A green fingered community project has received a boost through funding of £1,070 from Hitchin Committee.

Ron's Plot is a social and therapeutic gardening initiative based at Burford Way allotments in Hitchin.

The scheme, run by Getting Rooted C.I.C, is a social and therapeutic gardening initiative at the heart of a Hitchin community.

The project aims to bring together residents, community groups and businesses from the local area to share advice, information and tips on sustainable gardening, and recently received the welcome four-figure funding from North Herts District Council's (NHDC) Hitchin Committee.

Director of Getting Rooted C.I.C, Aletheia Mashiri said: "We are very happy to have received this grant from NHDC to enable ourselves and our school partners in the community to expand the invaluable work we are doing with our children and young people."

The project received £1,070 to put towards the delivery of permaculture training for practitioners engaging children and young people in outdoor learning.

These online courses will be run by the Permaculture Association and will be accessible to local schools, community groups and home education networks.

Once they have attended a course, the groups can then start or expand their own gardening projects, when government Covid guidelines allow.

Gardening has been proven to benefit mental and emotional wellbeing in both children and adults.

Fresh produce from the project is shared among the volunteers with surplus distributed in the local community via the Hitchin Food Rescue Hub.

Ron's Plot, which is named after the person who previously rented the project's allotment, is currently reaching out to other organisations in the area.

Charities include those representing people of colour, local arts initiatives, and a GP link worker who prescribes outdoor activities to patients, to ensure their voluntary work engages with a wide and diverse community.

Councillor Ian Albert, chair of the Hitchin Committee said: "We are very happy to support this excellent project that works to bring local people together, creating a real sense of community through a shared interest.

"We wish them all the best with the workshops and look forward to seeing the project grow in the future."