lb of hounslow allotments research project · the two main discussion points were water use and...

Measurement Evaluation Learning: Using evidence to shape better services

Final report

October 2019

Allotments research project

London Borough of Hounslow


Project details ................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4

Allotment holders’ survey ............................................................................................................. 6

Non-user research ......................................................................................................................... 8

Allotment seminar ......................................................................................................................... 9

Appendix A: Allotment holders’ survey - respondent profile ....................................................... 11

Appendix B: Allotment seminar agenda ...................................................................................... 13

Contents

Contents Page


Project details

Title Hounslow Allotments Research Project

Client London Borough of Hounslow

Project number 19076

Author Adam Knight-Markiegi and Sam Jones

Research Manager Sam Jones

M·E·L Research Ltd

Somerset House, 37 Temple Street, Birmingham, B2 5DP

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.melresearch.co.uk

Tel: 0121 604 4664


Introduction

Background

Allotments have made a revival over recent years because of their vital role in connecting people to

the process of food production, promoting health and wellbeing through exercise and healthy eating

and bringing the community together to share advice experience and a passion for growing food.

The London Borough of Hounslow are currently responsible for 29 active allotment sites (as shown

below). The Council share the above vision for allotments and is committed to working with partners

and allotment holders to support and plan for allotments, and to strengthen their role in maintaining

and enhancing them, ensuring they will be there for future generations to enjoy.

This builds on wider Council strategies, particularly the new corporate plan of making Hounslow

cleaner and greener. Hounslow is one of a growing list of public councils to have declared a climate

emergency, which is feeding into all Council plans. On top of that, it is estimated that over half of

adults in Hounslow are overweight1, stressing the need to eat healthily and keep fit.

To deliver this vision, the Council is in the process of reviewing the allotment service they provide, to

draft a new Allotment Strategy for the Borough. This forward-looking strategy will provide guidance

for the next 10 years on the management, development and maintenance of current allotment

provision.

1 London Borough of Hounslow (Nov 2018) Hounslow Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2022


Resident engagement

M·E·L Research were commissioned to assist the Council with a resident engagement programme.

The research requirements were to engage with allotment holders in the borough, to understand

more about their needs and priorities, as well as non-users of allotments to understand their

perceptions and any potential barriers to use.

The research with allotment holders consisted of an online survey, which ran from 16th July – 8th

September 2019. The same survey was also used to conduct face-to-face interviews with allotment

holders across four sites (Cole Park, Dukes Meadow, Church Road and Hatton Road), over two

Saturdays during the same period. This was conducted by a trained social research interviewer, using

a Computer Aided Personal Interview (CAPI) approach. The responses to the face-to-face survey have

been combined with the online survey. A copy of the survey is included in Appendix A.

There was wide communication with allotment holders about the survey. Hounslow Council sent a

letter to all holders and publicised the survey with posters put up in allotment sites.

For the non-user research, a focus group was convened with residents from across the borough. The

focus group was held at Hounslow House in September 2019 and six participants took part. The

discussion covered topics such as awareness, perceptions and potential benefits and barriers to use.

In addition, we carried out three ‘chattabouts’ with the Number One Allotment Chiswick disability

group, Hounslow Men’s Shed and the Heston West Big Local Mums Creative Club.

Finally, on 9th October the Council ran an allotment seminar to further inform the drafting of the new

Allotment Strategy. The seminar was well attended by over 100 residents and included a workshop

session to gather their feedback.


Allotment holders’ survey This section summarises the results from the online and face-to-face allotment holders’ survey. A total

of 195 responses were received. Table 1 below shows the number and percentage of responses by

site. The respondent profile is shown in Appendix A.

Table 1: Where allotment plot is located

Count %

Isleworth/Brentford - Cole Park 37 19%

Chiswick - Dukes Meadows 36 19%

Chiswick - Chertsey Road 16 8%

Chiswick - The Promenade 15 8%

Chiswick - Burial Ground 10 5%

Central Hounslow - Hounslow Avenue 8 4%

West - Hatton Road 8 4%

Isleworth/Brentford - Wellmeadow Road 7 4%

West - Church Road 7 4%

Central Hounslow - Gainsborough Gardens 6 3%

West - Snakey Lane 6 3%

Chiswick - Thames Road 5 3%

Central Hounslow - Pears Road 5 3%

Chiswick - Staveley Road 4 2%

Central Hounslow - Stanley Road 4 2%

Central Hounslow - Sutton Lane 4 2%

West - Fernside Avenue 3 2%

Isleworth/Brentford - Worton Road 2 1%

Isleworth/Brentford - Church Walk 2 1%

Heston/Cranford - Westbrook Road 2 1%

West - Faggs Road South 2 1%

Central Hounslow - Inwood Road 1 1%

Heston/Cranford - Waye Avenue 1 1%

West - Saxon Avenue 1 1%

Total 192 100%

Key findings:

▪ Most holders had rented their plot for 5 years or longer (61%) whilst 17% had rented theirs for

less than 2 years.

▪ 62% of respondents were on a waiting list for their plot. 37% waited less than a year, 21% waited

2-3 years and a further 21% waited more than 3 years.

▪ Most respondents tend to their plot alone (44%) or jointly with a friend or relative (39%) with the

majority (47%) spending 5-10 hours a week tending their plot.


▪ The main motivations for holders were to grow their own food (94%), health and wellbeing (88%),

physical activity (83%) and sustainability and/or the environment (61%).

▪ The vast majority of residents (98-100%) felt that growing fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers of

their choice, enjoying fresh air and exercise, eating healthily and enjoying peace and quiet were

all important benefits of having an allotment.

▪ 94% of respondents said they intend to keep renting their plot for the foreseeable future.

▪ Respondents were most satisfied with the access to their site (89%), access within their site (88%)

and the water supply (65%). They were least satisfied with the toilet facilities (14%) and waste

management (16%). 71% were satisfied with their site overall.

▪ The most important site features were the water supply (80%), security of the site (73%) and

access to the site (43%).

▪ 89% of respondents agreed their fees and charges provide value for money and 76% were

satisfied with the current fees and charges structure.

▪ 62% of respondents were satisfied with the overall allotment service, however most were

ambivalent when asked if the service was helpful and easy to contact. 38% were dissatisfied with

how quickly the service responds.


Non-user research This section summarises the findings from the focus group discussion and three ‘chattabout’ sessions

held in September 2019 with residents and community groups. While most contributors were non-

users, as one of the chattabouts was with the Number One Allotment Chiswick disability group, we’ve

also been able to find out what has motivated (some) people to work on allotments and some of the

challenges of running a volunteer-led allotment.

Key findings:

▪ Awareness:

Most focus group participants knew where their local allotment site was, although not all mums

at the Heston West Big Local group knew what allotments were. Everyone we asked was surprised

by the number of allotments in Hounslow. Guesses ranged from 6 to 15. Many agreed that

allotments weren’t well advertised.

▪ Allotment use:

One participant was interested in starting a small community charity with an allotment;

something run by one of the community groups we spoke to, the Number One Allotment disability

group. Another participant had recently started gardening and was keen to lease an allotment.

Many spoke about green spaces giving children the chance to be outdoors, but most participants

thought allotments were for people of any age.

▪ Benefits of allotments:

The main things that participants spoke of as potential benefits of tending an allotment were

growing fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers of your own choice, socialising and being outdoors

and wellbeing and exercise.

▪ Allotment facilities:

When asked what facilities they’d like at allotments, participants talked about toilets, water

supply, security and monitoring, communal spaces (such as a shed or hut) and transport to the

site.

▪ Barriers with allotments:

The main barriers mentioned by participants were time, waiting lists and awareness/information,

cost and plot size and education or lack of confidence. Some other suggestions barriers included

the distance from home, allotment rules, weather and cultural barriers.

▪ Encouraging the use of allotments:

Participants were asked what could be done to encourage the use of allotments in the borough.

Ideas included increased publicity, the use of volunteers or community groups, the inclusion of a

communal area for socialising and the involvement of children, potentially local schools. Another

idea was to set up community gardens to connect members of the community.


Allotment seminar On 9th October 2019 the London Borough of Hounslow ran an allotment seminar to explore both

operational and strategic issues, to further inform the drafting of the new Allotment Strategy. The

seminar was well attended by over 100 residents.

The seminar included presentations from a range of organisations, including the National Allotment

Society, the Association of Public Service Excellence, Marjorie Kinnon School and individuals from the

Council. The seminar also included a workshop session giving participants the opportunity to share

their ideas and feedback on challenges facing allotments and the benefits that allotments have on

health and wellbeing, social cohesion and the environment. A copy of the agenda is included in

Appendix B.

The aim of the workshop was to gather residents’ ideas and feedback on four key topics: sustainability,

health and wellbeing, high quality service provision and community engagement and participation.

Key findings:

▪ Sustainability:

Residents made numerous suggestions on how Hounslow’s allotments could be more

environmentally friendly. The two main discussion points were water use and waste

management. Overall, tenants want equitable access to water but noted that this should be

sustainable and not overused (e.g. by people using hosepipes). Suggestions for waste

management included having a frequent waste and recycling collection and introducing

communal composting. Other suggestions on sustainability included educating allotment holders,

air and soil quality checks and implementing a no-dig policy.

▪ Health and wellbeing:

Residents at the seminar highlighted numerous benefits for an individual’s health and wellbeing.

They also highlighted potential barriers and issues such as access to toilets and water. Another

key area of discussion was how allotments can benefit the wider community; suggesting

partnerships with the NHS and GP surgeries, community gardens/plots and open days to give non-

users an insight into the benefits of tending an allotment.

▪ High quality service:

Residents provided a number of suggestions for improving allotments and the allotments service.

Most commonly mentioned were waiting lists and empty plots, site security, water access and


use, toilets and plot sizes. Other suggestions included the use of CCTV, reviewing charges and

enforcing site rules.

▪ Community engagement and participation:

Suggestions for increasing engagement and participation included using volunteers and linking up

with local charities, introducing or expanding the use of site reps and using events such as open

days and summer BBQs to increase the exposure of allotments. Having more plots for schools and

charities, partnering with local businesses and creating a borough-wide community were other

suggestions.


Appendix A: Allotment holders’ survey - respondent profile

Gender

Base size: 164

Age band

Base size: 189

Ethnicity

Base size: 173

Male60%

Female33%

Prefer not to say7%

1%4%

27%

35%29%

1% 3%

18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 60 - 69 70-84 85+ Prefer notto say

92%

1%

4%

2%

2%

White

Mixed/Multiple Ethnic

Asian

Black

Other Ethnic Group


Religion

Base size: 179

Disability

Base size: 187

Sexual orientation

Base size: 177

Relationship status

Base size: 177

49%

31%

1%

2%

1%

1%

0%

3%

13%

No Religion

Christian

Buddhist

Hindu

Jewish

Muslim

Sikh

Any other religion/ belief

Prefer not to say

4%

20%

73%

3%

Yes, limited a lot

Yes, limited a little

No

Prefer not to say

75%

1%

5%

1%

2%

17%

Heterosexual

Lesbian

Gay

Bisexual

Other

Prefer not to say

3%

8%

60%

18%

10%

0%

Civil partnership

Co-habiting

Married

Single

Other

Prefer not to say


Appendix B: Allotment seminar agenda

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