East London

Becontree Heath Allotments - awarded £6,500

Becontree Heath in Dagenham is a large area that had become unused, overgrown and as a result, inaccessible. The local Allotment Association understood that steps would have to be taken to increase the site’s usage and make it more accessible for the elderly and people with disabilities.

The Allotment Association approached Groundwork and Age Concern for support to develop the site by building a disabled access toilet, raised flowerbeds and installing paving and a garden/seating area. Proposals and sketch designs were soon drawn up and agreed by all those involved in the project.

With Barclays SiteSavers funding together with additional funding from London Borough of Dagenham & Barking and other local agencies, Becontree Heath was transformed from a large area of derelict land into high quality allotments. The project had a strong partnership element throughout and these partners continued to work together to increase the use of the site. With the physical works complete, other organisations and schools were invited to make use of the new allotments.

The site is now a thriving resource for local people and is fully accessible to people with disabilities – something which would not have been possible without this project.