Old Park Farm Garden Holders Association

We are still looking for more members to come on the committee we have meetings on Sunday 6th October at 10am and again on Sunday 3rd of November. 10am start in the polytunnel lasts for about 1 hour. We need a Chairman and Secretary or enough to help share in the tasks traditionally done by the secretary, with the Chairperson then having an overall view of what needs doing and when. If the committee does not think it has enough people to run the association efficiently then we will hold an

EMERGENCY GENERAL MEETING ON SUNDAY 17th NOVEMBER

there the future of the association will be discussed and what choices there are to carry the association forward. A working association will keep your rents low when compared to around £200 per plot plus water with the council. Personally, I think you have some really good people on the committee so please come and join them. Put the EGM date in your diaries and look for confirmation at the beginning of next month.

I have officially ended our status as a CIC this is because the lease the council is looking to give us ends the need for Trustees who would have personal liability over the allotment land. Also in the future, any committee may wish or need to raise funds and this would make running a CIC more difficult.

We collectively spent enough at Dobies to allow the discount scheme to continue this year. The arrangements are the same as is the code number. However, a few spent a lot of money and 2 of those are leaving the gardens. So it’s up to you if it continues after next August. I should have some catalogues soon. But the winter collection is on their website.

Thank you to those that came to the BBQ it was good fun especially thanks to extra help from Adam and Jane on the burger turning and Ronny and Winnifred on fundraising and those that helped set up. The afternoon cost us about £40 which is not bad for a 50/60 person BBQ.

To help in communication which is very time consuming and wastes paper and plastic please encourage your fellow allotmenteers to log onto this web site and follow. If everyone who was able to do so just did it would save so much time.

Steve and I will not have a garden up here by the end of October. I will continue to do some work for the association for a while so I will retain a key, if you want to have a chat about the future please feel free to contact me.

Regards

Jackie

As we are leaving the allotments I am selling my Mantis Deluxe XP Tiller as per the pictures. This model is the biggest one available with a 35cc 4 stroke petrol engine so very powerful. I bought this new about two years ago and it’s been used less than a couple of dozen times. New, these things are £450. If anyone is interested in buying it give me a ring on 07939 677311 and make me an offer before I put it on eBay. Thanks – Steve M

This tiller is featured in this YouTube video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ_jkBffJ6o at around 3 mins and 26 seconds minutes into the vid.

I run the website. I publish what I am told to publish nothing more. Today I want to say something personal to me.

Today we had a communal work day, a day when people are asked every few weeks, to help out for just a few hours, so that the allotments can be run for everyone’s benefit. It was sunny and warm and a lot got done by the following usual few: Steve Yorke, Steve Porter, Steve Williams, David Kirkham, John Stooke, Jane Bowden and Jackie Medcalf. Honourable mentions too go to Adrian Robbins, who worked yesterday, and Kay Graham and Peter Groves who are normally there but couldn’t make it today. I was there too. Well done to the band who always turn up and work for the rest of you so you can garden with no responsibility except to yourselves.

Hi folks.

A reminder that rent is due by the end of the month, see your bill for payment methods. You can pay in person on 21st / 22nd and 28th / 29th between 10am and 12.30. Please bring your bill. Mark Robinson your treasurer will be taking payments in the polytunnel on Sunday 22nd. I will take payments on the 3 other days and will be in my garden. If you have difficulty in paying by the 1st of October now is the time to discuss it with me. If you are vacating your garden I need to know now, please.

On Saturday 21st September. Our few volunteers will be working on the pathway again and on Harry’s old gardens. Your help would be appreciated, it’s only for a couple of hours but more hands to make the work progress would be brilliant. We need to get the work done so we can mark out the new gardens and get tenants on as soon as possible. Which is in everyone’s interest, in the future the council will not give us a discount on non-tenanted gardens which means individual rents may need to rise to cover the deficit.

As you know we need more Committee members we ask that you give an hour or so of your time once a month so it is not arduous and you don’t have to attend every meeting. Every hour volunteered after that is a bonus. We are suggesting the secretary’s role could be split down so job sharing some of the tasks would work out a few hours per month over the year. If everyone on site gave a minimum of 2 hours a year we would be organised.

We need someone who could manage the Web site, which actually takes up very little time is just mainly putting posts up. So if you know how to manage a web site or your partner does, please offer your services. Please contact me for an informal discussion if you are interested. Interest does not mean you commit yourself. Talk to me, please.

Unless we get the volunteers we need we will probably hold an EGM in a couple of months time to discuss how the association goes forward.

Regards

Jackie

SATURDAY 31st AUGUST 2019
OLD PARK FARM BBQ

AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOUR FELLOW GARDENERS.
ALL ARE ALL WELCOME INCLUDING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

YOU CAN SHOW VEGETABLES,FRUIT OR FLOWERS, ANYTHING YOU ARE PROUD OF (OR NOT) SUCCESSES, FAILURES, AMUSING OR OF INTEREST TO OTHERS.

AN AUCTION WILL FOLLOW OF ENTRIES WITH PROCEEDS GOING TOWARDS FOOD COSTS.

IF YOU WISH TO SELL SURPLUS PLANTS, CRAFTS ETC THEN YOU ARE WELCOME TO SET UP A STALL. PRODUCE TO THE POLY TUNNEL BY 12.30 PM AT LATEST.

THE BBQ FOOD AND DRINKS INCLUDING BEER WILL BE SERVED FROM ABOUT 1.30PM.

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PAY YOUR RENT IF YOU SO WISH.

RSVPS TO ENSURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FOOD TO GO AROUND WOULD BE HELPFUL.

IT WAS REALLY ENJOYABLE LAST YEAR WE GOT THROUGH 60 BURGERS IT BE NICE TO SEE AS MANY OF YOU THERE AGAIN.

JACKIE
07931950950

Mainly due to staffing changes at the council we have not yet had our inspection, however, I am expecting to be told who will be doing the formal inspection very soon, so guys you need to do your hedges, please. Cut back to 5ft high or to the wire if you have wire fencing in it. Allotments need to be at least 50% cultivated and be neat and tidy. I will be conducting my own inspection this coming weekend and those that appear not to be doing the minimum lease requirements will be sent enquiry letters or notices to quit, so if you are not doing your garden for a reason I ought to know about then you need to get in touch.

BREAK-INS

There was a break in of the brick building near the railway last month and last week we had a garden broken into by cutting a gate lock. I am pretty sure that we know the reason why the latter was done, the conclusion is that one of our gardeners was looking for something in particular. No one should go on any allotment apart from their own without an invite. Anyone caught breaking into a garden, stealing or attempting to steal anything will immediately lose their tenancy and will be reported to the Police which in certain circumstances would be classed as a burglary. It is not pleasant to know we have a thief amongst us once again but apparently we have. Obviously, you know who you are so maybe you could just do everyone a favour and the honourable thing and leave us!

A reminder that the social event this year is Saturday 31st August, after comments at the AGM any practical suggestions for a different approach will be welcome.

Week commencing Monday 15th July we are hiring a small digger to complete the pathway and lift up carpets on Harry’s gardens. ON SATURDAY 20th IS THE NEXT COMMUNITY DAY we will be looking for help from you to do some jobs on that land but mainly to cut the hedge back on Old Coach Road. If you can spare an hour on the 20th it would be appreciated and any help during the previous week would be good.

As you know both myself and Steve Yorke are stepping down next March. Next year we will need more committee members to share out the responsibilities of running these gardens so that nobody has to have a burdensome amount of work to do. If you wish this association to continue and avoid paying council high rents then we need more to get involved. If there are not enough committee members to run the allotments then the association would revert to being a council direct let site. The rent per sq meter for such a site is currently 46p plus water charges you are now paying 13p plus water charges. So it’s up to you, step forward and commit a few hours a year or risk paying higher rents and let the council run it. Your choice really.

Jackie Medcalf
Secretary.

Big, big thank you to, Steve Yorke, Steve Williams, Kay Graham and Peter Groves, Teresa Nason, John Rick, Dave Kirkham, Charles Dewa, John Stooke, Jane Bowden and Steve Medcalf for working so hard today. Results speak for themselves.

Thanks guys, very much appreciated.

Jackie x

What a difference a digger makes!

Big thank you to our Chairman for organising the hire of a JCB and overseeing today’s work.

The back-breaking work a few of us were facing has been sorted and we can now see the end game more easily. Next Saturday, come and help pick up bricks to put into the new pathway, help take out a large bush/tree to continue the path into the annex. Bit of strimmer work needs doing, carpets and any miscellaneous rubbish needs gathering for a skip. Help plan and measure the new allotments. The boundary of the site needs tidying, in particular, the fence on Old Coach Rd. Just an hour of your time will be a great help. Get involved in your association.

New committee members wanted so that next year we can look at a slightly different way of running the association. Come and join us on Saturday, all welcome.