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Bisley Chestergate Allotments & Bisley Community Composting Scheme

The Chestergate Allotments, in the village of Bisley, near Stroud, have a community composting scheme, a compost demonstration site, and a community orchard, in addition to 52 allotments.
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Bisley Community Composting Scheme (BCCS) was launched in 2005, making it one of the most well-established community composting schemes in the UK. It composts garden waste from its members, who need to be residents of the parish and who pay a small annual fee.

The composting process is highly efficient, having been optimised by the volunteers running the scheme over the last twenty years. The finished compost is available to the general public in exchange for a donation, and free to Bisley’s allotment holders. The scheme is therefore helping to build soil health in local gardens and allotments.

Garden Organic has helped to set up a compost demonstration site, beside the community composting scheme operations. This has a range of compost bins, including a wormery, a compost ball, an experimental ‘weed composting area’ , leaf bins and a comfrey “ elixir” tube. The aim is that visitors are inspired to compost at home, and that they learn different techniques and solutions. The volunteers at the site regularly host local school visits.

On the allotments, the availability of free BCCS compost to the allotment holders has inspired many to grow following “No-Dig” principles.

In the wider community, Bisley-with-Lypiatt Parish Council unanimously agreed several years ago not to use pesticides on land it owns or maintains. 

Visit Bisley Chestergate Allotments & Bisley Community Composting Scheme 🔗

Opening Times

The community composting site, and compost demonstration site, are open to visitors on Saturdays, 10am to 1pm; look out for the pedestrian gate made by an artist blacksmith, to mark the site's twentieth anniversary.

Bisley Community Orchard is open to visitors every day. It has seventeen varieties of Gloucestershire apple trees, two perry pear trees, two damson trees, a mulberry tree, and is partially enclosed by a selection of edible hedgerow trees. There is clear signage explaining the history of each tree. The orchard supports biodiversity, provides fruit for the community, and hosts community activities and events. 

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Bisley Chestergate Allotments Demonstrates:
Organic principles ✔
Using peat free compost ✔