Volunteers restoring allotments deserted during lockdown

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A group of volunteers have been “working extra hard” to restore a community allotments plot that was deserted during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Due to lockdown restrictions imposed earlier this year, allotment owners were unable to attend their plots during the spring and summer months.

As a result, work was needed to restore the Morgan Jones community allotments back to the condition it was in before the pandemic.

As part of the work, new bee boxes and bird feeders have been set up and a new ‘butterfly garden’ is being added, with butterfly-attracting plants and shrubs.

The work is being carried out by the Morgan Jones Community Allotment Group, which is made up of a small number of volunteers.

Keep Wales Tidy supplied the group with materials to help them get the allotments back into shape.

Liz Jones, of the Morgan Jones Community Allotment Group, said: “Pre-lockdown, all plots at the Morgan Jones community allotments had been prepared and some even planted. We had just covered the plots with donated well-rotted manure then sadly, we had to close following the regulations.

“Now we have been back at the allotments for about a month and rather than feel downhearted about the state of the site, we have been working extra hard to get the place back to how it was.

“Volunteers have been so encouraged by comments from the local community who have mentioned how the site has shaped up in just a short time.

“We would like to say we are now on a roll.”

The allotments were visited by Caerphilly’s Senedd Member, Hefin David. He said: “What the group has done is fantastic. It’s been a real good news story in such a difficult period.

“The effort which has been put in is evident and thanks to the volunteers’ hard work, the allotments will continue to be a lovely asset to the community – even after the challenges faced.”

Last year, the allotment group won the allotment category at the Wales in Bloom competition.