Allotments may sound more like parish council subject matter than something for the corridors of power in Whitehall. But it would wrong to make that assumption when Rotherham MP Sarah Champion is around.
She has tabled an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill - which is part of Government planning reforms - which could see more land for allotments and community gardens being made available.
There is a national shortage of allotments, which have bounced back into fashion after decades in the doldrums. It is estimated there are 90,000 wanting to sign up for a plot, nationally.
She has been working with Mike Farrell, a Rotherham resident and Chair of the National Allotment Society (NAS), to campaign for the changes. Labour’s manifesto committed to promote nature recovery, through large-scale projects like riverwalks and national forests.
Sarah’s amendment seeks to leverage the opportunity on offer in smaller-scale nature recovery projects. Allotments and community gardens are rich in biodiversity, creating green spaces for wildlife and pollinators.
There is also a growing awareness of the role that these sits play in improving physical and mental health, as well as tackling loneliness, as allotment sites frequently have strong communities of gardeners willing to share their skills and help others.
Ms Champion said: “The creation of more allotments and community gardens would generate biodiversity benefits across the country, at relative ease and low cost to the taxpayer.”
“Allotments aren’t just about vegetables, they are about community. They create space for educational and social projects. In Rotherham, the South Yorkshire WH Community use their allotment to host a weekly Cook and Share Luncheon using allotment grown fruit and veg, for new and old residents alike.”
“With so many people on allotment waiting lists across the country, alongside a desperate need for nature recovery, my amendment represents a win-win for the Government.”
Mike Farrell added: “The waiting lists for allotments are a direct reflection of the lack of available land. With more people recognising the health and environmental benefits of growing their own food, it's vital that we expand access to these vital green spaces to ensure that no one is left waiting.”
Zero Waste Day is a global day of action that draws attention to the importance of reducing waste and conserving the earth's resources. The focus is on integrating the principle of "zero waste" into everyday life and promoting alternative lifestyles that are less harmful to the environment. This not only means avoiding plastic waste, but also a more conscious approach to consumption, packaging and waste. Zero Waste Day encourages people to make more sustainable choices, such as avoiding single-use products and striving to recycle and reuse.
One aspect of the zero waste concept is realised in our allotment gardens, which not only offer the opportunity to grow your own fruit and vegetables, but also contribute to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. In allotment gardens, the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is avoided in favour of natural methods and organic cultivation. This promotes biodiversity and helps to reduce the ecological footprint.
Allotment gardens also offer a valuable opportunity to produce food locally and sustainably, reducing long transport distances and the associated CO2 emissions. Having your own garden not only promotes the idea of zero waste by avoiding packaged food, but also contributes to a healthier lifestyle, as you can grow fruit and vegetables in a self-determined way without industrial intervention.
To summarise, Zero Waste Day and allotment gardening go hand in hand when it comes to protecting the environment and making everyday life more sustainable. Both promote a life with less waste, more mindfulness and a close connection to nature.
Let's take the International Day of Zero Waste as an opportunity to remind ourselves of this so that we can leave a world worth living in for our children and grandchildren.
Further links:
https://www.unep.org/events/un-day/international-day-zero-waste-2025
https://unhabitat.org/international-day-of-zero-waste-2025
Weed Day, celebrated every year on 28th March, is a rather unusual way to engage with the flora of our environment. The day reminds us of the importance of appreciating the plants that are often considered bothersome or unwanted. Weeds play a dual role in many cultures and walks of life – they are both a symbol of resilience and adaptability and a challenge for us allotment gardeners.
Weeds are plants that spread into areas where they have not been intentionally grown, often outcompeting crop plants. Their ability to grow quickly, adapt to a wide range of conditions and thrive in almost any environment makes them true survivors. However, some weeds, such as dandelions or nettles, also have a positive side: they are not only useful in medicine and cooking but also provide habitats for insects and other small animals.
Weed Day also invites us allotment gardeners to question what is supposedly useless and to understand its role in the ecological system. This day can also be used as an opportunity to think about the sustainable use of natural resources and to reflect on our attitude towards nature. Perhaps in the future weeds will no longer be just a nuisance, but a valuable part of our gardens and nature.
The conscious handling of so-called weeds also leads to a reduction in the use of pesticides. Every year, the ‘Pesticide Action Week’ takes place from 20 to 30 March. Further information can be found at:
https://www.semaine-sans-pesticides.fr/decouvrir-levenement/pesticide-action-week/
The federal center of the Bundesverband der Kleingartenvereine e.V. in Berlin will once again be the venue for numerous events on the subject of allotment gardening this year. The target group for the training courses are multipliers from associations and federations of the allotment garden movement organized by the BKD. In contrast to many other forms of urban gardening, the allotment garden movement with its organizational structure offers the guarantee of having real multipliers as participants in the training courses. They provide advice and support to the allotment gardeners inside and outside the associations and thus contribute to the welfare of society within the framework of civic engagement.
On April 25 and 26, 2025, representatives of the regional associations will meet at the Federal Center in Berlin-Neukölln to discuss current political issues and association topics at regional association level.
The BKD invites you to the seminar "Expert advice I" entitled "Designing living areas in allotment gardens" from May 16-18, 2025. The seminar is intended to provide suggestions and basic knowledge for the sustainable design of allotment gardens and allotment garden sites and to show how all areas of an allotment garden can be used, upgraded, designed and maintained in an ecological, sustainable and climate-friendly manner in the interests of promoting biodiversity and diversity.
The seminar Law I, from June 27-29, 2025 will focus on "The social and ecological importance of allotment gardening and its reflection in law".
The seminar Fachberatung II 2025 entitled "Allotment garden sites - values and functions for our society" will focus on the diverse social benefits that radiate from allotment gardening into society. The seminar will take place from July 04 to 06, 2025.
From October 10-12, 2025, the BKD and its guests will devote themselves to the "Fundamental court decisions on allotment gardening" in the seminar Law II for a better understanding of the legal basis.
The seminar on the environment entitled "Allotment gardens and health", which will take place from October 24-26, 2025, is intended to help promote health in and through allotment garden sites throughout Germany. In particular, it will strengthen the skills of board members, those responsible for specialist advice and valuation in environmentally and health-conscious federation and association management.
The BKD also offers regular online training courses, such as the online legal series for club chairpersons and, from fall 2025, an online training course for specialist advisors from clubs, district and city associations.
Sandra von Rekowski, BKD
Picture: BKD
Dear allotment gardeners!
As I begin to write these lines, I am marvelling at how quickly this year has gone by. It has been a year with a lot of work, both in the garden and professionally, and now that at least the gardening season is slowly coming to an end and a quieter time is beginning, I would like to give you a brief insight into what has been happening in the international allotment family.
There were two meetings of all members of the Fédération Internationale in 2024.
In March, the delegates met for the statutory General Assembly in Luxembourg. In addition to the necessary resolutions, the time was primarily used to share experiences. It is always great to see the enthusiasm and positive spirit with which the participants share their knowledge and take on board the ideas of others.
Finally, in August, the international allotment garden family took part in a congress in Berlin organised by the Federation of German Allotment Garden Associations. The theme "Allotment gardens in Europe: Green for all" captured the spirit of the times and the excellent expert presentations provided the participants with many valuable ideas on how to deal with the many challenges that lie ahead.
But it also turned out again how great our allotment gardens already are:
• Allotment gardens are places of diversity, as the environmentally friendly, pesticide-free and sustainable cultivation of our gardens provides animals and plants with a healthy habitat, which is becoming increasingly scarce in the cities.
• Allotment gardens are climate oases that can make an invaluable contribution, especially in times of extreme events such as heat or heavy rainfall. Be it by providing cooling in the cities through their planting or by absorbing water through unsealed soil.
• Allotment gardens are places of togetherness, where people look after each other, help each other and work together to realise ideas.
All this and so much more characterises our allotment gardens and their associations. We have every right to be proud of this. Nevertheless, we should not rest on our laurels. It is our task to keep reminding those responsible at national and international level of the important contribution allotment gardens make to environment, climate and society.
With a voice that represents more than two million allotment garden families, we must make ourselves heard by the political representatives in the individual countries and of course also at European level. Together we can achieve so much more than alone, together we give the allotment gardeners a loud voice that is difficult to ignore, together we will continue to work to ensure that allotment gardens are perceived positively in the future.
Finally, may I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and all the best and good health for the New Year 2025.
Sylvia Wohatschek
Secretary General, Fédération Internationale des Jardins Familiaux
