WORK is underway to create a community allotment to encourage more townsfolk to have a go at growing their own food.

The Pop-up Plot has been created as part of Northallerton’s Homegrown Food Festival and is part of a “grow zone” to help residents produce their own food, providing ideas for small spaces and activities such as foraging and composting.

The plot, located on the bonfire site next to the Applegarth Park in Northallerton town centre, includes raised beds, a mini-beast mansion, potato tyre towers and an African-style keyhole garden.

Volunteers have already planted broad beans, onions, garlic and carrots.

In the run-up to the Homegrown Food Festival at Applegarth in Northallerton on Sunday, June 28, there will be a variety of events for the local community to get involved with at the plot. They include planting more vegetables, fruit and herbs, making the keyhole garden and weeding and watering, as well as special events for children.

In addition, organisers of the festival have announced that this year’s chosen charity will be the Friarage Hospital MRI Scanner Appeal which is aiming to raise £2m to buy a new scanner.

Northallerton’s Homegrown Food Festival was launched in 2011 and last year attracted more than 6,000 visitors from across the region.

As well as more than 100 stallholders, including local food producers, restaurants, farmers and more, other activities at the free event include a food theatre featuring award-winning chefs, the Tipple Tent serving locally-brewed beers, spirits and wines, a kids’ kitchen with interactive cookery workshops for children, two stages of live, local music and the Grow Zone.

Emma Casson, from the Homegrown Food Festival, is looking after the Pop-up Plot and said: “One of the aims of our festival is to get people to grow their own food more - herbs, vegetables and edible flowers are all options and simple to do.

“The Pop-up Plot is for the local community - especially families - to come along, get their hands dirty and see what’s possible in small spaces. We thought it would add something extra to this year’s festival and is a fun way to get people involved a couple of months before the event itself.”

Judith Masterman, community fundraiser for the Friarage Hospital, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be the chosen charity for the Homegrown Food Festival and can’t wait to meet with local stallholders and the people of North Yorkshire.

“We are over halfway to our £2m target for our MRI scanner at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and really appreciate everyone’s support.”

For more information visit; www.homegrownfoodfest.co.uk