Allotments grow thanks to lottery funding

Descriptor: First we are introduced to the makers of the film, Olivia, Rebecca and Simon, who are standing in front of a large green shrub with white flowers.

All: Hi

Olivia Swinscoe: We're from Birmingham City University and we made the following piece about the Barnford and Farm Road allotments in Oldbury.

Rebecca Charles: Just one of the many good causes around the UK which has benefited thanks to you playing National Lottery games.

Olivia Swinscoe: I'm Olivia and I produced, directed and edited the piece.

Simon Bloomfield: I'm Simon.

Rebecca Charles: And I'm Becky.

Simon Bloomfield: And we both operated the camera.

Rebecca Charles: And assisted on the shoots.

Olivia Swinscoe: We hope you enjoy the film.

Descriptor: We first see black and white photos of the original allotment sites in Oldbury, together with a photo of the main street. We then see a large white sign in some long grass, which reads, "Barnford and Farm Road Allotment Association, Plots Available," before we see various free flow camera shots of people working on the regenerated allotments.

Narrator: The Branford and farm road allotments in Oldbury were given to factory workers in 1915, but over time they fell into disuse.

Narrator: in 2004 a grant from the National Lottery helped a group of local people to breathe new life into the neglected plots which have now become a focal point for the community.

Descriptor: We are now introduced to Lawrence Banner, who is standing in the allotments, in front of a small wooden shed. As he speaks we see people working in their allotments.

Lawrence Banner: The National Lottery fund that we received changed this site from half vacant to over full. And it's brought on people from all ages, two schools, young children, West Indians, Italians and it's just brought about the community.

Descriptor: We now see various photos of how the allotments looked before lottery funding, before moving on to modern photos of how the allotments look today. Once again we see Lawrence Banner, as he talks about the improvements to the site.

Lawrence Banner: When I first took over in 2004 the allotments were in a very poor state of repair. And there was just no interest. The lottery money we received was spent on tarmacing the site to make it accessible, to build raised beds, to build classrooms, to put a toilet on site. It was just the start, a rolling start of a major major improvement.

Descriptor: We now continue to see the improvements that have been made to the allotments, with lots of lush greenery everywhere.

Narrator: These improvements made possible thanks to funding raised through the sale of National Lottery games have brought many new gardeners to the allotments.

Descriptor: We now see a man in a wheelchair, wheeling along the paths between raised beds.

Lawrence Banner: We've got two lads and they garden on four of the two foot beds, they are now in a secondary world which they didn't have before. They are part of the community.

Descriptor: We are now introduced to Martin Evans, describing the difference that the allotments have made to his life. As he speaks, we see shots of himself and another man in a wheelchair tending the raised beds.

Martin Evans: It's made quite a big change to my life in general. Of a Saturday morning cos I didn't used to do nothing most of the time, only watch television. Now every Saturday morning I come down here. People do support one another. If you need help, somebody will always be happy to help you and you make a lot of friends as well in the community.

Descriptor: As we hear Graham Walker speaking, we see someone putting smoke into beehives, before being introduced to Graham Watson, who is sitting down at the allotment site. As Graham talks, we see him working with his bees. Lastly we see a wide shot of the allotment.

Graham Walker: The allotments have changed colossally since they've received lottery funding. Whereas these allotments was half empty, now they're totally full. Which also helped us improve roads and facilities for people on the allotments.

Graham Walker: I initially had allotment solely for my bees. My father used to keep bees at West Bromwich, which is probably seven miles from here, and I always had an inclination that one day I always knew one day I would keep bees of my own. Having a plot here means I can get up in the morning and get to work. When I get wound up I come down here and cast caution to the wind. I mean I had an heart attack and it sort of changed my attitude to life, it makes me think oh my next breath's the thing I want, you know what I mean? And down here the fresh air does me more good than I would do stuck in a pub or stuck in a club or whatever you wanna be, you know what I mean? So it has done a lot for me. And of course it was nice that when I had the heart attack the people here mucked in and done my allotment for me. I think everybody does seriously worry about everybody else, you know what I mean? Off the allotment and on the allotment, you know what I mean?

Descriptor: We now see various shots of Selwyn Honeghan working on his allotment. We then meet him, as he stands in amongst his plot, before once again seeing him tending to his plot. We now see a large tree, full of blossom, with the sun shining through the branches, together with close up shots of the blossom flowers, and then a shot of some beautiful, brightly coloured flowers in a bed.

Selwyn Honeghan: When I'm working on the plot I enjoy it and to see a lot of different people, we support each other by if we have surplus plants oh we'd give them to other folks and if we have surplus vegetables we also give them to people. I'm growing thyme, onions, garlic. This scallion grows in the West Indies, they use it instead of spring onions.

Selwyn Honeghan: I would say it brightened my life ha ha. I love the air, it's a pleasure to be in the open air, enjoying that, I love the blessing of the sunshine and the different weathers of course.

Descriptor: We then see a man in a grey t-shirt and red cap, who is feeding a chicken from his hand, before we see a shot of a young boy tending a plot.

Allotment Holder: You really unwind when you're up on the allotment, it's really good like, you know.

Descriptor: Once again we see Graham Walker working with his bees, before we meet him for the last time.

Graham Walker: I could pack my job in tomorrow, come down here every day of the week. I could live here.

Descriptor: We now meet Paula Woods, who we first see working on her plot, before we are introduced to her, sitting in front of some tulips in bloom. We then see her walking through the allotment, pushing a wheelbarrow.

Paula Woods: It's good escapism, it's good therapy. When you come down here the hours just pass by and you get a good workout as well haha.

Descriptor: For the final time we meet Lawrence Banner, who describes what the lottery money has done for the site. As he speaks, we see various shots of the allotments, showing people working together.

Lawrence Banner: That giant sum of money that came our way absolutely transformed the site. Just raised this into a community beyond all expectations. It's started with the National Lotteries grant. It's now a site which is revered across Sandwell and last year we won a national award, a green flag award, from the Civic Trust, as the best allotment site in Britain.