Last Sunday (June 2) the Colyton Allotment Association held its annual Open Day to raise money for its new Community Shed.

Organisers say 'In warm sunny weather, there was a good turn out' with plenty of cream teas and cakes eaten and plants purchased.

A raffle was held with more 25 prizes, all donated by local people and individuals. The ‘Potato in a Bucket’ competition was a close run contest with Trevor Hunt edging it with 69 spuds versus Garry Coultas’s 68.

The event also gave the visitors the chance to view the extent of the allotments, to learn about the work involved in working an allotment and some of the setbacks the allotment holders face.

The project to raise funds for a Community Shed which utilizes surplus produce and to support the Colyton Food Save Project.

The Colyton Community Food Save Project is part of a wider scheme run across East Devon which gathers surplus food stuff from various sources including some major supermarkets.

The Allotment Association will support the Food Save project through the supply of surplus produce.

In Colyton these supplies (everything from vegetables, fruit, bread, ready meals etc) are collected weekly and distributed at the Reece Strawbridge centre on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons or at Finn Studios on Friday mornings. Local people are able to collect the produce, without payment.

Aside from its own fund raising activities, the scheme to fund and build a Community Shed has had substantial financial assistance from The Colyton Feoffees, Doveleigh Care Homes and the Colyton Food Save Project. A big thank you to all involved.

Thanks to a successful Open Day, funds to start the shed are now largely in place and work should be able to commence shortly.

The Colyton Allotments, which are owned by the Parish Council, now has a short waiting list for its 75 or so plots. If you are interested, and want to get on the waiting list, contact Sasha at Colyton Parish Council. Having an allotment while sometimes frustrating, will certainly require some hard work but overall is very fulfilling and if it appeals, give it a go.