NLHS Newsletter Autumn 2011Page 1
GARDENERS’ SALE: The warm dry spring which brought so many plants on earlier than usual, combined with the later than usual date for the Sale, meant that many members had to dispose of their excess plants elsewherebecause they were running out of space to keep them. The result was that this year the demand for vegetable plants well exceeded supply.
As many of our new members gain confidencein their growing skills (see comments on the Produce Show) we hope that they will remember to sow more than they need throughout the spring and then donate their spare plants to the Sale. We owe a great debt of gratitude to each and every one of you who grows ---- and gives ---- of their time, money, energy AND PLANTS……please don’t stop.
The proceeds of the Sale contribute to financing the Produce Show, but don’t worry that donating some of your potentially prize winning plants will just increase the competition – they still need a lot of love and care to become star produce.
*GARDENERS’ SALE *
MAY 12th2012 10am – 12noon
BAILGATE METHODIST CHURCH
The AGM /OGM was a lively and interesting meeting. Thank you to all who attended, and to all who agreed to be volunteered to contribute that extrabit of time which enables the smoothrunning of the Society.
Your Chairman Alan Shuck reported onsome of the outcomes of the regular meetings that we have established with the City Council, and in some cases there have been further developments since the meeting:
Yarborough Crescent has finally been wrested back from the grasp of Asset Managementand is returning to allotment use;
The old Adult Training Centre on Long Leys Rd is to be demolished so that it can no longer be a focal point for mischief;
The City Council are to provide the Society and its newly established Site Monitors with regular updates on the official status of plots regarding letting, warnings etc; we hope this will enable us to work towards fewer neglected or un-let allotments.
MEMBERSHIPcontinues to rise and is now established consistently at above 300 causing the Committee to consider carefully and alter some of our mailings to you – see box “Seed Catalogues” over page.
The PRODUCE & FLOWERSHOWcontinues to grow and flourish. This year there were even more exhibits and exhibitors,withmany new entrants displaying excellent growing skills and winning prizes. Thanks to everyone who played a part… organizing, exhibiting, staffing stalls etc.
Congratulations to all the winners:
Fruit and Veg / Ken WardRunners-up Shield / Tony Abbott
Flowers / Ken Ward
Floral / Art / Linda Abbott
Cookery / Pauline Turner
Children’s Classes / Oliver Abbott (x2)
Declan M Thompson
The Show saw the retirement of Dave Cordingley from his many posts of responsibility with the Society. Dave has devoted much time over many years to the smooth running of the Society, and his contributions will be sorely missed by us, though possibly not by the Council! The presentation to Dave of Honorary Life Membership of the Society was done with the grateful thanks of all of us who have worked along side him.
*PRODUCE FLOWER SHOW*September 1st 2012
BAILGATE METHODIST CHURCH
The schedule for the 2012 Show is not yet available as the Committee wishes to fully consider and implement the comments and advice of the judges regarding wording and guidelines. If you want an early copy of the Schedule it will be available for collection from the Store from late October onwards; otherwise a copy will be sent out with the AGM mailing.
The Committee needs to be notified of children intending to enter the children’s potato growing competition by the end of February 2012, so that sufficient seed potatoes can be kept in store.
BEST ALLOTMENT COMPETITION:
For a3rd year Messrs Continental Landscapes and Cory Environmental Services generously sponsored the prizes for this event, with the winner receiving £50 and each runner up £30, all in the form of Pennell’s vouchers; the officers of the City of Lincoln council were most helpful too.
We judged plots on 7 sitesagainst set criteria, but could only judge allotments which had entered the competition. It can be frustrating as a judge to see anexcellent allotment that has not been entered for the completion; we wish that more of you would consider entering – perhaps experiencing success in the Show will give you the confidence to enter next year.
The winner of the Best Allotment in North Lincoln was, for the 3rdyear running, Ann Knight on Clarence St 'A' site – but it must be said that the result is getting closer each year.
Ann is always happy to show visitors around her plot while muttering the mantra ”It’s not magic, it’s just planning!” If you want to avail yourself of this invitation, either just turn up early on a Saturday morning(about 0930) just before the Store opens, or phone/e-mail Ann to agree a convenient time and date.
Our thanks to all the judges.They’re volunteers and it’s a demanding job. However, it is also very interesting - WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN THE TEAM OF JUDGES?
If you have not visited THE STOREthis year, or possibly have not visited it for many years, you owe it to yourself to come and see the changes in both the fabric and appearance of the building and in the range ofgoods for sale. We areopen every Saturday morning from the last Saturday in January to the second Saturday in November (10.00 to 11.30), or make an appointment by contacting Ann Knight – she really is happy to open at other times, but cannot guess what other times would suit enough people to make another fixed time worth while!
(Hint: Many of you have discovered the well kept secret that the Store is often open earlier than 10.00 on a Saturday, but it is less likely to be open later than 11.30.)
NLHS Newsletter Autumn 2011Page 1
We are pleased to see that an increasing number of members and wannabe members have been using the website to download forms and information.
However it is certainly not a catchy website address; and the website is definitely functional rather than exciting. So …..
We now have a webmaster, Simon Draper, who is busy designing a new website with an easily remembered address and some additional features such as:FAQ’s, a forum, photographs of allotments, more information on the site in a member’s only section, notification of change of personal details for members, ….., more ideas welcome. Progress has only been slowed by the client, Ann Knight, not giving the webmaster enough of her time, for which she apologises! However, we hope to have the site up and running for the beginning of 2012. When it is ready we will advertise the new address and any log-on to the current site will be redirected to the new site.
SEED ORDER CATALOGUES
Following the increase in membership, it is no longer viable to send all three seed catalogues to every Society member when many members use just one catalogue, and some place no seed order at all.
Please continue to order seeds through the NLHS and qualify for a discount, by:
- Collecting the catalogues you wish to use from the Store
- Requesting a catalogue directly from the Seed Company, but entering your order on our form and returning it to us to qualify for the discount
- Asking us to deliver your seed catalogues to you, if you have any difficulty accessing the Store.(Phone or e-mail Alan Shuck or Ann Knight)
The catalogues can be requested from the Seed Companies as follows:
Tel: 0845 3710532
Tel: 01932 253666
and download the catalogue
Tel: 0208 427 5020
PLOT NUMBER
Condition 9 of the tenancy agreement states:
“The Tenant must ensure that the number of the allotment plot is clearly displayed ……”
You may have noticed that new tenants are being issued with a number board which they are then expected to display. If you are an established tenant but have not got round to producing and displaying your plot number, you will no longer have an excuse:
You may now collect a number board from the Store – if you notify us in advance, we will have it waiting for you; if you just turn up, you may have a short wait while we make it.
We need your name, allotment site and plot number, so that we can keep a record of number boards issued by us.
From next year, Condition 9 will be enforced so that failure to display your plot number will be a breach of the tenancy agreement.
SITE MONITORS
We now have Site Monitors in place on several sites (see next column). We would like you to inform them of any problems which you feel need to be raised with the Council. The Site Monitors will then report back to the Committee so that we can assess what common complaints are arising and discuss these matters at our regular meetings with the Council.
The Site Monitors are to be kept informed of the Council’s view of the status (lettings and warnings) of the plots on their site and can keep the Committee informed of whether this reflects the view on the site.
Do not expect the Site Monitors to solve the problems on the site, they are there to improve communication, but they are also willing to offer help and advice when they can.
When contacting people on the following lists,
please only call at a reasonable hour!
MAIN COMMITTEEChair / Alan Shuck / 543687
Vice-Chair & Store Manager / Ann Knight / 828439
Treasurer / Jacqui Richardson / 511072
Minutes Secretary / Kath Mitchell / 520790
Deputy Treasurer / Kath Stewart / 537090
Member / Ann Hockney / 528303
Member / Kieran Hegarty / 838035
Member / Tom Espin / 807121
Member / Ken Ward / 523868
Member / Simon Radley / 696199
Member / Timber Draper
Member / Lucy Hockney / 528303
EVENTS COMMITTEE
Chair / Kieran Hegarty / 838035
Treasurer / Kath Stewart / 537090
Minutes Secretary / Bonny Ambrose / 787115
Member / Tom Espin / 807121
Member / Alun Jones / 520070
Member / Ken Ward / 523868
Member / Alan Shuck / 543687
Member / Martin Dodsworth / 567321
Member / Jason Hippisley / 807655
SITE MONITORS
Clarence St A / Jacqui Richardson / 511072
Ann Knight / 828439
Clarence St B / Ann Hockney / 528303
Pat Kempton / 871230
Long Leys Rd & Long Leys A / Martin Dodsworth / 567321
Robert Griffiths / 686006
Yarborough Rd / Jan Lill / 524124
Burton Cliff / Mal Reynolds / 01673 860249
South Park / Bonny Ambrose / 787115
Canwick / Ian Flack / 543947