Surplus fruit and vegetables grown at a Bowdon allotment site are being handed out to local residents thanks to a partnership between plot holders and a nearby church.
Members of the Bowdon Allotment and Garden Society, which runs the Council-owned site at Vicarage Lane, donate their extra produce each week - including courgettes, rhubarb, apples, pears, cabbages, squash, potatoes, carrots and runner beans.
Volunteers at St Luke's Church then collect and distribute it to people in the community, with a focus on those on lower incomes.
The scheme is being celebrated ahead of National Allotment Week, which starts next Monday, August 10th.
Phil Anderson, Chair of the Bowdon Allotment and Garden Society, said: "We have 60 plots here and there is a waiting list, so for the last few years we've really thought about how we can open our allotments up for the enjoyment and benefit of as many people as possible, regardless of whether they have their own plot.
"During the summer months our members find themselves with extra fruit and vegetables, so we linked up with the church to share them with people on lower incomes, including elderly residents who particularly enjoy traditional fare such as rhubarb and runner beans."
Linda Woods, who co-ordinates the collections for the church, said: "The allotment people are so kind and generous. The community really appreciate their donations and it's lovely to see their smiling faces."
The sharing scheme is just one way the Vicarage Lane gardeners have opened up the site. A community plot is available for anyone to tend, while flower beds provide habitat for bees and other pollinators.
The site has also become an educational resource for local schools. Reception pupils from nearby Bollin Primary School visit to dig up potatoes and plant seeds, older children attend an after-school gardening club, and teenagers from Altrincham Grammar School have worked the land as part of their Duke of Edinburgh awards.
"Our allotments are a great local educational resource," Phil added.
Cllr Keleigh Glenton, Trafford Council's Executive Member for Community Safety and Civil Contingencies, said: "As National Allotment Week is upon us, it's great to recognise the gardeners of Vicarage Lane who go over and above expectations to make sure their allotments are a true, community resource for everyone."
Trafford has 34 Council-owned allotment sites and one private site, with around 1,500 individual plots in use. Most sites are supported by voluntary committees, while 13 self-managed sites lease their land from the Council.
