A 14-year-old from Stroud has been crowned the new Youth Ambassador for the National Allotment Society after impressing judges with his passion for growing fruit and vegetables.
Finn Young was chosen from entries submitted by young growers aged 10 to 17 across the UK, following a competition sponsored by King’s Seeds.
The competition invited young people to share their allotment stories and explain how growing their own food has helped develop their skills, confidence and ambitions.
Finn impressed judges with a clear and engaging entry showcasing his love of growing and his understanding of the changing seasons.
Since taking on an allotment, Finn has grown fruit and vegetables from seed, nurturing seedlings on windowsills before planting them outside and enjoying his first harvests of the year.
Finn said he entered the competition after spotting it in the latest edition of the National Allotment Society’s Allotment and Leisure Gardener magazine.
“Only a few days before the deadline, I was reading the latest Allotment and Leisure Gardener magazine, when I saw the competition,” he said.
“As I am keen on growing fruit and vegetables on our allotment, I thought that this would be a good opportunity to potentially inspire others to grow, and boost my confidence in the process.
“Mum and I filmed a short video, and then six weeks later we found out that I had won! It was a happy moment.
“Youth Allotment Ambassador is a wonderful way of sharing knowledge with others and highlights a sense of achievement in an activity that I love.”
As Youth Ambassador, Finn will represent the National Allotment Society for the next year, sharing his growing journey through the Society’s magazine, website and social media channels.
He also receives £200 in garden gift vouchers and gardening goodies.
Ten-year-old Bodie Cattermole took second place, while fellow ten-year-olds Jaykob Pollitt and Jessie Johnson were joint third.
All three received £100 in gardening vouchers after being recognised for their enthusiasm, confidence and commitment to allotment gardening.
The judges said the entries demonstrated how allotments can help young people develop patience, teamwork, resilience and creativity, while fostering a lifelong appreciation of growing.
Sonia Gallagher, National Secretary and General Manager at the National Allotment Society, said the response to the competition had been “incredible”.
“The passion, enthusiasm and gardening knowledge on display made judging extremely difficult, and we were genuinely inspired by the amazing stories and experiences shared,” she said.
“Congratulations to Finn Young, who came across as approachable, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
“We’re excited to welcome Finn as our new Youth Ambassador and look forward to seeing him share his passion and inspire other young people to get growing.”
Last year’s Youth Ambassador, 18-year-old Tom Wells, has continued to develop his passion for allotment gardening and is now studying agriculture and land management while gaining hands-on experience working on a farm.
