A gardening charity is appealing for more people to sign up for its unusual match-making scheme.

Food4Macc is a volunteer-run organisation that supports sustainable food production in the community.

As the demand for allotments grows, organisers have come up with a scheme to introduce aspiring growers to homeowners who will allow them to use their garden in return for a share of the produce.

Project co-ordinator Bill Pettipiece described the arrangement like a ‘confidential dating scheme’, where he finds the perfect relationship between garden owners who are unable to take care of their gardens, and growers who do not have space for an allotment of their own.

He said: “It’s like a confidential dating service in the way we match people up. I go around to meet the homeowners and I make sure I understand what their preferences are, and we try and find a match from there.

“Most people we have matched have been delighted with the arrangement.”

Sarah Bradley, from Bollington, and Mary Marley, from Poynton, are just one of the successful pairings matched by Bill.

Sarah, who is married to Stefan and mum to 11-month-old Samuel, has been growing fruit and vegetables in a small plot at the back of Mary’s garden for around five years.

She said: “We’ve built a really good relationship with Mary. It’s great for us. We don’t have room for an allotment. I think it’s nice for her to know that there’s something being done with the plot.”

Grandmother Mary, 70, from Poynton, contacted the garden share scheme because she was too busy to give her garden the attention it needed.

She said: “Naturally I was a bit nervous about the prospect of someone working in my garden but my fears were put to rest when the Garden Share scheme put forward Sarah as the prospective grower.

“It is so satisfying to see the garden now being used to grow fruit and veg rather than go to waste.

“Sarah, with help from Stefan and her parents too, has been fantastic. It’s a brilliant scheme.”

The Garden Share scheme is looking for more people to offer their gardens for prospective growers.

To register your garden contact Bill at gardenshare@food4macc.org or 07710 878348, or to see the gardens currently available to go food4macc.org .