A COMMUNITY allotment that allows people to try their hand at growing their own vegetables has proved a success thanks to donations from local businesses.

The GroZone, based on a former brownfield site at Lingfield Point, in Darlington, already has a waiting list for patches and is looking for more donations of spare building materials, top soil and wood to help it expand.

The site was founded by Kendra Ullyart, a member of the Darlington branch of Friends of the Earth, who first started the project in 2009 by setting up an installation of growbags and asking local residents to grow what they wanted.

Although that project was gradually abandoned, it gave Ms Ullyart the idea to create a proper set of allotments, with a number of patches of different sizes to suit individuals, families and groups Ms Ullyart said: “We want to make it easy for people to take up an allotment. We know that allotments in general have a high drop out rate in the first year because people panic when they realise how much work they involve but thats why we have created smaller raised beds to let people just come in and start growing.

“We are trying to provide everything they need to make it as simple as possible.”

After starting with a £150 donation from Friends of the Earth, the GroZone has been entirely built using donations from building suppliers Jewsons, John Wade and Todds, who provided gravel, sand, wood and top soil.

The initial 24 plots at the site have been filled, including a number taken over by community groups such as the Red Hall Fishing Group, which works with young people on the estate.

Garry Donald, 19, a youth worker, said: “I’ve signed up about ten kids to come and work over here and I know someone else had about eight coming over.

“It’s a good place for them to come and get a bit of exercise and away from the streets with all the swearing and messing about that goes on. Its a brilliant idea.”

Anyone who would like to sign up for an allotment at the GroZone, which are aimed at people who live in Lingfield and Red Hall, or anyone who has a donation of building materials can email kendraullyart@talktalk.net