The Lamerton Allotment project began in 2009 and what was once a field which had only ever been used for grazing has become a thriving community facility.
It had been the wish of the village to find some allotment space for some years and then William May Somerville very kindly donated the field. It was a greenfield site and nothing had been done to it for at least eighty years and consequently it was virgin soil. He was very keen that this would be something for the village to enjoy and that its use would be restricted to Lamerton residents.
With initial support from the Parish Council, work began on turning the field into an allotment site in April 2009. A generous donation of a ride-on mower and trailer from a local resident proved a big boost.
As a result of a huge amount of hard work, the allotments first bore fruit and vegetables in the summer of 2011. The crop was so impressive that it drew praise from the visiting judge at the village’s first Produce Show that year. Many of the plot holders enter and win at the show each year with produce grown on the allotments.
The allotment is in the Avenue and there are 24 plots consisting of full and half plots. They cost £30.00 for a full plot and £17.00 for a half plot to rent a year and allotment holders can grow fruit and vegetables. We are members of the Allotment Garden Council and have public liability insurance. In addition to plots rented by individuals there is also a smaller plot which Lamerton Primary School has the use of for free.
Facilities are gradually being developed on the site. Although the allotment has mains water, the growers have decided not to use it. Several huge storage tanks were donated to the project and guttering from a stone shed supplies these tanks with rainwater. A grant was obtained from Devon County to facilitate this. Money was also used to connect the water collection system to dipping troughs located around the site. There is a large secure communal shed to store bits and pieces.