Willoughby Jubilee Allotments
Andrea Hughes explains:
"The seed that set our allotments growing was first sown in 2011 when I surveyed the village to see if there was any interest in trying to set up allotments. Since moving to Willoughby in 2007, my husband Alan and I had felt that this facility was sadly lacking in our village.
"The survey was conducted under the umbrella of the Willoughby Society who were looking for a Jubilee project. Allotments were a popular project choice and although a suitable piece of land had been identified, it was not immediately available. It was recognised that the time it would take to acquire the land and establish the allotments did not align with the funding timeframe.
"Undaunted, I persisted as the positive response from about fourteen people was sufficient to put a formal request to the Parish Council, who have a responsibility to try and supply such facilities if a need is shown. This was in 2012; Jubilee year. So the project passed from the Willoughby Society to the Parish Council in view of the statutory duty to provide allotments where there is demand.
"It took some time to acquire the land; I had long thought that the disused plot behind the pond was going to waste and suggested to the PC that this could possibly be suitable. The owner was located and agreed to sell the plot to the PC for use as allotments. This was in 2013. The necessary groundwork needed was undertaken by the PC; fencing, clearing etc. This all took time. Meanwhile, as a group, we formed the ‘Willoughby Jubilee Allotment Association’ and were granted a long term lease by the Parish Council to manage the new site.
"We allotmenteers took over our plots on a cold morning in February 2014 and the task of digging and planting began. Amazingly we are now four years on."
20th October 2018