Growing together: Lottery funding supports new allotment project at Hft’s On Your Doorstep Service

Fresh produce grown on-site will support healthier meals and wellbeing

Green-fingered gardeners supported by Hft’s On Your Doorstep service have been busy tending to their new allotment – thanks to a lottery funding boost.

Hft’s On Your Doorstep day service, based at Blists Hill in Ironbridge, was awarded funding by the National Lottery’s Community Fund to make its vision to secure an allotment for the people it supports, a reality.

The service which launched in 2023, is a new model of support that provides opportunities for learning disabled people with more complex and social support needs to access community led support and events outside of a building base.

Individuals supported at the service already help at a local community orchard, planting and tending to vegetable beds as well as spending time in the service’s on-site greenhouse, growing produce including herbs, tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers.

As part of a drive to expand activities, the On Your Doorstep team has secured an allotment at Stanmore Drive in Telford.

Funding from the National Lottery’s Community Fund has been used to pay for the allotment rent as well as for tools, including spades, hoes, gardening gloves, compost and seed trays.

The team took over the allotment in September and have so far been busy clearing the site of weeds and digging it over ready to plant for Spring.

People supported by Hft have been making weekly trips to the plot to help with the work.

Naz, who is supported by Hft and helps tend the allotment, said: “I am excited to see all the vegetables we plant grow.

“I like being outside and spending time with my friends.

“Next year I want to plant potatoes, cabbages and cauliflowers.”

Some of the adults who work on the allotment live at Hft’s new supported living homes at Heritage Walk in Ironbridge.

It is planned for individuals to use the produce grown at the allotment in creating their daily meals, promoting healthy eating habits and wellbeing.

It is also hoped to secure a second allotment close to the Heritage Walk development for individuals to cultivate and grow their own produce.

On Your Doorstep Deputy Day Service Manager Joseph Saunders said: “Horticulture and gardening has always been a big part of our service.

“The people we support find gardening a very therapeutic activity and an enjoyable way of spending time outdoors.

“They get great reward from seeing the seeds they plant grow into produce which they can then go on and enjoy.

“Gardening is an activity that we can all enjoy together, regardless of ability.”

In the longer term there are hopes to be able to can and pickle the produce grown with money raised from its sale being pumped back into the gardening scheme.

There are also plans to introduce cooking classes to enable individuals to learn how to use the produce grown in their meals.

The On Your Doorstep service offers a safe daily social meet-up hub and a range of in-person activities, outings and events.

It supports participants to build new life skills, increase independence, develop friendships and build confidence through regular social engagement.

The service is different from other local projects as it is made up of individually chosen activities, undertaken with one to one support or in very small supported groups of two or three.

It is also distinct in that it has a strong focus on learning, developing and practising life skills.

The lottery funding is also helping to support other activities at the service, with plans to run a ceramics class later in the year.