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After two years of hard work and a £13,000 outlay, Van Ward Allotments has finally opened its wellbeing room, nicknamed ‘the hive’.

Thanks to grants and donations, the allotments on Castle Park, Caerphilly, have gone “totally green” according to chair Tracey Davies.

Ms Davies was joined by some of the local sponsors, as well as some of the allotment’s 100-plus members, for the ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday October 27.

Also in attendance for the launch was Caerphilly Observer, which spoke to Ms Davies about the project. She said: “We’re really excited to open the hive today. It’s taken a lot of work from a lot of people and we’re all still learning on the job.

“Mental health is such an important issue that men in particular struggle with. Every member here has been given a key to the hive so they can meet up to chat, have a coffee, or just take a break.”

The building itself was just a storage unit two years ago. Now it has solar panels on the roof which are providing it with electricity.

Ms Davies, who works for mental health charity Platfform, added: “Thanks to the help of local businesses such as Asda, B&Q, and Wickes, as well as local councillors, we’ve been able to afford all of the upgrades through grants and donations.

“It’s been baby steps due to the cost of things rising, but we’re there now and excited for the future.”

Ms Davies’ partner, Mark, gave Caerphilly Observer a tour of the allotment, which is about the size of two football fields. He said: “At the back we have a system in place which draws fresh water from the ground, making us self-sufficient.

“People can pay a couple of quid and have their own plot to keep them busy. I find myself up here most evenings and give what veg I don’t eat to a local food bank; as do a few people here.”

The allotment has a separate plot of space just down the road from the main site, which Ms Davies hopes to also upgrade in the near future.

“What’s been great to see during this process is the collaboration we’ve had between allotments all over Caerphilly. We’ve bulk-bought materials and equipment, which we sell on for next to no profit just to get other people involved in their allotments.”

Former chair Ray Hall spoke to the group, thanking them and Tracey in particular for their hard work in getting everything done.

Lowri Jones is a member of Van Allotments and said: “I loved the idea of being able to grow my own fruit and vegetables and when my mum had a raised bed, I wanted one too.

“Everyone has been super friendly and I get loads of advice as I am a complete beginner. I’m loving it already though and can’t wait to start on the communal plot with a few others to grow even more.”

The group also has plans to start a men’s walk and talk group in the near future to further encourage men to open up about their problems.