Alive’s Dementia-friendly Allotment in Brentry will have been open for five years come August, in which time it has grown from its initial, quite strict remit – a space for people living with dementia to continue gardening into later life – into a vibrant and bustling community growing space that also happens to be fully accessible, safe, welcoming and therapeutic for those with dementia and their carers.  

Although the site’s primary purpose is to be a healing sanctuary for participants and volunteers alike, we don’t believe we have to abandon high horticultural standards to deliver that – or to garden in ways that aren’t sustainable and environmentally friendly. Our beds are all minimally dug, our three-bay compost system fuels the allotment, and our water capture game improves every year. 

We also feel that aesthetics matter. You won’t find any bright blue MDPE water piping on our plot, let alone tatty scaffolding netting, yoghurt pots topping canes, or CDs to scare off birds. Instead, you’ll find a space that pops and pings with colour, using natural materials wherever possible and wouldn’t be out of place at the Chelsea Flower Show. 

Guy, who designed and built the allotment with Abi in 2020–2021, will be hosting tours of the site at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm, talking through the impact the site has had on participants over the years and how we give back to the community by supplying food not just to those who attend but also to community kitchens and food clubs across Bristol and how we contribute to community growing projects city-wide such as Bristol Seed Swap and Bristol Hops Collective. 

So come and join us on 5th July. We’ll be open from 12–4 and will have tea and amazing cakes for sale. Entry costs £4, all of which goes towards charities supported by the National Garden Scheme, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. 

Pre-book online or pay on the day. See you there!