National Allotment Week is 13th to 19th August in 2007.  It is a chance for Allotment Sites, Allotmenteers and Landlords to work together to promote the UK's most popular hobby!

Since 2002 when National Allotment Week first started, the whole country has seen an explosion in the interest in Allotment Gardening.  Not only is it enjoyed for the healthy exercise it provides, but also for the abundance of great quality, affordable food. 

Although there is a great explosion in the popularity and demand for allotments, it is only with the continued support of the UK public that councils across the country will honour the statutory legal obligation on their part to supply land to individuals for growing food.  As a nation, we have a right to feed ourselves, and know how the food is grown and what it contains.

Allotmenteering is also proving to be a great source for building new communities with many interesting community projects being set up by allotmenteers to benefit their local community.  Allotmenteering is a truly community-based activity, deserving public support.

The focus of this year's National Allotment Week  is that traditional British architectural gem - The Garden Shed - No matter where you find a gardener enjoying his hobby, somewhere close by will be the bolthole that provides a social focal point, and allows for an individual's character and creativity to come to the fore.

In a busy ordered world, the individuality expressed in one's Garden Shed shines through.  From the brand new shed from the DIY store, to the shed made from a collection of recycled materials.  The Shed makes an ideal environment to shelter from  the rain whilst it fills the water butts, and a place to share your stories, with your fellow gardeners.

This year has seen a massive upsurge in media interest with TV programmes such as Chris Collins and Hannah  Genders "Dig for Victory" Carol Kelvin's "Grow Your Own". A mainstream film written by Frank Cottrell Boyce  about life on the Allotment plot for a group of asylum seekers and their fellow allotmenteers, starring Benedict Wong and Harry Marsan entitled "Grow Your Own" and hopefully, more to come!

NAGTrust also runs competitions to find the Best Allotment Site, Best Allotment Project and Best Allotment Garden Shed with its media partners at Kitchen Garden magazine.  The results will be announced during  National Allotment Week 2007 NAGTrust  also run a competition to find the Best Individual Allotmenteer and Best Newcomer with media partners Garden News. Results will be published during National Allotment Week.

NAGTrust is inviting any Allotment site group that are opening their gates to the public during National Allotment Week 2007 to send details to be displayed on the NAGTrust website at www.NAGTrust.org  and all contributors will be entered into a draw, the winners will receive a case of Caliterra wine to be used at their opening.

NAGTrust is grateful for the support from Mantis UK, Caliterra Wines, King's Seeds, Wilkinson Sword, Haxnicks, Dancing Bee, Darlac Tools and the National Society of
Allotment and Leisure Gardeners.

Major events for this year include a demonstration allotment in St James' Park, London and a display and exhibition of the history of Allotments at RHS Rosemoor in Devon. If you know of any other events, please contact NAGTrust.