New Chairman
Sadly Steve Yorke has decided to stand down from being Chairman after many years of excellent service. Thank you Steve for all the work you have done for the Association over the years. Steve kindly stayed Chairman over the last few months allowing the Association to go through a transition period when the officers of the Association have changed. Steve has said that he will continue to offer help to the Association and its tenants as he does so selflessly today.
I am pleased to announce that John Stooke has volunteered to be our new chairman. John gardens a plot near to the main gate and his details will be on the website soon if you need to contact him.
Water Advice
Thank you to Jane and Barry for the advice on water usage which you may have seen on the website. The very wet winter was followed by a surprisingly dry spring meaning that the advice came at the right time. Happily posting the advice on the website seems to have brought out the rain today and I hope many of you have taken the advice and collected some rainwater to minimise the need to use water that we have to pay for.
Thanks
I offer my thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help on the site in whatever capacity. Dave Hurt and Steve Yorke have repaired the fence around the polytunnel. Steve Yorke and Steve Williams have also been busy around the site including improving the main gate and starting work on the fence by the railway embankment. They do so much to help the Association that it is easy to take their work for granted, but it is always valued.
Volunteering
The Association really does need more volunteers helping in lots of ways. If there is anything you are willing to do then please get in touch. The Association manages the site rather than the council. The rental we all pay for our plots would be significantly higher if it was not for the work done by volunteers, so please consider what you could do and get in touch with me.
All the grass lanes need mowing regularly and litter should be picked up and taken off site. Thank you to all those who already mow the grass and pick up litter. It would be great if all of us picked up a little bit of litter when we see it and mow the grass outside our plots. I would really appreciate a few people mowing the grass on the lane by the bottom gate (by the railway embankment), in the South West corner (nearest to the Royal Mail depot), and on the lane to the north of the site (just off the main car park) – all help would be gratefully received.
Sharing Seedlings
This Spring has been especially testing for many of us. Some tenants may have found it hard to raise the seedlings that they would have liked to be able to plant now. If you have any spare seedlings then please offer them to other tenants. The Association will be refreshing a seedling sharing area near the recycling bay in the main car park. Please leave any spare seedlings there and if you would like some seedlings take what you need while leaving some for others.
Hedges
Just a reminder to make sure that the hedges around your plots look like they have been cut since the Autumn. If you do decide to cut your hedges, please consider nesting birds but maintaining the hedges is part of your tenancy agreement.
Enjoy your plots and stay well
Dave
Secretary
Old Park Farm Garden Holders Association
