Park Road Allotments Provides Fresh Fruit to Those in Need
Plot holders deliver four boxes to Hounslow Community FoodBox
The plot holders with their boxes of apples
Plot holders from Park Road Allotments, Isleworth, delivered four boxes of fresh apples to Hounslow Community FoodBox this Saturday (3 September).
The foodbank, which operates out of the Rose Community Centre in Brentford, provides free emergency food packages to those in need. It has seen referrals increase by 400% during the pandemic and with the cost-of-living crisis likely to get worse, allotment holders were keen to provide much-needed fresh, healthy produce.
The following day, allotment holders delivered a further five boxes of apples to Abundance London at Chiswick Flower Market to press into free apple juice.
Philip Jones, Treasurer and Secretary at Hounslow Community FoodBox, said, “It’s great to add fresh produce, especially when locally grown, to our food boxes.”
Stephen Hurton, Chair of Park Road Allotments Association, added, “Allotment holders at Park Road are pleased to pick surplus fruit and vegetables and donate them to local people in need. Allotments are a vital resource for the community, now more than ever as the country faces a cost of living crisis. We need to protect our allotment spaces in Hounslow so that all people have the opportunity to grow their own food. For those that don’t, we stand ready to assist.”
Hurton plans to return to Hounslow Community FoodBox with another batch of fresh produce in a fortnight.
Park Road Allotments were first opened to support wounded soldiers returning from the First World War. They face possible redevelopment due to plans from The Northumberland Estates, which manages the property of the Duke of Northumberland, to build housing on the site. An alternative site is being offered to plot holders but most do not accept this as an adequate replacement.
Apple picking at the Park Road Allotments
A planning application was unanimously rejected by Hounslow Council’s planning committee in October last year after a campaign that gained widespread support, including from the Isleworth Society, local councillors, and Ruth Cadbury MP around preserving the Asset of Community Value.
However, the allotments remain under threat as The Northumberland Estates has appealed against Hounslow Council’s decision to the Planning Inspectorate. Meanwhile, the Estate had warned that it may evict allotment holders from their plots and close the allotments permanently if its planning application was refused.
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September 6, 2022
