The Charity Stall
The ‘seeds’ for the Charity Stall were sown from 2010 onwards at quarterly West Bergholt Allotment Association(WBAA) Committee meetings ,when the committee members discussed options on how to minimise waste produce.
The first Charity table came to fruition during participation in the inaugural Bi-annual West Bergholt Open Gardens in 2014, organised by the local WB Gardeners Association. In addition to opening up the allotment to visitors, an objective was to raise money on behalf of the Open Gardens, in support of the local Tom Bowdidge Foundation. A simple table was erected with plot holders providing plants, flowers and produce from their allotments with visitors invited to take the produce for a donation. On the day £200 was raised, but there remained surplus produce. With the cooperation of a plot holder the table was transferred to their drive on New Church Road, with all the produce being taken in exchange for a donation during the remainder of the week raising a further £450.
Based on the 2014 experience it was decided to begin raising funds from the month of May through to October. The table, with a ‘trust box’ was located on the inside of the New Church Road entrance gate (opposite the current Charity stall) which during this time £2,350 was raised.
Following this success, the WBAA decided to maintain the table’s presence as an aid to reducing waste whilst enabling the community to benefit from fresh local grown produce which could raise funds for local causes situated within the community of West Bergholt. The WBAA Charity stall has raised an impressive total of £15,395.00 to date.
Other Pages of Interest
If you are interested in the allotments you might also be interested in the West Bergholt Gardeners’ Association or the Colne Valley Flower Club.