Being part of the Best of Bensham Collaborative brings many benefits and in February we were delighted to be able to help the wider community by opening up our allotment for the future benefit of GP patients from the Oxford TCE & Rawling Road Medical Group and other members of the collaborative.  

Prescribing gardening for wellbeing has so many benefits and the Manager of the practice, Sheinaz Stansfield, got in touch with BBC Look North to help spread the word!  Nikki McCann, our Community Engagement Team Leader joined with Sheinaz and Jayne Hopkins from the Best of Bensham and met up on the allotment for a spot of weeding and filming with BBC reporter Andrew Hartley. This collaborative project will allow local people to have a safe space to go, to plant fruit and vegetables together, get active outdoors and make new friends. In the words of Sheinaz they can get a ‘Green Workout’ on the allotment!

Carers will still very much be a part of the allotment which has been tended by Gateshead Carers and volunteers for the past 8 years. Over the past year it has sadly had to be neglected because of Covid but happily it now has a new and bright future ahead again.

The interview was aired on BBC Look North on Wednesday 17^th February at lunchtime and in their prime evening news slot at 6:30 pm.  The segment showcased our allotment and the positive impact getting involved in projects like this can have.  Following the broadcast we were contacted by a company called Greenvale Organic Fertiliser at Scotch Corner offering us donations of organic fertiliser for the allotment! We have happily accepted the donation and will be collecting the bags of fertiliser very soon! 

If you would like to be involved or help in any way please do get in touch with us.