Meet the Caritas Lalley Allotment: a hidden oasis 10 minutes from the city centre
This wonderfully diverse growing space has been quietly tucked away in Collyhurst at the Caritas Lalley Centre since Groundwork helped to develop the site back in 2016.
We recently caught up with Raddon, who works at the allotment, to explore the space, find out what’s been growing and chat about some of the benefits and challenges of managing such an impressive community allotment…
What makes this allotment special or unique, to you?
For me, it’s the sense you get when you walk in that you’re somewhere entirely different to the city centre, even though it’s only 10 minutes away by bus or bike. We’re surrounded by trees here and many people comment that it feels ‘like a little oasis’ when they visit for the first time. The setting means that we’re able to provide a peaceful, biodiverse green space to so many people, including school children, living here or in the city centre where this kind of environment is really lacking.
What do you grow at the allotment?
As we’re growing primarily to supply our food pantry at the Lalley Centre, we aim to grow what people accessing the service like to eat! So there are plenty of cooking staples like onions, garlic and potatoes as well as salads and loads of spinach. One of the most popular items is cucumbers, so we prioritise those in the polytunnel over summer. We grow lots of other crops that do well here, like brassicas, chard, squashes, beetroot and herbs.
I also try and make sure we’re trying out less common varieties of veg too, like Purple Orache this year – there’s so many more plants we can eat than just what supermarkets offer! It’s not all about food though: we’re always trying to fit more flowers into the space we have, both for people and pollinators. We also ‘grow’ nearly 10 tonnes of compost a year from food waste processed in our Ridan composter!
Are there any challenges you’re currently facing in managing a space like this?
As it’s a big site, so we’re always looking for more helpers for growing and maintenance of the garden. One of the main challenges is encouraging people to take the first step by just visiting the allotment to see if it’s something they might be interested in. But once someone does come once, they’re much more likely to start feeling the benefits and wanting to come back.
What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned through coming to the allotment?
Something I’ve learned (like all other gardeners!) is how important it is to prioritise where to focus my time and work. There’s no point clearing an area if we don’t have the resources to use it productively soon; much better to let it grow wilder, which will quickly provide habitats for all sorts of life that contributes to a healthier garden ecosystem overall. I’ve found that growing in a more nature-friendly way (we are now organic and no-dig) is also easier for most people too and makes the experience of being here so much richer overall.
What advice would you give to people who want to start growing but are unsure where or how to begin?
It can feel like there’s a huge amount to learn or equipment to buy before starting growing, so my advice is to see if there’s a community garden in your area where you can learn from others first. The online Good to Grow map is a really good place to find out what’s nearby. In terms of growing advice, Charles Dowding’s books and YouTube videos are my go-to because of just how comprehensive, but simply explained, they are.
We ‘grow’ nearly 10 tonnes of compost a year from food waste processed in our Ridan composter!
Are there any ways people can get involved with the allotment space?
Yes! We have open sessions for anyone to drop in on Mondays from 10:30-1pm, on Thursdays from 1:30-4pm and Fridays from 2-4pm. If you’d like to come regularly, our volunteering link for the allotment and all our other roles with Caritas is: https://www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer/
Or if you have any questions just email lalleycentre@caritassalford.org.uk. Do give us a follow on Instagram, on Facebook and on X for updates too!
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Growing your own, whether organic food or flowers, can be rewarding in ways that are hard to imagine until you’ve tried. Even if you only get one tomato from your plant, it’s a step towards living a bit more healthily in the world we all share. Do it with others and you get all the social wellbeing benefits too. Best of all, it’s never too late to start!
