A SUSTAINABLE food-growing group have been awarded £10,000 to create an ‘edible’ health and well-being walking route in Helmshore.

Incredible Edible Rossendale will use the cash from the Big Lottery’s Awards For All scheme to make the one-hour long walk, lined with fruit and vegetable plants, for their team and residents to maintain.

The group will also use some of the pot to improve an allotment plot in Holcombe Road in the town, putting in a seating area for people to gather after they have collected some of the community food, design a planned allotment in Loveclough, and fund the team’s running costs.

Paul Scott-Bates, chair of Incredible Edible Rossendale, said: “We can go ahead and plan now, which we couldn’t before we got the very welcome news about the grant.

“The walk will take around one-hour for able bodied people, but we’d like to make an easier route for disabled people, and have been talking to the council about getting curbs put in where necessary.

“It’s for well-being and health, fruit and veg, but also bringing the community together. We’d like half-dozens of people from houses near to the path to take up the upkeep of the plants.

“The idea is based on what Incredible Edible Todmorden have done very successfully. They’ve even had the walk prescribed by GPs for health reasons, which we are also looking to do.

“We’ll begin planting raised beds and micro orchards in spring, and have chosen the route to go past local businesses and our allotment in Helmshore so people can stop by there.

“We’re also hoping to hold educational classes and training for people about growing your own food, and have more informal community get-togethers.”

The route of the walk, planned with the help of Rossendale Council and Green Vale Homes, and will begin at the leisure centre, down the back of Broadway, onto Snig Hole, round the rear of Holcombe Road, past Helmshore Textile Museum, to the group’s allotment, and double back to end at the leisure centre.

The group will have live music, stalls and activities at their community garden in Whitaker Park, Rawtenstall, on Sunday, September 28.

For more information, visit www.ierossendale.com