A Year On A West London Allotment

Chiswick resident’s charity calendar helps rehabilitate soldiers through gardening

When, earlier this year, his allotment association decided to donate the profits from its open day to the charity, ‘Gardening Leave,’ Chiswick resident, Alan Bignell, one of the association’s allotment holders, had an idea.

Alan had spent the previous 12 months photographing his organic plot with the intention of using the shots to produce a 2011 calendar for family and friends.

"Why not print more copies of the calendar," he thought, "sell them and also donate the profits to Gardening Leave, the charity that uses gardening to help rehabilitate injured service men and women?"

His idea has now become a reality in the form of a beautifully produced, full colour A4 calendar called ‘Growing Things’ which is now available for sale.

The photographs inside, all taken on Alan’s plot in Acton, include unusual ones like a runner bean’s eye view of its climb up a bamboo wigwam, a pumpkin shot against an almost prehistoric looking background and a water drop covered cabbage taken moments after a passing shower.

Each page of the calendar carries a ‘planting guide’ with recommendations of what to sow in a particular month’.

The calendar which comes in its own envelope, costs £7 (plus £2 postage and packing) and makes an ideal Christmas present for anyone interested in gardening. It is available from Alan himself by contacting him at alan@forwardandup.co.uk

October 28, 2010