Bridport Food Matters

To get on the waiting list for an allotment contact Bridport Town Council. Telephone: 01308 456722.

The Cow Shed at number 17 – Grow, Gather, Give
This Allotment Garden in West Road will be a happy place where Bridport Medical Centre patients can be referred in order to increase their wellbeing through growing flowers and vegetables, sharing a cuppa and meeting new people. It will be wheelchair accessible but will also offer projects for people wanting a challenge.

Bridport & District Allotment Society (BADAS)
BADAS protects the interests of existing and future allotment holders in and around Bridport. BADAS is open to all for an annual subscription of £2 and they produce a quarterly newsletter as well as arranging events (COVID permitting). BADAS has also secured discounts at various suppliers for members on production of a current membership card.
Contact: email, telephone: 01308 250260

Bridport Community Orchard and Allotment
St. Mary’s Church Field Orchard acts as a repository for rare and locally successful tree varieties. It includes community allotments, a meadow area that contains a wide variety of wild flowers, beehives, and a wildlife area with a pond. The allotment is an inclusive group for people of all ages, skill levels and ability, who simply enjoy gardening.
Contact: Jenn Baker

Bridport Garden Glut
A place to swap or exchange excess garden produce. To donate fresh produce, contact Peter via email or 07778 159826.

Bridport Grow Your Own
Bridport Grow Your Own is for people to ask questions, help each other out, and produce and share photos! All the food you’re growing, please share with us what’s working and what’s not. We can help each other to create a self-sustainable food growing culture in Bridport during this time of Coronavirus and beyond!

Bridport Seed Swap
Takes place on National Seed Swap Day, the last Saturday in January. Contact Eileen Haste. Telephone: 07879 280334

Bridport and District Gardening Club
Active since the 1850’s the Club has over 600 members in Bridport and the surrounding district. Under normal circumstances they have ten monthly meetings at the WI Hall in North Street, welcoming a guest speaker, and a monthly outing once a month during spring and summer. Contact M. Postle: 07962 962083. Email.

South West Seed Savers Co-operative is a group of small scale, agroecological vegetable growers who have come together to exchange seed and share their knowledge and experience of seed production. A number of the group produce seed commercially for UK seed companies and others produce seed for exchange and on farm use. Email.

West Dorset Beekeepers Association
Offers membership and a library of books plus equipment to hire, as well as news.
Contact Carole Brown. Telephone: 01308 456210.

Allotment ‘Ambassadors’

Being an Allotment Ambassador means being prepared to experiment with climate adaptive growing methods and produce, and to share your experience with and inspire others.

You might be prolonging the growing season, protecting the soil from extreme weather events or extended rainfall, or choosing to grow different – more resilient – produce in the face of milder winters and warmer summers.

We share what Ambassadors are doing via the Bridport Food Matters newsletters, and, when COVID permits, we arrange occasional ‘open allotments’ so that people can exchange ideas.

Three of our Allotment Ambassadors: Rachel, Sarah and Lin

YOUNG PEOPLE

Discover Farming Classroom at Washingpool Farm
A dedicated classroom where school children can attend to find out first-hand where their food comes from. Where they can meet the farm animals, see the crops in the fields and enjoy the lovely fresh produce. There is an excellent selection of online home learning activities available for children to do during lockdown.

Dorset Forest School
The forest school ethos is to provide opportunities for children to achieve in the woodland environment, building their self-esteem and co-operation skills. They work with schools and community groups, and have a playgroup at Thorncombe.
Contact: email or telephone 07957 390087.

Edible Garden at St Mary’s Primary School and Bridport Primary School
HOME in Bridport partners with Transition Town Bridport and Opera Circus to sustain and develop the Edible Garden to help the children and school, with their families to develop new skills around food shopping, cooking and growing. The project employs part time gardeners, with volunteers, to develop and oversee the garden, events, projects with the National Curriculum and other learning around horticulture, biodiversity and the importance of caring for health and well-being through local organic food. Contact: email.