THE ALTON Local Food Initiative (ALFI) has had a busy month.

For the first 11 days of July, four volunteers set off at 7am each day for the Hampton Court Garden Festival.

At first their task was to construct and plant ALFI’s ‘Community Allotment’, designed by Ann Foulkes.

Every detail was thought of and the finished garden represented ALFI’s three main plots at Alton station, Westbrooke Road and the St Lawrence Vicarage front garden.

Raised beds and a pop-up compost bin were constructed by Wey Valley Men’s Shed, local nurseries helped with plants and container-grown trees and bushes, and there was a square metre of locally- grown wildflower turf in full flower. The Jubilee Field orchard was represented by fruit trees.

The finished plot was colourful and full of interest, with leaflets, photographs, a demonstration of ways to save water in the garden, and displays illustrating ALFI’s annual events such as the Seed Swap and the Seedling Swap.

A total of 19 volunteers built the display and staffed it for the week it was open to the public. There was a lot of interest in all aspects of the group’s activities, with many visitors wondering whether they could set up a similar group in their town.

On July 11, ALFI also had a stall at the Alton Climate Action Network/Alton Town Council eco-fair in Alton’s Public Gardens. Again visitors showed a lively interest in the display board showing ALFI activities and took away pot plants and leaflets.

Other volunteers continued to look after ALFI’s Alton plots, watering and picking produce to go in the baskets by the plots or in the station foyer.

After 12 years ALFI has a new logo which it has used for new signs for the ALFI plots and planters around the town.

Visitors are welcome to attend the ALFI annual general meeting in the back bar at The Railway Arms, opposite Station Road, on Monday at 7.30pm to find out more.

A spokesperson said: “The business meeting will be quick, and will be followed by refreshments, a short video of the eco-fair, and photos of the display at Hampton Court, and time to chat over drinks from the bar.”

For more information on ALFI visit www.altonlocalfood.org.uk