by John Prince
A new netted tunnel has been built at a community group’s allotment, which will help them grow more fruit and vegetables for a food pantry selling affordable groceries.
Hornsea Urban Gardeners (HUG) has received generous funding for the project from the Hornsea District Lions.
Most of the produce they grow will be donated to Hornsea Pantry, which sells food to the community and people who might be struggling to make ends meet.
The tunnel at Hull Road allotments helps protect plants from the weather and from animals and insects such as white butterflies and flea beetles. It will allow growers to sow earlier and harvest later, allowing airflow and more light in.
HUG had been struggling to grow brassicas such as cabbages and cauliflowers, because their previous netted greenhouse was destroyed by storms earlier this year. The old structure had become irreparable after being damaged multiple times.
The group successfully applied to the Lions, receiving about £1,000 that was used to purchase the new cage, which took nearly two weeks to complete.
Sharon Jackson from HUG said: “When I started there was a mention of the pantry, and that anything left over from what we used was given to them as a donation. It had been running for years, and we thought we can still do that.
“Now we can hopefully expand our crops to include other things.
“It’s mainly brassicas but we’re going to hang some strawberry baskets up and tumbling tomatoes, and anything that needs protection, like some of the vulnerable seedlings that we’re bringing on. It’s a shade cloth as well, so it will provide shade.
“It will increase our produce, we hope. If we get some good weather we can hopefully give more to the pantry, as well as ourselves, with more different varieties.
“We’re not the only ones who give out. The pantry does get donations from others, and Christine down there looks after the people that come in to make sure that they’ve got something to eat. Something that’s fresh and healthy.
“We are so grateful to the Lions who are like our heroes, and thanks to the team who have been absolutely great. We’re really giddy at the moment.”
Mel Watson from the Hornsea District Lions said any individual or organisation in the community could apply for support by filling out a form available at the Lions shop.
The form gathers details about the applicant’s own fundraising efforts, the purpose of the request and who will benefit.
Mel said HUG was a classic example that received unanimous support.
He added: “HUG is a fantastic organisation in the town. They’ve done a great deal and came and asked us for this, and really we had no hesitation.
“We’re in a position to be able to help because of the fantastic Lions shop that we have, which generates so much money.
“We’ve got, I would think certainly in this area, one of the richest clubs. But that doesn’t come without a lot – and I mean a lot – of hard work. The shop itself has a minimum of eight people a day working in it.
“The majority of the money we raise goes back for things such as this. We paid for the bandstand in Memorial Gardens, the kitchen in the new town hall, and there’s a lot of work going on at Hollis Recreation Ground now.
“We already give a regular £500 donation every month to the pantry, and we have a collection box on our counter in the shop.
“A lot of the bread and butter stuff is things like sports shirts for teams.
“We do generate a lot of money, but don’t get me wrong, we do not just throw it out willy-nilly. Everything is looked at and always approved by the club membership.
“This is a good thing for the community, both for the people who are working here, and for the people who are going to be receiving the produce.”
Hornsea Pantry can be found at 2b Old Bridge Road in Hornsea, and the Lions shop is open six days a week at 6 New Road. Go to hornsealions.co.uk for more information.
HUG is always on the lookout for new volunteers. Visit the Hornsea Town Council website for more at hornsea.gov.uk and look for Community Groups.