'I love creating a garden for my community'
BBCA woman who has transformed a disused piece of land into thriving allotments is being celebrated on the BBC's first Make a Difference Day.
A self-described "foodie and feeder", Etheline Deer has volunteered in her Tamworth neighbourhood in Staffordshire for the past 11 years.
"My children were worried I'd be twiddling my thumbs after retiring, but helping to establish Belgrave Community Allotment and Garden was a perfect outlet," she said. "I love it and I won't give it up."
Make a Difference Day aims to shine a light on volunteers like Deer who go above and beyond in their communities.
The allotments, off Marlborough Way, lie between St Gabriel's Catholic Primary School and Tamworth Community Fire and Police Station.
Deer and a small team have created 15 shared beds, an orchard, wildlife pond, wellbeing garden and a wormery. They make their own compost and collect rainwater from the roof of the school next door.
She smiled: "I've put the woman's touch to it, that's what I've done.
"My mother's instinct, my horticultural, my culture and my know-how, my gardening skills which are in me."
Emergency service staff regularly pop in, a nearby memory cafe uses the space for people with dementia, and children from schools in the area grow herbs, onions, carrots, strawberries there.
The volunteers also donate vegetables to local food groups and encourage neighbouring firms to come and help out.
Millie Hall, from St Gabriel's School, said: "The children have learnt so much from [Deer] about healthy eating and how we plant.
"She's even helped us set up our own allotment at our preschool. She's just brilliant, amazing."
Deer is hosting a big lunch event on Saturday as part of charity The Eden Project's aim to encourage more people to volunteer.
"The interest in food and people and community and getting together and talking to people. That's what's important to me," she said.
Josje Praamstra, from The Eden Project, described Deer as a "massive credit to her community".
"It is not easy to do all of this gardening and to bring everyone together like this and to create something that appeals to people of all ages and all backgrounds," she added.
Fellow volunteer Rae Quinn recommended "everybody tries some sort of volunteering".
"Even if it's one hour a week, one hour a month, just chuck that hour in and see what you get back out of it," she added.
With the help of donations and grants, Deer aims to keep growing the community allotments and encourage more people to get involved.
Her big lunch event takes place on Saturday between 12:00 and 15:00 BST, and will serve up some of the group's own produce.
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