About ARI
The Allotments Regeneration Initiative (ARI) was launched by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) on behalf of the Esmée Fairbairn Environment programme in 2002. £850,000 was set aside for grants to allotments to support the development of best-practice models for regenerating under-used allotment sites, or for finding alternative ways of maintaining allotments as publicly accessible open spaces.
The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG), the representative body for city farms, community gardens and similar community-led organisations in the UK who manage ARI on the Foundation's behalf, has been awarded a further grant of £220,968 over two years to continue the advice, mentoring and training services set up under the original initiative until March 2007.
At the start of
this project, allotments were not high on the public policy agenda. ARI has
helped to change this, by raising the issue and profile of allotments.
"After many years of effort, we have managed to obtain over £30,000 of grants and now have a special plot for people with special needs and wheelchair users. We have also just installed a new canteen and flushing toilets, also accessible for wheelchairs. This has freed up our large Committee Room which will now be used by our user group for educational purposes. We have been encouraged along the way by your Initiative and by your Mentoring service (Alan Hull) - so many thanks for helping us along with our project." Jane Baxter, Sefton Park Allotments, Liverpool