Radcliffe Self- Managed Allotments are a well-established organisation who were founded during the first world war. They offer low-cost plots to local residents in addition to a veterans and community school plot. Joy and Mary from Radcliffe Self-Managed Allotment Association contacted Bury VCFA in November 2024 to discuss plans for their new community wildlife area. The committee had drawn up plans with the help of Groundwork GM to create a new community area for the local schools to use for outdoor education including growing vegetables and learning about bees.
Joy and Mary met with Katherine our Capacity Building Development Officer at the ‘Brew and Trowel’ community shed in November 2024. The committee had several projects that required funding including laying a new flagstone path, a new noticeboard and community wildlife area for local children. Katherine suggested grants that they could apply for to fund the work in addition to social investment opportunities. For the flagstone path work, Katherine referred the committee to Adam our Volunteering Development Officer to advertise the role as an Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) opportunity.
In December 2024, Katherine shared information with the group about a local discretionary fund managed by the Bury Athenaeum bridge club. Joy applied for the Bury Athenaeum Grant was successful in receiving funding in March 2025 following a site visit from their chair, Neville. The allotment group received £1,100 which they will be using towards their new community wildlife area.
In March 2025, Austin from Bury Council’s Staying Well Team attended the allotment to lay the flagstones as part of their ESV programme. Austin was able to finish laying the flagstones around their community shop shed in addition to tidying the car park. By using our volunteering brokerage service, the allotment group were able to save time and money as they did not need to apply for funding to complete the work.
“A massive thank you to Austin from Bury Councils Staying Well Team, who came on site today to finish off the paving in front of our community shop shed. He also did some work tidying our car parking area. Moving forwards with our project one step at a time.”- Radcliffe Self-Managed Allotments
Finally, Katherine connected the group with Leanne from Great Places housing who have a social investment programme to support local community groups. The Allotment Association were successful in receiving an investment from one of the Great Places contactors to install a community noticeboard at the allotment.
By using the range of support provided by Bury VCFA, Radcliffe Self-Managed Allotments have been able to complete several projects in addition to starting their new wildlife area.
“Thank you to Bury VCFA for letting us know about funding opportunities for our community garden. We applied to Bury Athenaeum for funding. After a visit to our site, to see what we are intending, they very kindly awarded us an amount of money to go towards starting the first part of our wildlife area.”- Radcliffe Self Managed Allotments
