National Allotments Week: Bugs, Bees, and Broccoli

National Allotment Week

We’re celebrating National Allotments Week by working with young people across Newcastle to help take care of pollinators and other creatures whilst gardening to provide a healthy and balanced eco system.

National Allotments Week runs from the 8-14 August. The awareness week was started by the National Allotment Society (NAS) to encourage awareness of allotments and the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships, and bolster communities.

The theme for this year’s event focuses on Bugs, Bees, and Broccoli and how important it is to be mindful of nature when gardening. The NAS is looking to change perceptions of bugs and other species as ‘pests’ by raising awareness of the benefits they bring to gardens and allotments through healthy plants and a balanced eco-system.

As part of Beelines North East we’re working with and encouraging young people to be more involved in gardening and being more considerate for the species that live within them.

Throughout this week our team will be bringing loads of fun activities to parks across the city including; pollinator friendly planting in Walker Park with the YMCA; making seed bombs in Denton Park as part of our Nature Discovery Days; and a ’growing’ drop-in session at Pets Corner where families can paint their own pot and plant herbs to take home.

Ed Chivers, Project Manager for Beelines North East said: “We are delighted to be playing a part in this year’s National Allotments Week and encouraging young people across Newcastle upon Tyne to turn their fingers green and look after the needs of their garden pollinators.

“Allotments play a big role in the helping to balance and support our eco-systems and our pollinators as well as providing us with food, so we hope that our events and activities will help the people of Newcastle realise the part they can play in making sure that these creatures and habitats can continue to thrive and provide for our needs.”

For more information on activities around National Allotments Week you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.