Wellingborough homeless charity's veggie patch open day raises £600 as green-fingered volunteers contribute to community allotment

The Daylight Centre’s allotment was visited by local people and business representatives this week to take a look at the veggie patches, and the positive work that’s happening in the allotment.

There, the charity was able to raise £600 while also giving people an opportunity to learn more about the work the charity does, and why the allotment is a core part of its work.

A charity spokesman said: “What a great day.

A huge thank you to everyone who came to our open day, it was lovely to see so many local people there, as well as our corporate supporters. With your amazing help, we raised over £600.”

The Daylight Centre is a homeless charity based in Wellingborough’s High Street, working to reduce the rate of poverty and social exclusion in the local area. Its Daylight Shop in Cambridge Street and its allotment in Wollaston’s London Road are each essential pillars of the charity’s services.

Sarah Heighton, operations manager at the Daylight Centre added: “The veggie patch was created in 2021, and was just brambles when we first took it over.

We grow pretty much anything you can think of, and the idea was to provide fresh fruit and veg to the food bank and also into the community kitchen where we feed the homeless and vulnerable."

Jo West, the allotment lead for the Daylight Centre veggie patch won Local Food Hero of the Year at the 2024/25 Weetabix Food and Drink Awards, is keen to carry on the momentum into the coming months and years.

"The whole field was brambles, it took us six months to clear.

“I have these ideas that pop into my brain, and the volunteers always know the look on my face when I have an idea for the allotment.”