A CHARITY is seeking keen gardeners who suffer with mobility issues to join a new allotment site that is scheduled to open next month.

York Allotments Charitable Organisation are midway through the development of a plot on Green Lane Allotments which will aim to to provide wheel chair accessiblity for six plots of land.

The initiative is part City of York Councils Forgotten Corners funding, a scheme that helps improve neglected and unloved green spaces in York.

Secretary of Green Lane Allotments Association, Colin Smith, said that they had noticed there was little access to allotment sites for residents of York struggling with mobility issues.

He said: "As a trustee for York Allotments Charitable Incorporated Organisation, who run 15 allotment sites in York, we have been aware for sometime that there is little to no access to allotment sites for residents of York who struggle with mobility difficulties.

"We applied for a grant from the council because we want to make our gardening facilities in York available for everyone."

Mr Smith said the trust had received an £18,000 grant from the council.

He said: "We are now midway in the development of a plot on Green Lane Allotments which aims to provide six places for those with mobility difficulties.

" Each tenant will have access to one wheelchair accessible raised bed inside a polytunnel and one wheelchair accessible raised bed outside.

"Each bed will have a mains water supply and a lockable cabinet will be available for each tenant. In addition, the tenants will have shared exclusive use of a new compostable toilet with the children and their carers."

Executive member for the environment, Cllr Andrew Waller, said: “It’s great to see that the Green Lane allotments have been transformed thanks to the hard work of the allotments association and the Forgotten Corners Fund.

"The fund has helped them to make the allotments one of only two that are fully accessible to people with disabilities. It has also enabled them to rejuvenate the area to help welcome in the local community. I’m looking forward to seeing how the other projects in the Forgotten Corners project have got on in the coming weeks.”

Mr Smith added that all the plots were still available and to apply they can visit ...