Museum uses wartime growing history to deliver dementia support and education through 12 plots
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, has created 12 working allotment plots that will serve both historical interpretation and active community wellbeing spaces.
The allotments, located in the museum’s 1950s Town, interpret the wartime and post-war tradition of converting outdoor spaces for food production.
It will also provide therapeutic gardening opportunities for people living with dementia, those with additional needs, carers, schoolchildren and community groups.
A £19,944 Banks Community Fund investment has covered the allotment’s ground levelling, plot division, footpaths and fencing.
Helen Barker, Beamish’s director – collections and programmes, said the allotments enable the museum “to tell the story of the importance of people growing their own produce during the Second World War.
“In today’s fast-paced world, the positive benefits of gardening for mental health and wellbeing are widely recognised and we know that our community groups will benefit greatly from having access to these allotments.”
Banks Group has previously supported museum projects including Norman Cornish’s Spennymoor home recreation, Leasingthorne Colliery Welfare Hall and Community Centre construction, and sponsorship at the Ryhope Grand cinema recreation.
Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, said the allotments “will add a valuable new dimension to the museum’s overall visitor offering and we’re very pleased to be extending our support for its excellent work.”
