A Milton Regis community allotment, opened by Southern Housing in 2014, has become one of the first Social Housing spaces in Kent to be presented with a Green Flag Community Award.
The Green Flag Award scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the world.
The Bob Fowler Community Allotments, on Regis Crescent, Sittingbourne, are entirely free of any herbicides and pesticides. It’s home to established fruit trees and native species and features a selection of water butts and water features.
On Wednesday 18 September, plot holders gathered at the allotments with Southern Housing staff to celebrate the award.
Kerry Briffitt, Biodiversity and Sustainability Lead at Southern Housing, said:
“When I first saw Bob Fowler Community Allotments, I was overwhelmed at what an amazing green space it was. I knew this warranted recognition and a Green Flag Community Award is well deserved.
To see how it continues to evolve is a testament to the hard work of Bob Fowler, our residents, Southern Housing Sustainability and Estate Services Teams as well as our contracted partners, JB Landscapes.”
Jocelyn Watson, a Southern Housing resident and regular at the allotments, added:
“I’m so happy that our allotments now have a Green Flag Community Award. This is a lovely place to come, work and meditate.”
The Green Flag Award isn’t the first win for the allotments, with many residents receiving prizes for the produce they’ve grown, from first prize onions to award winning plum jam.
The project launched in 2014, after a then AmicusHorizon (a legacy Southern Housing organisation) employee, Bob Fowler, transformed the area from a historical fly-tipping site, into a tranquil area that the local community could enjoy.
Bob Fowler sadly passed away in 2012, but Southern Housing continued with the project to make his vision a reality and to this day, the allotments are a thriving hub for keen gardeners and community groups.
The allotments are part of Southern Housing’s Biodiversity Pathway, which sets out targets to allocate communal green spaces for resident groups to use to enhance biodiversity, among other plans to help for a greener future.
The allotments have 15 plots alongside dedicated wilding and flowering areas and raised beds and herb areas. Two plots are reserved for mentoring purposes, assisting with local support services and schools.
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