Stan Pennington Allotment holders step up fight to save plots

As reported by the Star last year, plot holders at the Stan Pennington Allotments were told by landowners that they would need to vacate the Alder Hey Road site by November 2023, despite the site holding a covenant to protect its use as a horticultural venue.

With the former Pilks-owned site acting as a community asset for the best part of 70 years, almost 3,000 people signed a petition to save the allotments and plot holders eventually agreed a price to purchase the site.

Despite a huge "non-negotiable" fee of £100,000 being set for the site, plus an additional £6,000 in legal fees, plot holders have been working tirelessly to chip away at that sum as the deadline to vacate the plots inches closer.

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Plot holders have rallied together to try and meet their fundraising target (Image: Stan Pennington Allotments)
While there were initially some disagreements about which direction to take the fundraising fight, the Stan Pennington plot holders have shown "real positivity" as they aim to reach their target and secure the land's future before the May 1 deadline.

Over the past few months, volunteers have diligently applied for various grants to help boost their fundraising, such as registering as an 'Asset of Community Value' with St Helens Council and the government's 'Community Ownership Fund', which could gift them with around £40,000.

Members of the local Green Party ran the St Helens 10k for the allotments (Image: St Helens Star)
There have also been several fundraising events such as family fun days, quiz nights, and car boot sales, while others have arranged charity evenings and participated in events like the St Helens 10k to help raise funds.

Community groups which use the site such as St Helens Council Day Opportunities, the North West Stroke Association, and the St Helens Coalition of Disabled People have also donated to the cause.

In addition to reserves, external donations, and pledges from plot holders, the volunteers have raised a huge £56,000 to support their fight to save the plots, with decisions on grants to be made in the coming weeks.

Plot holders have organised numerous fundraising events (Image: Stan Pennington Allotments)
Speaking about the group's efforts in recent months, Giles Whalley, chair of the Stan Pennington Allotment co-operative, said: "Since we formed the co-operative and decided on a way to raise this money, there has been a proper community feel about the place.

"There were a couple of disagreements at first, and some plot holders vacated the site, but everyone who has stayed or has come in has been so positive and doing all they can to help or make the site look better.

"At some points in the past, you would have thought the allotments was a bit of a ghost town but so many people have come together to support this campaign.

"There is a real positivity here now and I think we have also opened a lot of people's eyes to what we can do, so I know that we will win."

Moving forward, there are further events planned such as an 'Easter Extravaganza' at the allotments, with information that can be found here. To donate to the online fundraiser, you can visit this site.

Allotment holders have come together and try to save the site (Image: Stan Pennington Allotments)