A Dorset recycling company has been thanked for its ‘incredible generosity’ after donating 50 tonnes of compost to an allotment project.

Eco Sustainable Solutions arranged for its Eco Mix compost to be delivered to the National Trust’s Growing Spaces project at Kingston Lacy.

Just under 120 allotments were created by the National Trust eight years ago following the culmination of two years work by the estate’s gardening team.

The allotments were originally sited between the formal gardens and Home Farm in an area formerly used as the kitchen garden.

They have now been moved to a neighbouring area in preparation for the full restoration of the kitchen garden.

The five-acre kitchen garden was built in 1880 by Walter Bankes and became so renowned that Queen Victoria sent her gardeners to Kingston Lacy to learn their craft.

The National Trust has now launched a £500,000 appeal to conserve and restore the kitchen garden to its former glory. It hopes to complete the project in 2023.

The neighbouring allotments are used by members of the local community as well as school, community groups and individuals referred through housing associations.

They were created by the National Trust as part of an initiative to get more people outdoors and growing their own food.

In the late 1940s there were 1.4 million allotments but that figure is now believed to have shrunk to around 330,000. According to The National Allotment Society at least a further 90,000 plots are needed to meet the current demand.

Trevor Muddimer, National Trust volunteer and Growing Spaces Coordinator at Kingston Lacy, said: “Eco has really done us proud and we’re very grateful for their incredible generosity.”

Peter Hardy, Eco’s Commercial Director, said: “We’re only too happy to support initiatives such as Growing Space. It’s a great scheme and we wish the allotment holders every success for the future.”