Over the years VANEL has led on a number of green, environmental projects such as the current Green Influencers programme but also Green Grow Box; Cleethorpes Green Route and others. Having our own allotment to ‘get our hands dirty’ has been part of our delivery for a long time too.
Our allotment plot is on West Marsh Allotments site in West Marsh. We started on the plot many years ago with our MOVE support programme where the site gave an opportunity for our clients to get practical and social experience outside on the allotment. And a large part of that plot was set aside for community gardening, and the site helped when we were delivering our Green Grow Box support locally.
After a break, we’re now back on the plot with our very own Allotmenteer Rob Patchett leading the work on the site supported by a regular volunteer. This year the site has been spruced up again and is now producing produce rapidly.
Anything grown on the site is going to be supplied to local initiatives such as the foodbank run from West Marsh Community Centre nearby. There’s a local Green Influencers group nearby at Littlecoates School and they too will be connecting with the work on the allotment.
At the moment we’re also exploring other partnerships to allow other clients from other groups to use the site and we’re looking at other ways to get volunteers involved and to make the most of any produce generated from the site.
West Marsh Allotments was also VANEL’s very first Allotment Watch site (a version of Neighbourhood Watch for allotments) and Wayne and the committee at the allotment association have been extremely helpful throughout our allotment journey.
Any questions:
Rob re the allotment site
Sam re Green Influencers
Karl re Allotment Watch
Here’s a video from a few years ago showing the West Marsh Allotments and featuring some of the original VANEL projects on the site
Photos from site, June 2025
