Britains Best Allotment Competition

Normally I’m not the sort of person who enters competitions. I suppose it’s to do with having done jobs in the past which were competitive, so the last thing I want is the same in my own time. Still, they can be a lot of fun as long as you treat them that way.

The Panel

Allotment garden ready for planting new crops

So it was a bit of a surprise to be asked to be on the judging panel for Britains Best Allotment Competition along with Dr Lesley Acton who has a couple of articles on this web site – Allotment History – Cultivating a 19th Century Allotment and Allotment History – The First Allotments and Jane Merrick who is the political editor of the Independent on Sunday and also runs the popular Allotment Blog Her Outdoors on the Independent website.

Organisers & Support

Raised beds on allotment

The competition is being organised by HIPPO, the national waste management experts and inventor of the HIPPOBAG. They created the competition to generate greater awareness of the many benefits of owning an allotment. Gareth Lloyd-Jones, HIPPO Managing Director said “The environmentally-friendly, sustainable work of allotmenteers is a value which HIPPO feel is important to promote across the country.”

Organised Allotment Plot

The campaign is being supported by The National Allotment Society and National Allotments Week which runs annually to help raise awareness of allotments. For the past 13 years it has attempted to strengthen protection for allotment sites and highlight the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships and bolster communities.

During the competition, HIPPO will be providing regular informative allotmenteer tips, interviews and allotment owner survey results throughout spring and summer on their blog to provide additional support and awareness for the campaign.

The competition is open for entries now until the 16^th July 2015. All you need to do is to go to the Britain’s Best Allotment website and upload some photographs of your allotment along with a short statement about why you love your allotment.

During National Allotments Week, August 10^th-17^th 2015, the panel will be visiting the shortlisted plots and announcing the winner in our grand finale.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the photographs and visiting the shortlisted entrants so please have a go. Just click here: www.britainsbestallotment.co.uk

See the site I visited in Cumbria here