Views on NSALG

[Kea]

We have recently set up a new allotment association and joined NSALG. However we are now wondering what the benefits actually are, Ok we can get cheaper seed from King's but because of the time our year runs October to September ordering things like potatoes is always going to be a problem. We get sent one magazine to share between an increasing number of members, wouldn't be so bad if everyone had a password to access an ecopy but it seems the NSALG isn't in the 21st century yet. I think we maybe looking at alternatives for next year. What do others think?

[Old bird]

I don't really think there are many pluses to being a member!!

I am and don't buy Kings seeds and apart from paying my subs every so often don't see anything for it!!

I did see a copy of their magazine which, I found, incredibly boring - nothing much about gardening just about who's who in their hierarchy and who judged which show etc.  So, by relevance to me, absolutely no interest at all!

I still intend to pay my subscription as if and when there is a major paddy up and down the country about getting rid of allotments, then, I think they would be useful then!

Old Bird

 

[tonybloke]

Our Association is affiliated to NSALG. We recieve a bundle of 'the allotment' magazine, ( we've got 700+ members, on 14 sites)and it is full of interesting articles and ideas (well it is these days).
Our association has had our Regional Rep (Karen Kenny)come up to one of our committee meetings to offer guidance and advice.  Have you met your local area rep, yet?
I have travelled to Corby to visit Bryn Pugh for a prolonged meeting on legal issues, and spent hours on the 'phone trying to resolve some really sticky issues caused by years of previous mis-management.
We also get our Public and employers liability insurance through NSALG.
The Kings seed scheme is very useful, I can't see how your years start and finish date effect this, the seed catalogues come out in  August / Sept?  I've had delivery of seed spuds last week.

[Trevor_D]

I agree with tonybloke.

We've had lots of valuable advice from Bryn Pugh, as a result of which we've been able to shed the site of a couple of members who refused to cultivate but took up a lot of land and our time.

We get insurance through them: both public liability (in case the Society is sued) & employer's liability (to cover injury on working parties and other communal activities). We charge each member an annual supplement of £4 to cover NSALG & insurance, regardless of how much land they rent; not one person has complained, and when it came up at the AGM the other week, everyone agreed it was a fair way of doing things, and necessary for the Society.

We started the King's Seeds scheme for the first time last year and, although only a few members ordered, we raised nearly £60 for the Society. We're hoping for more this year.

We have 80-plus members, so I'm sent 8 copies of the magazine; they go to the Committee, as a perk!

[tonybloke]

We have 80-plus members, so I'm sent 8 copies of the magazine; they go to the Committee, as a perk!

these have just (literally) arrived (wierd co-incidence, or what?)
we get about 70 magazines, and they get distributed to all of our sites on a pro-rata basis, via the site secretaries, and are passed around to all who show an interest.

[saddad]

Although I am not committee now I made sure we re-affiliated after our last lapse (under different management). The legal advice is invaluable if your site/committee need it. You should get 1 mag per ten members. We leave ours in an unlocked outhouse if members want to see them.

[Old bird]

Sounds to me as if we are very small fry (allotment numbers) and you are all a lot more organised than we are.  I am sorry if I sounded rude about them but to me they are faces in a magazine that I see once a year and have no day to day relevance in our lives down here in Minehead. 

I will watch this thread and see if I am missing something else!

Old Bird

[Unwashed]

I'm not a member and I'm conscious that some of what I'm about to criticise the NSALG for are problems that I should join them to fix.  However, you did ask:

I think the surge in popularity of allotments has overtaken them and left them behind.  The problems facing the allotment movement today are largely an appathy by councils to do their duty and promote allotments, not least by providing enough for everyone to have as big a plot as they want.  The powers are there but councils are free to ignore their duty and the only organisation capable of challenging that is the NSALG.  So where are they?

The allotment movement needs leadership, and the NSALG are best placed to provide it, but where are they.  The ARI have made a better fist of it, contributing as they did the LGA's allotment management best-practice guide Growing in the Community, but they're moribund without their funny-money.  There are a couple of other wannabees offering seed schemes and site insurance but splintering is hardly helpful and is just a symptom of the NSALG's irrelevance and weakness.

They come over like they're still in the good-life 70's.  Their web site's rubbish and there are several decent gardening magazines/papers if that's what you want so there's little point them diversifying into that when their core competance should be supporting the movement - something only site managers and activists are likely to be greatly interested in.

As it happens I don't think these are problems that can be fixed by joining.  I think it's something the NSALG management must resolve to fix themselves, and that kind of reinvention doesn't often happen.

[tonybloke]

Actually, the local ARI mentor chap came to the NorSALG meeting on saturday.
ARI is managed by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, with support from the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners.

[Kea]

They come over like they're still in the good-life 70's.  Their web site's rubbish ....

I have to agree quite a bit with Unwashed on this point.

The latest magazine arrived last week and this time we got 2 for just over 40 members so obviously the 1 per 10 members is not the same for everyone. It was a much bigger magazine but again not much in it reminds me of the "NCT" with lots of stuff about people you don't know. Our members are all in the computer user bracket except for two and we all just find the website useless, we assumed there must be a member's only section before we joined.

Some more competitive members were hoping there were shows they could enter but there is no info about that so they're disappointed.

[Old bird]

Kea,

I am glad that it is not only me that finds them and their magazine pretty much a very boring names and faces and judges type thing.  There is so much more to the Allotment movement than growing for showing and the traditional "cloth cap northener with his leeks and pigeons" type image growing for the annual show.

We are not all growing for the biggest leek or carrot competition and the magazine - to me - comes over as Mr Blogs of Biggleswade with judges of blah blah.  I did have cause to email them back 3 years ago about my polytunnel and whilst they did give helpful advice were not into getting stuck in and righting a wrong.

We pay our subs either every 3 years of 2 years and get a seed order form, no receipt and nothing else.  I am not saying that I expect more for the silly subscription money but to me they are a little pointless unless you are into the committee/senior membership and meetings/shows which I am definitely not!

Old Bird

 

[tonybloke]

We pay our subs either every 3 years of 2 years
Old Bird

 

how do you get away with that? we all pay our affilliation fees yearly?

[Old bird]

We pay for 3 years or so at a time Tonybloke.  I seem to remember that it is £6 for 3 years?  Not sure of the amount.  Saves paying every year!

Old Bird

[Lord Rigby]

Our allotment association's affiliated to NSALG. I don't have much experience of them but I know that when the council imposed a new tenancy agreement on us last year Bryn Pugh gave very prompt advice when e-mailed.
Also I really rate the Kings scheme. Hardly ever a problem and great value for money. This year I'd ordered 1kilo broad bean seeds but they sent 1 packet instead. I contacted them and the kilo bag arrived immediately. So a free packet as well. I was well impressed.

[tugboat]

When our allotment was threatened with a planning permission proposal for 150 homes we
decided to join nsalg - through their help and advice especially karen kenny who I might add
is a volunteer we have saved a very neglected site and opened up about a 100 new plots.
For two pounds a year and the savings you make from the seed scheme which incidentally
raises money for the allotment site and the free legal advise I think it is churlish to complain.

yes I have phoned the headquarters in corby and found the paticular lady i spoke to rude
and disinterested and yes if I wanted to I could find fault elsewhere if I really tried but I am
really impressed with their clout.Once bedford coucil found out we were a united front with
national representation their attitude changed overnight.I currently have two plots on Mile
road allotments in Bedford and would like to thank karen kenny publicly on this excellent
site for her wonderful support.
 

[saddad]

Welcome to A4A the pair of you... 

[tonybloke]

yep, and welcome from me as well.


Karen has visited our association, and given advice at one of our committee meetings, she's a credit to the national association.

[cornykev]

Hoorah for Karen Kenny.      

[simon404]

I'd rate the NSALG very highly for their legal work. They've helped us fight off the developers on more than one occasion. They have helped save numerous sites and were around in the bad times fighting for the rights of allotmenteers before allotments became fashionable when councils were selling off sites. People slag them off for being old-fashioned but they're the first port of call when sites are threatened. The Kings Seeds scheme is also excellent at under half shop prices.

[busy_lizzie]

Our allotment site is in the NSALG and we think they give us quite a lot of support. We too get news via the magazine, and have regular meetings with the regional organisers. We also get our insurance through them and have had lots of legal support, especially on a planning problem we had with the local council. This is the first year we are having our seeds supplied by Kings, and it seems to be working out well. We have half price seeds on sale at our shop on a sale or return scheme. It is reassuring belonging to this sort of body.  We have about 150 plots so are quite a biggish site. busy_lizzie