GARDENERS across the North East have been waiting for what has been dubbed the 18-month winter – spanning the washout summer – to finally end.

But they will be out in force in Newcastle next Saturday when the city plays its part in national Big Dig Day.

It will be one of 24 towns and cities which have signed up for the venture, which aims to highlight the growing community gardening movement.

Taking part on the day in Newcastle will be:

West End Women and Girls’ Grow It project in Elswick.

FAR Centre community allotments in Fenham.

Scotswood Natural Community Garden.

Ouseburn Farm.

Wor Lotty in Heaton.

Student Community Action Newcastle allotment, Nunsmoor.

There will be a range of activities, with people being invited to sign up as volunteers.

The Newcastle participation is being organised by Nicola Cowell, of Food Nation, based in Heaton in Newcastle.

Nicola says: “It is a really exciting opportunity for Food Nation to support the many great community food-growing gardens and allotments in the city to get more people involved.

“The Big Dig will help to raise the profile of Newcastle’s existing food- growing projects, promoting the health, social and environmental benefits of growing food.

“The localised campaign is also hoping to inspire more local communities to develop new projects to grow food together. We hope that the Big Dig will be a catalyst for an urban food-growing movement in Newcastle.”

Food nation is a social enterprise venture which provides food and nutrition advice and services to schools, businesses and communities in the North East.

“Food Nation is about improving health through better choices in food and diet and development of cookery skills,” says Nicola.

“It is getting back to basics and cooking from scratch, giving people the confidence to learn how to prepare wholesome food from local, fresh ingredients.”