Dig It Community Allotment has been a registered charity in Saffron Walden since 2014, and our organisation has grown significantly over the last seven years. Our fully wheelchair-accessible site currently hosts a range of sessions for adults and young people with learning and physical disabilities, along with their families and carers. We also run inclusive sessions open to all, aimed at reducing isolation and supporting mental wellbeing, as well as a dedicated programme for refugees and asylum seekers.
We have piloted sessions tailored to older people, including those in the early stages of Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease, as well as their carers and the sessions were a great success. We would love to carry out these sessions and provide more consistent weekly groups. We are also developing partnerships with local schools and SEND staff to create alternative opportunities for children with additional needs who benefit from activities outside mainstream education.
To expand our services, we are preparing to restore a newly donated plot from Saffron Walden Town Council. This new area will be transformed into a Zen Wildlife conservation and sensory garden, designed around scents, textures, and colours to create a stimulating and relaxing environment for all participants suffering with Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease. While our current allotment has mainly been dedicated to vegetable growing, the new plot will focus on fruit and flowers, offering greater variety and new experiences. The expanded space will allow us to accommodate larger groups and improve accessibility and comfort for our users.
As part of the restoration, we will upgrade our hub meeting area, install a pond to encourage biodiversity and create a patio area with seating for workshops on flower planting, arranging, and fruit-based cooking and arts and crafts session. We will provide workshops and weekley sessions for of Senior and elderly service users, we will hold seperate Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease Sessions.
