For a full set of Allotment photographs go to our Allotment Gallery!
Welcome to the Allotment!
Stop Press! Parish In Bloom Gold Award!
We were delighted to show the “Parish in Bloom” judges and local parish council representatives around our Cubs Allotment in July 2021.
The judges were very impressed by the hard work that had been put in by all the Cubs and in September 2021 we were very proud to be recognised by the Elvetham Heath Parish Council in their news article for helping them to achieve a Gold Award for the first time for the Parish
( Click Here for the News Article )
The Story of our Allotment…
A little overgrown, ready for some TLC!
Here is our story so far…
For about 2 years our Scout Group Allotment (Plot 14) was overgrown and neglected
Occasional individual efforts sadly weren’t enough to make a meaningful difference.
In Autumn 2020 two of our leaders, Rama and Hawk (Scout Leader names), merged ideas.
They cleared up our plot, and commemorated Remembrance Day with stones painted by our Cubs to make a poppy!
One patch of the Plot given purpose! So much effort by our Cubs to build up this pattern
The plot started to take shape again, other parts of it cleared ready for a few Cub evenings
Time to start over. We can rebuild it. We have the technology. We can make it better than it was. Better, stronger, faster.
However in January 2021 the Parish Council cleared everything away, an accident due to some missed communication from our Group (lesson learnt!)
Starting Fresh
Some Leaders and volunteers helping with their craftsmanship
The Garden Gang spouted up in early Spring 2021.After talking with the rest of the Scout Group, the Cub Leaders have agreed to work together to improve the allotment and integrate it into the Cub programme.
Other Leaders helping with the heavy paving slabs
The Garden Gang built up proper edge borders for the planting areas, laid flagstones to more easily walk between them, and got a small shed installed.
The Leaders are also following a ‘no dig’ approach to planting!
A proud noticeboard for the shed, being presented by our glamorous Cub Leader “Hawk”
They also kick-started some of the planting with:
- Potatoes
- Wild Flowers
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Lemon Balm
- Borage
- Victoria Plum Tree
Cubs Programme
It’s amazing how much even a small area can change. A vast improvement thanks to all the hard work from so many people!
As part of our Spring 2021 (lockdown) programme we have done:
- Live Planting Session on Zoom using gardening kits provided by our Leaders
- Kits also provided to Cubs currently not enjoying zoom as an offline activity
Our Summer 2021 programme is set to cover:
- Allotment Code of Conduct
- Hands On – Planting, Weeding, Watering etc
- Crafting Planters / Bug Hotels
- Trellis Pioneering
- Wildlife Wide-games
- Tasting and Cooking the harvest
Summer Update 1
Layla, one of our Beavers, is loving the allotment plot and is a regular helper with her mum.
“Fingers crossed the frost doesn’t kill the new plants, but we have tons of seeds!”
And Laura has been preparing for planting (20th April)!
Summer Update 2
There’s been a lot of Buzz at the Cubs Allotment this Term with all Cubs taking part in planting and watering their seedlings, crafting planters and bug hotels, building climbing trellis with their pioneering skills and learning hands on about nature.
The Cubs (and Leaders) have loved watching their allotment flourish, checking up on the vegetables, herbs & spices, and wild flowers that are growing.
Check the Allotment Gallery for more photos – there’s too many to fit in with this update!
