Walter Tillotson – West Midlands

In June 2009, 72-year-old retiree and gardening enthusiast Walter Tillotson was trying to get his hands on an allotment plot without much success. He'd contacted the letting agent on every allotment association in his local borough, but was met at every turn by incredibly long waiting lists.

Then in January 2010, while visiting a local allotment, Walter met John Fox, Co-ordinator for Dudley Greenagers - a project to improve older people's physical fitness through gardening and encouraging healthy eating. Greenagers offer people in later life opportunities to enjoy gardening and growing their own food, including opportunities to socialise such as 'Gardening Circles', where a group of people share a garden.

John advised Walter that Dudley Greenagers had a plot at nearby Amblecote Allotment set aside for Age UK Dudley’s Greenagers Project. Although small, this plot was still three times bigger than Walter's growing area in his garden at home. And to Walter's surprise and delight, John explained that this plot would be available rent-free, including even the provision of tools and manure.

Walter Tillotson’s allotment on 12 February 2010 – shortly after he took over the plot as part of the Dudley Greenager's project

It's all about the spuds

Walter said the prospect of being able to grow his own new potatoes that could be easily scraped and boiled was a great driving force behind his desire to get an allotment. His whole family have now enjoyed the fruits - or in this case, vegetables - of his labour.

Walter’s ambition was to generate the most vegetables he could from the allotment, using it to compliment his garden at home. Initially, Walter planned to work on the allotment for about 4 hours twice a week, but after a while, he found that more frequent, shorter visits were easier to manage.

After having made a lot of mistakes throughout the year, Walter now feels he's quickly getting to grips with his patch, thanks to useful advice from other gardeners and his own internet research.

The allotment community

Walter gets on with the other allotment holders, with whom he shares surplus produce. Most gardeners on the allotment avoid the use of chemicals on their plots, which Walter likes.

Walter also helps the committee for Amblecote Allotments to organise social events. He's enjoyed using his wood-turning skills to turn pieces - such as a goblet and a bowl - to act as raffle prizes, and has taken photos of the events for the allotment magazine.

Walter Tillotson's allotment on 11 June 2010, showing potatoes in flower and onions under cover from onion fly and alium leaf miner

Walter's verdict?

Reflecting on his experience with Dudley Greenager's, Walter commented: 'It has been a very interesting project and I look forward with great anticipation to do better next year.

'Health-wise, it is a fact that during the growing season I lost 10lbs in weight, and I grew 175 lbs of potatoes and 40 lbs of onions.

'It has been very enjoyable, setting targets for outputs and actually meeting them (old habits die hard). Improved husbandry will bring better harvests next year

'Even better, a further piece of ground has become available due to a further housekeeping efforts on our behalf which will ease my crop rotation problems and widen the product range.

'I feel very grateful for this opportunity. Without doubt it has given me another dimension, something into which teeth can be well sunk. I can only say thank you so much for the opportunity.'