The Watering Can 2: Can You Dig it?
Meeting community needs for allotments

Published in September from the New Local Government Network, a group that aims to make local government more relevant, this new report seeks ways in which allotment land can be made more readily available to the general public in areas of deprivation across the country. It is a very informative read for those interested in the wider usage and benefits of allotments. It has many findings and recommendations, as well as information from a number of councils, and is well worth the read. The final conclusion is printed below:

'A bold new approach is needed to allow people to grow their own food and promote a sustainable allotment renaissance. Allotments can improve people’s quality of life, prevent exclusion, increase physical exercise, encourage a nutritious diet, support mental health, help people relax, teach new life skills, empower people, give individuals self-esteem, reconnect people with the food they eat, educate citizens about healthy food and environmental stability, tackle CO2 emissions, reduce packaging, support more sustainable waste management, conserve biodiversity, facilitate social interaction, build cohesive communities, strengthen social ties and networks, reduce crime and secure our food supplies. A new “Dig for Victory” would be a dig for scores, if not hundreds, of victories across a range of policy areas.'

This can be downloaded as a pdf file for free. This can either be found via the link: http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-content/uploads/can-you-dig-it.pdf or, as I found, by typing in ‘Can you dig it’ into Google.