Ellon Community Allotments

Constitutional objectives

1. To provide recreational facilities, and the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the wellbeing of the participating members, by providing affordable allotment spaces for cultivation of vegetables, fruit, herbs and plants, and opportunities to keep physically, mentally and socially active. 2. To provide an inclusive allotment facility that includes a number of allotments with easy access and waist-height beds for the use of people with disabilities or physical conditions that would otherwise experience difficulty or challenges with growing activities. 3. To provide environmental benefits by raising awareness of food waste and food miles, by increasing biodiversity, encouraging composting to reduce waste, providing habitat for wildlife, encouraging pollinators, encouraging water conservation and reduced use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. 4. To provide participating members with the facilities and skills for 'grow-your-own' cultivation, thereby giving them access to fresh, healthy and nutritious food that may not be accessible or affordable otherwise and to assist in offsetting on-going cost of living increases by cultivating their own food with the support of a group of like-minded growers and communal facilities that will increase the chances of individuals achieving success. 5. To provide participating members with the opportunity to gain physical and mental health benefits from the activities associated with growing and gardening which are known to improve physical fitness and assist attributes such as strength, flexibility, balance and coordination, and to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 6. To provide participating members with a sense of accomplishment, purpose and community involvement by being involved in a group of like-minded people, by organising and encouraging participation in events and local workshops, educational talks, and working collaboratively with local organisations, neighbours and local authority bodies.