of the Borough through the services it provides including our allotment service.”

All workshops are all free to attend and are open to interested members of the public as well as current allotment holders.

The first workshop ‘Soil Health Check’ will be held on Saturday, January 6, 11am to 1pm, at Larne Allotment Gardens. ‘Soil Health Check’ will also take place at Greenisland Allotment Gardens on Saturday, January 27, 10am to 12noon, and Eden Allotment Gardens, January 27, 1pm to 3pm.

Workshops will be held on the same day and time each month: Larne Allotment Gardens, first Saturday of each month, 11am to 1pm; Greenisland Allotment Gardens, fourth Saturday of each month, 10am to 12noon; Eden Allotment Gardens, fourth Saturday of each month, 1pm to 3pm.

For more information on allotment gardening you can visit: www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/allotments