As Autumn falls, Shildon Alive Allotment volunteers had some much needed help from some staff from B&Q’s Bishop Auckland store.

The staff helped with jobs from tidying the Peace Garden and adding some beautiful flowering plants, to painting garden furniture from Cornerstone Supported Housing a beautiful shade of blue.

B&Q volunteers also donated some children’s picnic tables for the community to use and gave the finishing touches to the scarecrow by dressing him in a fetching B&Q apron!

Now Shildon Alive are planning the raised beds for next year but would love some more volunteers.

Lauren Robinson from Shildon Alive told the Crier: “Gardening is so good for supporting mental health and wellbeing, especially if your feeling isolated.

“We would love people to come to our gardening club on a Wednesday afternoon from 1.30pm until 3pm.

“We are in partnership with Move County Durham and people are welcome to just come and sit and enjoy a cuppa or have a chance to grow vegetables or flowers, take home produce and support the Shildon Alive community shop.”

For more information just pop into the store on Church Street, or message on Facebook Shildon Alive.