An allotment association is under new leadership with a pledge to run it for the members and encourage people to grow their own food.

The group administers 800 individal allotments all across the borough.

At a special general meeting at the end of October, of the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Allotments Association, rule changes were proposed and passed to make the group a co-operative association. Members had had to seek permission from the National Allotment Society before proceeding.

Seven days later another meeting was held, and chaired by Jeff Barber, regional representative for the National Allotment Society, when David Nettleship, 70, was voted in as the association's new chairman.

Sam Beric took over as general secretary.

Mr Nettleship, of Cliff Hill, Gorleston, has now laid out his vision for the future of the association.

He said: 'The association has 14 different sites in the borough, with 800 individual allotments. This is a huge organisation with real potential.

'There is a lot of poverty in the borough, so if we as an organisation can encourage more people to grow their own food it could make such a big different to people's lives and their diets.'

Mr Nettleship is also looking to raise the profile of the organisation by improving its online presence and is hoping to attract more members.

He added: 'One of things I would like to introduce is a welcome pack to new members. In the past, people who have joined have been given keys and left to it, but I feel we can do more to make new members feel welcome.

'However, the main change I intend to make is to put more power in the hands of the members, so members feel more like it is their organisation, and their voices and concerns can be heard.'