Three years ago, St James’ Church in West End was gifted the use of an allotment by their local parish council. The church, which already has a silver Eco Church award, saw it as a way to become ‘sustainable church flower ambassadors’ and to grow their own flowers for arrangements within the church.
The allotment, however, has become much more than that and has offered opportunities to engage with the church congregation and local community, a place to provide therapy for people who are struggling and an outreach to show God’s love.
Revd Vicky Maunder said, “I think there are so many positive things about the allotment. We’re doing a lot of work on Eco Church and caring for God’s creation, and we want to be as sustainable as we can. The flower team are hoping to grow flowers to use in church but it’s also just great to be out in the community and to have a presence.”
She continued, “Our church is on a big road, not actually in the heart of any of our communities, so it’s good to have spaces within the community that we serve, where we can be and connect with those around us. It’s an opportunity to invite schools and groups to come in, and to talk about how important it is to care for God’s creation.”
The allotment has been visited by the local Squirrels group (young Scouts aged 4 to 6 years old) as well as pupils from Saint James’ Primary School who did some planting.
Volunteers from the church give up time to do the many jobs required, from watering, trimming, planting and strimming. They gather on a Monday evening, fortnightly on a Saturday morning but can also visit at other times.
The allotment is a quiet and peaceful environment with coffee and tea making facilities enabling conversations to take place.
Joint co-ordinator June Butler said, “I think there are many ways that we do outreach, and some church members are extremely quiet and reserved, but once they get here, they’re really enthusiastic. Groups of people can get together and just find that extra friendship. They’re not just coming to help in the garden, we sit and we have coffee and cake. We have a chat, and you get to know people a little bit better. Everybody’s got their problems and it’s not until you get talking to people that you realise how you can support them. So, it was set up as an Eco Church project, but it has just evolved.”
Volunteer Maura Knights said, “To me the allotment is a connection with the church but also, it’s a social thing and it’s a friendly thing to do. We all have a laugh and a cup of tea. It means we can introduce younger children to that sense of being outdoors, gardening and where their food comes from, and being outdoors is good for mental health. It’s a privilege to be in this situation.”
The church held a fundraiser to buy equipment needed for the allotment. Members of the congregation also gave cuttings and seeds and others donated gardening tools and water butts.
From an empty site, they created raised beds which are now filled with plants including sunflowers, gladioli, statice, verbena, alstroemeria, iris, chrysanthemums, dill and larkspur.
These help the flower arrangers as the price of flowers has increased by 30% since Covid. As well as flowers for church, they are growing rosemary for liturgical sprinkling.
There are also apple, pear and cherry trees. Fruit has been used to make treats for after the Sunday service and jam and pickles sold for church funds.
Joint co-ordinator Lyn Spratt commented, “A lot of our congregation live in flats, because they’ve downsized and they’re getting older, so it’s an open space for them to come and sit and we have children’s groups up here too. You can touch so many people with a garden. We meet other people at the allotments too. There’s a gentleman whose wife has Alzheimer’s, so he has a chat and there’s an allotment barbecue and flower competition too. It’s just being out there, and people ask, ‘what church do you come from’.
“People enjoy coming here especially if they are going through a hard time, they can come and just enjoy that company. Sometimes we announce in the church magazine that the flowers in church have been grown by the allotment team, and I think it just makes people feel a bit proud and of course, it’s helping the environment.”
St James’ West End is working towards the gold Eco Church award. After all the hard work, the allotment is now coming into its own and flowers from the site will be used for a wedding this weekend.
June Butler said, “It’s hard work but it’s also very pleasurable, just to see what God’s making us and giving us. You plant a seed, and you see it grow and that’s a gift from God. So, it might take a bit of watering and quite a lot of weeding, but it’s more than just growing for the flower team. It’s good to do that because flowers are expensive, but it’s also about looking at what we’ve got around us and being grateful for what God has given us.”
Revd Vicki continued, “It’s really positive, especially with such a focus on environmental issues at the moment, it’s kind of the next step for us as a church. It’s been a real gift, so I would encourage other churches, if they have an opportunity, to do it. Obviously, you do need a good team, but it’s a wonderful way to bring people together in the church community, and to be seen out and about.”
