Support campaign to save 100 year old allotments

The winning of the 2012 Olympic bid may have brought cheer to most of the country but to the gardeners who are being moved off their 100 year old allotments there is nothing short of fury.

Manor Gardens, off Waterden Road, Stratford, sits right in the north central section of the Olympic Park and the allotment holders are set be evicted in April. According to campaigners the allotments are being bulldozed to make way for a four-week footpath, despite the land being bequeathed to be allotments ‘in perpetuity’ by their original owner the Rt. Hon. Major Villiers.

Many of the gardeners working the allotments have been there for decades and the allotments have become a special place offering a healthy, green lifestyle for a vibrant community. The holders have been offered another site but nobody wants to leave Manor Gardens. They believe that even if planning permission was granted for a move to the new site it would only be for seven years after which they may be moved again. The campaigners feel that this precious part of Lea Valley’s heritage could be incorporated into the Olympic Village plan.

Campaigners have until the end of January to lodge objections and a petition to the Prime Minister has been set up. The petition gathered over 800 names in just one week and the campaign has also attracted the support of several well known gardening personalities including Cleve West and Jo Swift.

On Tuesday 16th January as dusk falls at 4.20 pm an Olympic Torch will be carried across the bridge to light a bonfire at the Allotments. Cleve and Jo will be sharing roast chestnuts with plotholders to show their concern for this historic community facing eviction.

“If the Olympic ideal means anything” says Cleve, “it should apply to much more than four weeks of running, jumping and swimming. Friendship. tolerance, vision and healthy, sustainable living are fanfared by Manor Garden Allotments.”

With a Government mantra constantly telling us to get a healthy lifestyle, long waiting lists for existing allotments all over the UK and various sources spelling out the benefits of allotment gardening, it is ironic that Manor Gardens finds itself in this position.

Support the campaign now sign the petition go to www.lifeisland.org for more information and to petitions.pm.gov.uk/manorgardens/ - to sign petition