Hard work pays off as a community allotment is officially opened in Wigan

Dr Sylvia Travers, head of horticulture at Haigh Hall, was invited to open the site behind Aspull Methodist Church.

It has been transformed by FAWNS (Forum for Aspull, Whelley and New Springs) from a derelict allotment into a vibrant space for use by the community.

They were supported by an army of volunteers, whose efforts included spending three days clearing the site last August, and have received help from several businesses.

Neil West, from FAWNS, said: “We had a wonderful day celebrating the official opening of the FAWNS community allotment. It was wonderful to see so many of the volunteers, supporters and local residents turn out to show their support for this remarkable transformation from a derelict plot to a tranquil and beautiful oasis.

"We are looking forward to growing lots of delicious veg and sharing it with the local community, as well as providing an inspirational setting for a whole host of creative and recreational activities for people of all ages and backgrounds in and around the area.

"We couldn't have done it without the support of fantastic local businesses like Murphy's, Heinz, Overbury, Tesco and Asda or without the support of our amazing volunteers.

"We are grateful to Dr Sylvia Travers from Haigh Hall for opening the allotment for us and to local artist Brian Whitmore for lending us some of his inspirational art work to exhibit around the allotment.”