A NEW scheme to bring together people with spare garden space and those who want to grow plants, fruit or vegetables is being launched in Powick.

The Powick Parish Garden Initiative is the brainchild of Tom Wells, who represents the area on district and county councils and who has become a keen gardener in recent years.

And he is eager to hear from anyone in Powick or Callow End who wants to take part in the scheme.

He said: "We don't have any allotments in the parish and this scheme is really a way of remedying that lack.

"What I want to do is bring together people who have gardens that are too large for them or that they can no longer use, possibly because of age or disability, and people who are keen to garden, but don't have any garden to grow things."

He is launching the scheme now as winter is coming to a close and the growing season will soon begin.

"It's very satisfying to grow your own produce and it gets you out into the open air and gives you some exercise as well," he said.

"Both sides benefit from this scheme. An unused area of garden becomes productive and tidy, and someone who wants to grow things gets the opportunity to do so."

Tom is the scheme's co-ordinator, so anyone who can offer some garden space, or anyone who is looking for a patch to cultivate can contact him on 01905 831752 or 07752 027026.