National Allotment Society East Midlands Regional Representative Newsletter Association Secretaries: Please forward to your Society members and display on site Notice board JANUARY 2015 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1 Following the resignation of the Chairman of the Society, and the election of the previous Vice Chairman to that role, the Management Committee have elected me serve as their new Vice Chairman. As a recently elected Regional Representative this was a somewhat unexpected honour but I hope that I will be able to reflect the views of the member Associations, Societies and Individual Members across the Region at Management Committee. Please let me know if you have any topics that you would like to me to raise. Most of the local news in this edition of the Newsletter is from Northants. This does not reflect any policy other than that I can only print what is sent to me. If you would like details of events or achievements on your site please send them. Regional Snapshop Survey Rent Survey. There has been a better than expected response to the rents survey. Those who complete the questionnaire will receive details of the results in January (If all goes well). It has been suggested that we look at waiting lists next. Rules Web site Members area Many of the Rules of the National Society date back a number of years and it was felt that they did not provide an effective framework for the future. The Management Committee established a working group to suggest revisions and a final draft has now been approved to be placed before the AGM in June. These have been published in the member s area of the National website (www.nsalg.org.uk) with Associations being notified by means of the address sheet of the national magazine. The member s area of the National web site is password protected. The password is available from your Association Secretary AGM National Local National Newsletter Accessable The 2015 Annual General Meeting of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd will be held on Saturday 6 June 2015 at the Woodland Grange Conference Centre, Old Milverton Lane, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6RN. Delegate and Proxy forms will be circulated to members with the January 2015 edition of the Allotment and Leisure Gardener magazine, as well as being available from the web site. Final Agenda will be circulated by 1 May 2015. Fee increases The joining fees for associations and societies will rise on 1 st January from 2.25 per member to 2.50 per member (minimum 10 members at 25.00). A year s membership for Association members still costs less than a point Please send reports of your site or society AGM for inclusion in the next Regional Newsletter The December issue of the National Allotment Society newsletter has been circulated and Site secretaries should have circulated it to everyone on their site mailing list, so that all members can get access to the news from their Society. If you are reading a copy that has been forwarded to you and would like to subscribe directly Click here As part of the management of an allotment site Associations will be looking at ways of
allotments making allotment gardening more accessible for people with disabilities. These beds may be of interest. As the ARI factsheet Allotments for All Improving access for people with disabilities and mental health makes clear improving accessibility is not just about building raised beds and a wheelchair accessible toilet. Welcoming attitudes, specially adapted tools and an understanding of easier gardening techniques are just as important as any physical improvements. However, the key to successfully improving accessibility is to consult current and prospective disabled users at the very beginning, so that any changes made are as relevant as possible When consulting potential plot holders it is important that Associations are aware of what has been done elsewhere and of the aids that are available. It has been drawn to my attention that a raised bed allotment system originally created in France is now available in the UK The raised beds shown here have been created especially for wheelchair users or those for find standing up difficult enabling them to comfortably reach the middle and edges of the bed without having to move. The shape allows gardeners to grow produce in full soil while facing straight on to their work. The beds can be linked together or kept separate depending on intended use and the layout of the site. The beds are quite expensive for a site to finance out of their own funds but the design is interesting and may be a candidate for grant funded improvements. For further details please visit www.red-newt.com/products/wheelchairraised-garden.html Composting Photo and Poster Competitions Leicestershire Take part in International Compost Awareness Week by encouraging your members to show their creativity with photography of composting, bins, people composting or a shot of the allotment seasonal shot of the allotment. For children we have a Draw a Composting Poster competition open to schools and individuals. You could offer a small prize for the best poster drawn by a child on your allotment site. Why not approach you local school- you might even get them to join the NAS! The AGM of the CLAGS was due to have been held in December. Unfortunately I appeared to be the only member there and the previous meeting was also inquorate. It would seem that there is no longer a demand from the membership for a County body in Leicestershire. Northants Bants Lane Allotments Northampton Bants Lane Allotments opened after the First World War in about 1920 and started with 166 ten pole plots, today with smaller 5 pole plots it now contains about 200. The site was originally a field for horses with stables at the far end away from the allotment main gates. The old stables were used by the association for storage and meetings. In 2006 the Northampton Borough Council installed a Port-a-cabin toilet with disable facilities close to the main gate. Following the installation of the toilet the NBC was asked if we could have a container for use as a shop and storage. The request was turned down because of budget cut backs. In 2008 the committee decided because our storage buildings were deteriorating we should contact the local Northampton Community Foundation. They were very helpful and we applied for a grant for a new container to the local Duston Parish Council. We had a visit from a Parish Councilor and filled in the necessary paperwork. The grant was successful and the association started work on our sloping site. The site has a one in ten slope which meant tons of soil, and stone had to be moved.
There were contractors on site that helped move a great deal of soil. Member s friends helped with stone and earth moving equipment. The base for the first 20 ft. by 8ft. container was prepared by members and the concrete foundation was laid. In November 2008 the container was delivered and installed. During this work we applied for a second grant for a second hand 20ft. by 8ft. container to Duston Parish Council, and third grant for a 20ft. by 8ft. meeting room from the West Northampton Development Corporation. The grants were successful and a double foundation prepared. Ideas about insulating our first container ready for our seed potato delivery in February 2009 were underway. Insulation, studding, sheets of chip board, and paint were purchased and donated. The inside of the container was insulated and the concrete foundation laid just before the potatoes arrived on the 6 th February. Three days later after heavy snow fall the next container and office / meeting room was delivered. The second container was insulated, all work completed by the committee. meeting room. The next project was to complete the car park along the side of the containers, building a 50ft. long retaining wall without costing a fortune. The costing, the materials and how to build the wall went on hold for some time. This year members had ideas how it could be done. Collecting materials from site, and speaking to local suppliers and the Northampton Borough Council giving us 20 tons of road plainings we set about building our retaining wall. We extended the existing car park, made a patio area, and completed the orchard around our containers and The year before The Queens Diamond Jubilee Year, one of members George Short sadly died, we found out later that he left 250 to the site. The decision that an orchard was to be made behind the containers and named The Diamond Jubilee Memorial Orchard dedicated to George Short. This year we finally finished the last part of the project first started in 2008. Our site has done well with its development and the organizations that have had faith in our ideas. Remember if you don t ask you don t get, I hope this inspires other sites to have a go. NAN As promised these are the winners of the NAN plot competitions. Children 5-9 years The River Nene Cup. Troy Anderson, Presented by Kathryn Hardcastle, CEO of River Nene Regional Parks Children's 10-15 Years, Unison Cup: Winner Lucie Berry, Pleydell Rd Allotments. Best 10 pole plot, Chronicle & Echo Cup: Bill Percival, Mereway Allotments, presented by Brian Gogerty Best plot over 10 pole, E J Street Cup: Roy Palmer, Southfields Allotments. Best Newcomer- tenancy under 18 months, Reg Drage Cup, Mike Evans, Mereway Allotments Best 5 pole plot, Robbie Burns Cup: Jean Digby, Mereway Allotments. Best Field, Malcolm Tomlin Cup: Ekins Allotments.
Best 10 pole plot Children 5-9 River Nene Cup Children s Plots Raise money Plant Sales & Seed Swaps Plant sales and Seed swaps are a good way of getting members involved in Society activities and of raising money for site improvements. Now is the time to ask members to consider sowing extra seeds and looking to see if they have any spare plants on the allotment or garden at home. Some Seed Swaps and Sales by other organisations have grown into large events and two or more local Societies might consider working together to offer a combined sale which might attract a larger attendance. Sales held undercover in Village Halls with a car park may be more successful than those held in the open on the allotment site. Check the NAS website for advice on growing allotment crops at http://www.nsalg.org.uk/growing-advice/ There is also a password protected member s area. Your association secretary can provide the password. The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the Regional Representative or the contributors they do not necessarily reflect the view of the NAS Contributions to the next Newsletter should be emailed to thewestons@ntlworld.com News of events, meetings, competitions, growing tips and general comments are welcome. Rod Weston East Midlands Regional Representative.