The Experience of Allotment Gardening for Individuals from Low-Income Areas: A Multimodal Ethnographic Study

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people accessed nature for a sense of support from the isolation of lockdown restrictions in the UK. For many this involved accessing local greenspace and private gardens to benefit mental wellbeing. However, for those within low-income areas nature was accessed to a lesser extent due to a lack of public and private greenspace within these areas. One type of nature-based activity which has been found to benefit individuals from low-income areas is allotment gardening. Within these areas allotments have been found to be sites of positive community change, benefitting wellbeing through allowing for escape, social cohesion with likeminded people and empowerment. As allotments are grounded within the community, they often allow for residents to access nature whilst not leading to the gentrification of the local area. Therefore, allotment gardening may provide a solution to the problem of greening low-income areas without causing the displacement of residents. This thesis explores the experience of allotment gardening for individuals living within low-income areas of Nottingham. Using a combination of ethnography, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Experiential Reflexive Thematic Analysis (ERTA) alongside photo elicitation, surveys and field notes, this thesis provides a rich account of the experiences of two groups of participants who use the allotment site; new tenants from low-income areas of Nottingham and members of staff and volunteers who work on the site. The analysis of data revealed the following themes. In chapter six, “It’s always going to be something which I associate myself with”: Connection to Self, “It’s not just your allotment”: Connection with Others and “I find the allotment a safe place”: A Space of Sanctuary were identified. In chapter seven, “Commonness amongst all the other people”: Connection with Allotment Culture, “This one’s mine”: Empowerment through Ownership and “you just lose yourself”: Tuning into Nature were highlighted. Finally, chapter eight outlined the themes “It attaches to so many families”: Community Cohesion, “A real sense of freedom”: A Place for Personal Growth and “There’s no hard energies”: A Refuge for Mental Health. The findings demonstrate the importance of allotment gardening within low-income areas for individual identity, social cohesion, empowerment and mental health. The research also highlights the efficacy of combining ethnography with IPA and ERTA to provide a rich and rounded approach to exploring individual experience. Finally, this thesis has implications for government and local councils by highlighting the importance of allotments for tacking the issue of greening low-income areas.