Riverside Community Garden

Plaid Cymru AM Elin Jones, who is also Minister for Rural Affairs, today joined Riverside Councillor Mohammed Islam and myself on a visit to the innovative Riverside Community Garden project.

The scheme enables local people to get together to grow their own fresh food. Allotments have so many benefits, all of which can be seen at the Riverside project. It brings people together from different generations and cultures as well as providing great opportunities for health improvement. They have strong links with Riverside Farmers' Market and are hoping to be able to sell their excess produce there in the future.

I’ve recently obtained figures which show that there are lengthy waiting lists in many local authority areas for allotments. Elin is committed to expanding local food production, particularly in urban areas. Riverside Community Garden shows the potential we have to be more self sufficient and therefore sustainable in. RCG a model that is worth promoting as one that should be rolled out in other urban areas. All we need is more allotment land!