The Journey: Hosting BBC Gardeners’ Question Time at Newland Allotments

In May 2024, we received an exciting opportunity: the chance to host BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners' Question Time. As one of the UK’s most well-loved and longest-running radio shows, it’s a dream event for any gardening community, and we were honoured to be chosen as hosts. For Newland Allotments, this was the perfect opportunity to showcase the important work we do and highlight the gardening culture in Hull.

Planning and Preparation: The Early Stages

From the moment we got the invitation, our dedicated team got to work. Hosting an event of this scale required careful planning and preparation. One of our first tasks was securing a venue. Thanks to the efforts of our Secretary, Daniel Smales, we successfully negotiated with Middleton Hall at the University of Hull, ensuring that we had a suitable space to accommodate both the audience and the BBC production team. Coordination with the BBC was key to ensuring everything went smoothly. Our main contacts, Dominic Tyreman and Rahnee Prescod, provided support in overseeing the technical aspects, scheduling, and setup. The theme for both recordings was vegetables, allowing local gardeners to ask questions directly relevant to their own allotments and gardening needs.

The Team

Once the venue was confirmed, we completed the necessary paperwork and began organising the event. Our Newland Allotments team led the way in managing the logistics:

Nathan Lockwood (Chairperson)
George Stanfield (Vice Chairperson)
Kurtis Moore (Treasurer)
Daniel Smales (Secretary)
Jeanette Wood, Julie Waudby, Shaunna Moore, and Suzanne Brown (Committee Members)

Promoting the Event to the Hull Community

Promotion was a crucial part of making this event a success. Working closely with BBC Humberside, alongside Doug Stewart and Fiona Mills, we ensured that the event received local media attention. Daniel Smales took the lead on designing all marketing materials and promoting the event on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. We also engaged with local gardening groups, spreading the word within the wider Hull community.

One of the key objectives of the event was to raise awareness about Newland Allotments. Despite being a historic and vital part of Hull’s community, many people were unaware of the scale and impact of our allotments. This event gave us the opportunity to introduce ourselves to a broader audience, many of whom hadn’t known that the allotment site even existed. It was great to see so many people take an interest in our work.

The Day of the Event: Set-Up and Excitement

The event took place on Tuesday, 10th September 2024, and the day kicked off with early preparations. Setup began at 1 PM, with the BBC sound engineers arriving to set up their equipment at Middleton Hall. As the afternoon progressed, the production crew and panellists arrived to prepare for the evening's recording.

Here was the timeline for the event:

1:00 PM BBC sound engineers arrived and began setting up.
4:30 PM – Production crew, presenter, and panellists arrived.
5:00 PM – Doors open, guests enter and view the displays.
6:00 PM – The first recording of Gardeners’ Question Time.
7:00 PM – The second show was recorded.
8:00 PM – The event wrapped up with guests mingling and taking photos with the BBC presenters and panellists.

Nathaniels Allotments

Alongside the BBC, some of our local projects and charities helped set the scene. Bakersville Allotment and Let’s Talk (part of the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust) provided an engaging backdrop, displaying the incredible community work that takes place at Newland Allotments. One highlight was Nathaniels Allotment, which showcased a beautiful display of produce alongside photographs documenting their allotment's journey from its early days to present success. Nathaniels Allotment goal with this display is to inspire more people in the Hull community to try their hand at vegetable gardening. The display demonstrated how accessible and rewarding growing your own produce can be, with the hope that attendees walked away feeling motivated to start or expand their own vegetable gardens.

For Newland Allotments, this is more than just a display, it’s a chance to share the joy of gardening with the wider community, promoting sustainable living and a closer connection to nature.

The Panel: Gardening Experts Take the Stage

The BBC Gardeners’ Question Time panel was made up of some of the UK’s leading experts in gardening. These panellists provided invaluable insights throughout the evening:

Kathy Clugston, our presenter, expertly guided the conversation and ensured a lively discussion.
Matthew Pottage, curator of the Royal Parks and Downing Street Gardens, shared his knowledge on maintaining historic and public spaces.
Bunny Guinness, a celebrated landscape gardener and regular at the Chelsea Flower Show, provided advice on garden design and management.
Marcus Chilton-Jones, from RHS Garden Wisley, contributed his expertise in plant care and horticultural trends.

Capturing the Moment - A Packed House

One of the most memorable aspects of the BBC Gardeners’ Question Time event was the incredible turnout from the community. The audience, as seen in the photo, filled the auditorium at Middleton Hall, creating a vibrant and energetic atmosphere, with a room full of passionate gardeners and members of the Hull community, all coming together to celebrate the love of gardening. We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and support shown by everyone who attended.

We’d like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who made the effort to attend and contribute to the success of the evening. Your presence helped make this event truly special, and we’re proud to have been able to share this experience with you all. We are growing a stronger, more connected gardening community!

The Impact on Newland Allotments and the Community

The event was a fantastic success. Our team worked closely with the audience, answering questions in the foyer, mingling with guests, and sharing the allotment’s story. The feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their surprise at the scale of Newland Allotments and its wide range of projects.

As a volunteer-run organisation, it was incredibly rewarding to see the community appreciate the hard work that goes into maintaining our site. Guests were excited to learn about our various projects, including:

Bakersville Allotment, which provides mental health therapy through gardening.
Let’s Talk, a partnership with City Healthcare Partnership offering therapeutic support for anxiety and depression.
P.A.U.L For Brain Recovery, which supports individuals affected by acquired brain injuries.
Down to Earth, which runs workshops on conservation and sustainable living.
Good To Go, which helps young people with disabilities develop social and life skills.
Nathaniels Allotment, A popular social media presence sharing gardening experiences.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Newland Allotments

The impact of this event has been profound. Not only did it raise awareness of Newland Allotments, but it also solidified our place as a cornerstone of Hull’s gardening community. Many people who attended or heard about the event were surprised by our scale and the diversity of our community projects. The proceeds from ticket sales will directly support our ongoing projects, allowing us to continue promoting sustainable practices, mental health support, and community engagement. This event has been a milestone in our journey, and we are excited for what the future holds.

Join Us and Stay Connected

If you weren’t able to attend the event, there was broadcasted on BBC Radio 4 on 20th September 2024 and 11th October 2024. We’re so proud of what we’ve achieved and are grateful for the support of our community.

Thank you from the whole team for being a part of the Newland Allotments journey!

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