South Eastern Trust staff couldn’t believe their eyes when His Majesty King Charles paid a visit to their allotment site in Newtownards, as it celebrates its 20th birthday!
Nestled within the shadow of Scrabo Tower, the Trust’s allotments have been described as a “community” by the green fingered staff members who plant, seed and tend to the site.
The allotment initiative was born from the Trust’s Staff Health and Wellbeing team as a chance for staff to connect with nature and ‘grow your own’.
King Charles chatted with staff and their families, who are dedicated to promoting sustainability, wellbeing and local engagement at the allotment site.
During his visit, the King toured the site and learned more about the work that has gone into creating the green haven and its impact on the staff who tend and maintain the land.
Ards Outpatient Nursing Assistant, Lesley McCrum shared how she, together with her husband Ian, get so much out of attending the site and how proud she was to showcase the allotment to King Charles.
“Having the Trust allotment really is a great outlet. You can bring your family here and myself and my husband can’t wait to get down here, see who we will meet and chat over a cup of coffee.
“We signed up to the allotments a year ago and it needed a lot of work. We got stuck in and now here we are a year later and it is really flourishing.”
Lesley spoke of her pride at the King choosing to visit the allotments. “Knowing he has chosen to visit this plot and come and chat with us has been just so exciting. I know we are all very proud to show this site off. It was a mass of weeds when we came to it but week by week, we worked at it, and have made such great friends from it too.”
Trust Staff Health and Wellbeing Coordinator Will Moore said: “It has been wonderful for the King to visit our allotment site and for us to showcase the work that has gone into it. The allotment site offers physical and mental health benefits as well as connection and it is a place where people can come, relax and unwind.
“As we mark its 20th anniversary it has been fantastic to show and highlight all that work to the King.”