Green-fingered tenants at a Castleton support centre can now grow their own fruit and vegetables after new allotments were built by volunteers. Two new raised beds were unveiled at Rose Court, off ManchesterRoad, earlier this month, after Gordon Rigg Garden Centre donated materials and plants. The fruit and vegetables will be eaten by tenants staying at the centre, which is run by the Women’s Housing Action Group (WHAG), a charity which provides support for vulnerable and homeless women.

Tenant support worker Sharon Molly said: “The garden project started in May this year. “I went along to Gordon Rigg Garden Centre with a couple of residents from Rose Court so they could choose what they wanted to grow. “Three months later it is looking blooming marvellous. “This healthy approach to eating organic vegetables has enabled us all to think seriously about healthy eating, some staff members have also started to grow their own vegetables at home after seeing the success at Rose Court.” Coun Jean Hornby, who attended the unveiling of the new raised beds, said: “I was very impressed with the latest addition to the gardens at Rose Court, which has been a project for the residents to create an allotment, where they can grow their own fruit and veg, and be able to eat the fruit of their labours’, which in turn

Coun Jean Hornby, who attended the unveiling of the new raised beds, said: “I was very impressed with the latest addition to the gardens at Rose Court, which has been a project for the residents to create an allotment, where they can grow their own fruit and veg, and be able to eat the fruit of their labours’, which in turn can, of course encourage healthy eating. “It would seem to have worked very well as the residents worked hard with the staff and other helpers not only with the building of their allotment but to do the planting as well. “I am told the plants couldn’t grow fast enough for them to be able to eat – and that the strawberries were a great success, yielding two large punnets in the first crop! “My only further comment is to congratulate the residents, staff of WHAG and all the other helpers for their hard work and a job well done.”

Elizabeth Rustchynskyj, of the WHAG management committee, added: “The beds are now a riot, growing vegetables ready to be converted into healthy meals, as requested by the tenants at Rose Court. “WHAG would like to thank everyone who helped make this possible. “We hope that more volunteers will come forward to aid and expand in developing new
concepts designed to help integrate all tenants back into society.” For more information about the charity visit www.whag.info

As published in the Rochdale Observer by Sam Richardson (sam.richardson@trinitymirror.com)