It has been a pleasure for me to have been associated with The Faculty of Nutrition, Kobe Gakuin University (KGU) for more than 20 years. Our common interests centre on nutrition and health and, in particular, the major influence that dietary compounds can have on vital mechanisms of haemostasis and thrombosis. Differences between typical Western and Japanese diets seem likely to contribute to the significantly different incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders in the UK and Japan. It has been especially rewarding to visit Japan on several occasions over the years to learn about lifestyle and to lecture to the enthusiastic young students. It has been equally satisfying to have been able to assist with the organisation of return visits of KGU students to Cardiff University College of Medicine as part of their academic studies. During their visits to Wales, many of the students have been understandably interested in the different vegetables and fruits that are available in our UK markets, and it is not surprising in the current climate, that there have been several questions regarding the eorganicf nature of some of this produce. Further consideration of this topic almost invariably leads to discussions about the increasing number of people in the UK that are growing their own vegetables in so called? eAllotmentsf or eLeisure Gardensf. These are relatively small plots of land, owned by the local government (local council) and leased to individual residents in the area at a modest annual rent.
Most visitors to British towns or cities will have come across allotments, even if they don't know it. They are seen as strange, enclosed patchworks of cultivated land but they play an important part in urban communities. Their origin dates back more than 250 years when eEnclosuresf were established by rich land-owners in an attempt to stop the poor grazing their animals on common land. More recently, in 1908, the Smallholdings and Allotments Act came into force as a result of pressure from ordinary citizens wanting a share in the vast areas of land owned by these relatively few very wealthy people. The Act ensured that local councils provided land for the creation of allotments and even stipulated a standard size for a plot that remains to the present day. This was defined as e10 rodsf which is about 250 square metres. In these early years of the 20th Century, allotments provided much needed relief for the poor and were often believed to reduce the levels of alcoholism and crime that were evident as a result of poverty.
During the First World War there was large increase in the number of allotments - from 600,000 to 1,500,000, but many of these were temporary and were returned to their original use at the end of the War. Then again in the Second World War, allotments became a major source of food and they became a common feature in towns and cities, Inevitably, however, continuing pressures on the use of land have reduced the current total to about 250,000.? Allotments are controlled by Act of Parliament, and Local Councils have a legal obligation to provide the land. Any change of use must be especially justified , and in such circumstances Councils are obliged to provide land of similar quality in a suitable location for existing tenants.
In recent years, a succession of food scares affecting meat and eggs (for example, salmonella, listeria and BSE), concerns about genetically modified crops, and the considerable current interest in organic food, has created a revival in allotment gardening, so much so that there is now a waiting list for potential tenants in many parts of the county, including Cardiff.? In this respect, therefore, the modern use of allotments in the UK and the role of Nutrition and Health in the community, provides an excellent focus for discussion for KGU students visiting Wales. By coincidence, my wife, Joyce and I have been keen allotment holders in Cardiff for the past 30 years and we have been able to demonstrate to the students the range of different fruits and vegetables that we can grow on our small plot of land without the use of insecticides and chemical fertilisers. As an added bonus, the students can taste for themselves the benefits of very fresh produce in season. Some examples from our allotment are illustrated in the attached photographs.
I have found it very rewarding to be associated with the research studies of Professor Yamamoto and his colleagues during this period of time. The potential clinical benefits of different varieties of fruits and vegetables are now becoming evident, and it is to be hoped that these studies will lead to a greater control of the underlying causes of intravascular disorders such as heart disease and stroke. I will continue to follow the developments with considerable interest.
John C. Giddings June 2008 |