Where the food goes

We’ve been delighted to work with The Shelf social supermarket Diss for a while now. Have read of this lovely post about our latest produce donation:

We’ve been absolutely delighted to see even more local growers sharing their fresh produce with members of our social supermarket, The Shelf – and just look at this fantastic haul of veggies and free-range eggs! 😍

This delicious donation of nutritious goodies was given by @groweastanglia, a wonderful organisation that runs a community allotment, growing organic produce for The Shelf and local community fridges.

And it’s not just Grow East Anglia – these donations make up a whole host of generous contributions from local growers, who have recently shared their surplus with us. Thank you to everyone!

The Shelf, based in our main Diss office, offers a range of groceries and everyday essentials at affordable prices, as well as items and produce that might otherwise be wasted. It’s a great way to shop more sustainably and make your money go further. And, best of all, The Shelf is for everyone!

If you live locally, you can become a member for a small fee. Simply pop by during The Shelf’s opening hours, bring along your proof of address and sign up.

The Shelf is open:
Mondays 9.30am – 11.30am
Thursdays 9.30am – 11.30am
Fridays 12.30pm – 2.30pm

Thank you once again to Grow East Anglia and to all the individuals, organisations, businesses and volunteers who regularly give their products, funding and time to help make The Shelf such a valuable community service.

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Tomatoes galore

Wow! 🤩

Just look at these beautiful tomatoes. All the more amazing for having been grown in a season where we’ve been battling the drought, flea beetles and hot hot sun. To be fair I think the tomatoes enjoyed the warmth, but it’s been hard work keeping them watered.

All the hard work has paid off though and it’s wonderful to have such a bounty to share with The Shelf social supermarket in diss and local food banks.

Huge sunflower!

We think that this is the biggest sunflower we’ve ever grown. It needed scaffolding today to hold up the multiple heads which tower over ten foot high! It’s a pleasure to see the bees 🐝 enjoying them so much and know that the chickens and wild birds will enjoy the seeds later. Obviously we’ll be saving a few of these seeds to see if we can grow an even bigger one next year!

What’s the plant you’re most proud of this year? Just having something survive in the heat and drought we’ve had is an amazing accomplishment.

Keep on growing!

Growing Together: Redesigning Our Poly tunnel for Better Access and Bigger Impact

At our community allotment, we have always believed that growing food should be something everyone can take part in. Soil under the fingernails, a cup of tea balanced on a compost bag, seedlings standing to attention in neat rows, these small things build confidence, friendships and food security all at once.

Recently, after a really positive conversation with Parkinson’s UK (https://www.parkinsons.org.uk) and the fantastic Ian Rogers, we took a long, honest look at our community poly tunnel.

And we realised something important.

It wasn’t working as well as it could.

The Problem We Couldn’t Ignore

Over time, the poly tunnel floor had become uneven and tricky to navigate. For volunteers with mobility challenges, including those living with Parkinson’s, the space could feel uncertain underfoot. Gardening should feel grounding, not precarious.

Accessibility is not a “nice extra”. It is the difference between watching from the sidelines and getting stuck in.

So we decided to change it.

A Fresh Start for the Whole Space

We are now redesigning the poly tunnel from the ground up, literally.

This includes:

  • Levelling and stabilising the flooring to create safe, even access
  • Installing accessible raised beds at comfortable working heights
  • Creating wider, clearer pathways for wheelchairs and mobility aids
  • Planning the layout, so more volunteers can work side by side

Instead of a space that some people could manage, we are building one that welcomes everyone.

Why This Matters

For many people, especially those managing long-term health conditions, gardening offers more than fresh produce.

It provides:

  • Gentle, meaningful physical activity
  • Routine and purpose
  • Social connection
  • Improved confidence

We have seen how powerful this can be. A shared harvest often grows friendships alongside tomatoes.

By redesigning the poly tunnel, we are not just improving a structure. We are strengthening inclusion.

Growing for Good 🌿

This redesign also means we can expand our Grow for Good work, increasing the amount of fresh produce we donate to local food support projects, including The Shelf in Diss.

More accessible beds mean:

  • More volunteers
  • Longer growing seasons
  • Greater yields
  • More fresh, nutritious food for families who need it

Accessibility and food security go hand in hand. When more people can take part, more good flows outward.

Looking Ahead

We are genuinely excited about this next chapter. The poly tunnel is becoming more than a growing space. It is evolving into a shared, inclusive hub where experience does not matter, mobility does not limit participation, and everyone has a role.

Seeds do not ask who plants them. They simply grow.

And now, our space will allow even more people to do exactly that.

If you would like to volunteer, partner with us, or find out more about our Grow for Good project, please get in touch. We would love to welcome you into the next season of growth.

New Year, New Growth (Even if It’s Below the Surface)

January at the allotment does not shout. It whispers.

The beds outside rest under frost. The trees stand still and architectural against pale skies. But step inside the poly tunnel and you will see it: trays of seedlings lined up like quiet promises.

This is planning season. And possibility season.

A Space That Works for Everyone

Our redesigned poly tunnel has made winter volunteering possible in ways we could not have imagined before. The even flooring and raised beds mean that volunteers of all ages and abilities can take part safely and comfortably.

We have started the year with:

  • Winter salad leaves under cover
  • Early onions and broad beans
  • Seed planning sessions with volunteers
  • Accessible growing workshops

More volunteers are coming forward, and we are actively encouraging those who may have felt unsure before to give it a try. The space now says, clearly: you are welcome here.

Growing for Good in 2026

Even in January, we are preparing for our biggest Grow for Good season yet. Our aim this year is simple:

  • Increase volunteer participation
  • Expand accessible growing areas
  • Grow more fresh produce for local food support

Demand for fresh food support remains high. As energy bills and living costs continue to affect families locally, we know that every bag of salad leaves, every bunch of herbs, every tray of seedlings matters.

More Than Growing

The allotment in winter becomes something slightly different. It is slower. Conversations linger longer. Plans are drawn up over flasks of soup.

We talk about:

  • Training more volunteer growers
  • Partnering with local health and wellbeing groups
  • Creating even more inclusive spaces outdoors

Gardening teaches patience better than any self help book. Nothing visible may be happening in the frozen soil, yet beneath the surface roots are strengthening.

And so are we.

Here’s to a year of deeper roots, wider access, fuller harvests and more growing for good.

Harvest, Hearth & Holding On to the Light

If summer is a trumpet fanfare, October is a cello. Slower. Warmer. Rich with depth.

Our community allotment has been humming with that mellow energy these past weeks. The poly tunnel, newly levelled and more accessible, has truly come into its own. Volunteers who once hesitated on the uneven ground are now moving confidently between beds, harvesting peppers, late tomatoes and armfuls of chard.

The raised beds we installed earlier this year are proving their worth. Volunteers including those living with mobility challenges have been working comfortably at a height that suits them. There is something quietly powerful about watching someone realise, “I can do this.”

Growing for Good – Autumn Edition

Our Grow for Good scheme is still in full swing. This month alone we have donated crates of:

  • Courgettes
  • Beetroot
  • Kale
  • Fresh herbs
  • Late runner beans

All heading straight to The Shelf in Diss and local families who benefit from fresh, nutritious produce.

Food insecurity does not disappear when the leaves turn. In fact, for many households, winter brings increased pressure. Knowing that what we grow is reaching people who need it most keeps us motivated as the days shorten.

Community Around the Compost Heap

October has also brought:

  • Volunteer drop in mornings with hot tea and seed saving
  • A mini pumpkin harvest for local children
  • Autumn bed prep sessions ready for overwintering crops

There is a lovely symmetry to this time of year. While we harvest the final crops, we also plant garlic and broad beans for spring. It is hope in bulb form.

As we look towards winter, our focus shifts to planning, preserving and protecting the soil. The polytunnel will keep us growing, but we are also dreaming bigger. More accessible beds. More partnerships. More produce for good.

Because this allotment is not just about vegetables. It is about belonging.

And that, thankfully, is perennial.

Lets talk tomatoes!

This year has been one of our best yet for tomatoes – and we couldn’t be more delighted! The plants have grown strong and healthy, filling the poly tunnel with a dazzling array of colours, shapes, and flavours. From tiny bursts of sweetness to unusual heritage varieties, every harvest has felt like opening a treasure chest.

A very special thank you goes to my friend’s dad – Geoff from Weymouth, who generously sent us his carefully saved tomato seeds. Thanks to him, we’ve been able to grow some incredible varieties that you don’t see in the shops. Among them are the delightful ‘Spoon’, a miniature tomato that is as sweet as it is charming, a peach-like tomato with a soft fuzzy skin, a mystery yellow variety that has surprised us with its sunny colour and juicy bite, and even a green tomato that is perfectly ripe when it looks unripe!

These tomatoes have been more than just a harvest – they’ve been a reminder of the joy of sharing, seed-saving, and the little surprises that nature gives us when we nurture it. Every salad, sandwich, and sauce we’ve made has tasted all the better knowing the story behind these seeds.

Here’s to another year of experimenting, growing, and sharing the fruits of our allotment with The Shelf social supermarket in Diss – and to keeping the seed-saving tradition alive for seasons to come.

Parkinson’s UK Info Event

Grow East Anglia at the Parkinson’s UK Information Event

Grow East Anglia were delighted to be part of the Parkinson’s UK Info Event yesterday—a fantastic day of connection, learning, and community spirit.

We joined a wide range of brilliant organisations including Citizens Advice Diss and Thetford, Rural Coffee Caravan, DanceEast, Archery GB, Milestone Fitness, Active Suffolk, Active Lives, and Wooden Roots African Drumming, all working to support health, wellbeing, and social connection in our region.

At our stall, we enjoyed chatting to visitors about the work we do at our community allotment—growing food for those in need, offering volunteering opportunities, and helping people feel more connected to nature and each other. We brought along a selection of homegrown herbal teas to share (lemon balm was especially popular!) and had some lovely conversations swapping gardening tips and plant care ideas.

It was inspiring to meet so many people committed to making a difference—whether through fitness, creativity, advice, or a welcoming cuppa—and we’re proud to be part of such a vibrant local network.

Thanks to Parkinson’s UK for organising such a meaningful event. We look forward to many more collaborations!