Good Practice through Co-production

TARAGGAN Community Allotment, Bargoed.

Key facts
Location: Bargoed Community Centre, Park View, Bargoed Established: TARAGGAN Group established in 2007; Allotment opened in May 2010. Number of employees: 3 Site Supervisor (25hr week), Mentro Allan (Coordinator), Mentro Allan (Administrator). Number of volunteers: Approximately 10 regular volunteers, however, specific projects may generate dozens more volunteers from both the local community and other organisations, such as the community task force,

Groundwork.

Number of service users: 50 Service synopsis: Encourages intergenerational community involvement in conservation and gardening with the broader aim of establishing healthier lifestyles for the people of Bargoed through access to an outdoor environment in which persons can grow their own vegetables, and by fostering a greater understanding of nutrition.

Overview Nestled above the town of Bargoed, the TARAGGAN Community Allotment is the result of collaboration between Mentro Allan, Cleaner, Greener Communities, and local residents. Sporting twenty plots and three raised beds, the allotment allows school groups, voluntary organisations, and residents to plant organic vegetables and grow a variety of plants, including a new rose garden, in this reclaimed derelict site. In the months the allotment has been open the first crop of herbs and vegetables has been successfully harvested, and the project has blossomed to fulfill its original mandate to involve groups and individuals in gardening and conservation, and to promote healthier lifestyles through outdoor activity and a balanced diet. Moreover, the project has begun to function as a hub for local community activities at their education centre by hosting fund-raising events such as a Strawberry & Cream day and a local market to sell fruit and vegetables. Having established itself as a local landmark, the TARAGGAN project has received commendations from Caerphilly Borough Council including the mayors Civic Award, and was also the recipient of the 2009 Environmental Award from the voluntary sector awards in Caerphilly. TARAGGAN now seeks to further its role as a point of strong intergenerational interaction and local pride, and is competing for the Queens MBE Award for services to the community.

We are delighted that all the plots on the allotment are taken and to see the enthusiasm and motivation of the plot holders but most importantly the health and social benefits that the plot-holders are getting from working on the TARAGGAN allotment.

Progress In 2007, upon the ground that would become the allotment, stood the derelict remains of a nursery school. Situated opposite a residential estate and a handful of office buildings the rundown site repelled local residents to the same degree it attracted crime, as fresh reports of theft and vandalism were reported fortnightly. It is in this context that Mark Ellis, Ron Cooper, and John Pritchard came together to produce a business plan to transform the land into a community allotment. The TARAGGAN Group was established to ensure the goals of the proposed allotment project would be met and to update others on the progress of the project. Local businesses and community groups were approached for funding and professional assistance, and in that year a peppercorn lease was granted to develop the land. In April 2009, as fresh top soil replaced the last of the rubble, Cleaner, Greener Communities recognised the progress and the promise of the project, and came on board to promote the community allotment as a high-profile project in Wales.

When we started people said we were mad, that will never last, it will be vandalised. And weve had people jump the fence, the youngsters have been very inquisitive, but it hasnt been vandalized because its part of the community, because everyone knows someone involved.

Actions Collaborative Working: The close cooperation between a number of voluntary organisations and local government has been at the core of the TARAGGAN project and responsible for much of its success. Mark Ellis of the Mentro Allan project to promote outdoor activity, came together with Ron Howells in 2007 to produce a business plan to develop the site. Over the following months and years the community task force, Groundwork, have provided volunteers, and in 2009 Cleaner, Greener Communities provided funding, allowing fencing to be put up and topsoil brought in. At this point interest in the project grew quickly and the allotment opened doors to the whole community. After arriving on the open day and recognising the good work, Lindsay Whittle of Caerphilly Borough Council provided assistance in the paving of disabled access. Now, the local county council holds the TARAGGAN allotment up as a model for other allotment projects in order to emulate Bargoeds successes across the county. It is only through this collaboration between different organisations that TARAGGAN project has grown so quickly and been so successful. Co-Producing Services: The TARAGGON Group is comprised of both service users and individuals connected to other organisations such as Mentro Allan and local church groups. By working together to establish objectives and direct resources, the project remains relevant to the needs and desires of the users. Indeed, in light of the large waiting list for plots, the group is trying to expand physically to allow new organisations and individuals to participate. Independent Financing: The TARAGGON project receives funding from local government and from other organisations including Cwm Y Mynydd. This has allowed the project to expand and provide new services such as an education centre in which persons can learn more about food and involve themselves in events such as the TARAGGAN market. Importantly, however, the allotment is not exclusively dependent upon external financing that might not always be forthcoming. Time is spent on fund-raising activities such as most recently, a sponsored cycle from Brecon to Cardiff earning almost 450. The consequence of this financing model is that the organisation becomes increasingly selfsustainable. For example, a particular triumph of the project is the generation of a new paid role of a site manager; such as position may not have been possible were it not for the fund-raising efforts of the organisation and the site-manager themselves.

Theres all this talk now, in the schools, about obesity and I thought to myself, how many of those children have had the opportunity I had as a boy to grow their own vegetables?

Impact Nutritional information: By providing the opportunity for children to become familiar with natural, organic vegetables the TARAGGAN Group aspires to curb the apparent rise in obesity. Plots are given to local schools that bring classes to the allotment to check the progress of their crops and, recently, to harvest what has been produced. The children are given the opportunity not just to see food outside of the supermarket, but also to eat it in new ways; by growing carrots, for example, these children can sample them raw. Furthermore, through the Educational Centre attached to the allotment site, classes have been established to experiment with menus teaching individuals how the grown food can be cooked in different ways. By fostering an interaction with food all the way from the soil to the dinner plate, the TARAGGAN project educates residents - particularly school children - on the importance of nutrition that will likely yield long-term health and social care results. Local regeneration: The TARAGGAN project was possible in part from Caerphilly borough policy to try and turn derelict land either back to nature or into parks. The project has demonstrated both the challenges involved with such as programme and the successes that can be achieved when the third sector supports government in achieving its aims. The allotment is used by large numbers of the local community and by other organisations in the area and has come to be a point of pride for the local residents. By engaging the organisation Tidy Towns, TARAGGAN initiated a community led project to develop the largest plastic bottle greenhouse in the UK. Parents saved and donated empty bottles and summer workshops were organised for children to cut up the bottles and participate in the construction of the greenhouse. The colourful greenhouse now houses a variety of vegetables and is a real point of pride within the community.

Three years ago I was made redundant and I looked, but couldnt find another job. You end up sitting at home and watching TV and you can feel yourself going downhill. I was asked if I wanted to help on the allotment, and its really changed me Its a therapy. I havent got time for work now.
Interaction between groups: The TARAGGAN group seeks to promote cross-generational working and community spirit, and manage to achieve that both by creating a space where a plurality of persons come together and through particular programs. Pathways to Education, for example, allowed a number of fifteen-year-old children to participate in the allotment, and these persons subsequently prepared plots for the toddlers. This interaction fell under the supervision of a number of the TARAGGAN staff, many of who are at retirement age, which provides the opportunity for intergenerational cooperation. Added Value Persons working on the TARAGGAN allotment of twenty plots and three flat beds have successfully grown a variety of plants and vegetables, and in doing so proven that all members of society can participate and garden. The positive outcomes are not, however limited to the amount of food produced. A sizable number of elderly persons are active on the allotment and therefore gain exercise and invigoration they would otherwise lack. Moreover, as the allotment is a community area, the project has reduced barriers to social integration for otherwise isolated individuals. The TARAGGAN group now offers trips for those involved, recently to Cardiff for St. Patricks Day, which for paid and unpaid staff, volunteers, and those working allotments is a greatly appreciated opportunity to make friends and establish connections. Moreover, the allotments provide opportunities for persons with

learning disabilities. As a green space that allows persons to involve themselves, service users with impairments such as Autism make regular visits and gain the satisfaction of having contributed to the allotment, and enjoyed their time with other persons. Through the probation services Payback Program, the TARAGGAN allotment assists in the rehabilitation of offenders. As an organisation based in the community, the allotment provides the opportunity for those convicted of criminal offences to give back to their society and cultivate pride in their community. For example, persons in the Payback Program painted allotments fences and the distinct colours used make the allotment a visual point of interest. Own initiative: As the TARAGGAN project is user led, there is significant opportunity for persons to take initiative and help push the project forward. For example, the allotment uses sheds to store tools for the plots, and during the construction phase of development, a number of teenagers from the local area came to assist. Free from stifling supervision the young group struck upon a way of laying the tiles so that the sheds could not be lifted. Not only does this provide extra security, but is also an example of the transferable skills such as collaboration and freethinking that individuals develop that can be applied elsewhere. We got into the frame of mind, when is this ever going to succeed As much as you want to take a project forward, you need to that little push from people; once we got that push, it really snowballed.

Lessons learned Patience is necessary: Things take a long time, and you need patience and the commitment of volunteers. Red tape was a difficult hurdle as the council requested a business plan and asked a number of legitimate questions about how the land was to be used; this process took 6-8 months for a lease to be granted. In order to gain leverage and speed up a programme, it can be worthwhile forming an official group. By forming the TARAGGAN Group it was possible to apply for funding and act as a cohesive body. Do not depend upon any one group or organisation because their interest or funding can fall through. Keep working independently of others and dont wait for them to give you the go ahead. Nonetheless, it is important that one doesnt try to do it alone. Always keep asking new people and other organisations for help, direction, and advice because the numbers of persons who are only too happy to help will surprise you, and everyone has a role to play, everyone can contribute, and you can save time and money too. When designing the logo, it would have been possible to commission a project professionally, which could have cost hundreds of pounds. By creating a competition in the schools, however, a personalised logo has been created and more interest has been generated in the project.

Weve seen it as a derelict site and now when arrive you can see the red and yellow fencing and I think for the local residents its a bit of a landmark. Its nice to see things growing and the bottle greenhouse; it makes a difference for people on the estate.