Topic: Which National Allotment Association?

[wivvles]

As far as I can see, there are two National Associations for allotments:

The National Society for Allotments and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG) ; and

The Allotments and Gardeners Council (UK)

Our fledging association is looking to affiliate to one or the other - does anyone have any views as to which is better?  Any personal experience in obtaining help and advice from one or the other?

[simon404]

NSALG is the main one and they need our support but then I've not  heard of the other one.

[Alan_Y]

I am with both the NSLAG and the FCFCG Federation of City farms and Community Gardens.

I would highly recommend the latter.

They have lots of info and have regular gatherings, good news letter lots of info on grants etc.

Check out www.farmgarden.org.uk

[keen-allotmenteer]

Yes join the NSALG  my Society is a member and the seed scheme  is the best value i know of.
Good quality seeds many 1/2 the price of the major catalogues and also many of the big name seeds buy some from kings to put in their own..

John T

[adamreith]

If the Allotment and garden Council is one based in Nottingham, you will find they have very little to offer in the way of legal support or anything else,  The NSALG are part of the legislative framework on allotments, and have rather more to offer - as has been pointed out above. City Farms and Gardens does not operate generally as an allotment body, and you will get more information from the Allotment Regeneration Initiative ( a project) which is hosted on www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari

[sallyann993]

the allotments and gardens council uk is by FAR the best to be a member of,as a former president of the yorkshire federation within the nsalg i can tell you that membership in nsalg has decline over the last 5 years from 120,000 to about 55,000 this is due to the lack of service they provide,youre site has got to be on the edge of extinction before they get the legal people involved,as they say they cant afford the cost of this,membership costs nearly double what  it cost with the www.allotmentsandgardenscounciluk.org.uk they can get you very cheap insurance,seeds at 50% discount,seed potatoes at a very reduced rate, plus many other benefits all for £1 per year per member,they are the VERY BEST,give them a call you wont be disappointed

[sallyann993]

hi wardy,sorry for the delay in replying,ive just got home from work,YES they do individual membership i think its £10 per year,visit the website and give the secretary a ring, he,s a very nice man,most honest, he will not lead you down the allotment path like the other group just to get your money he will tell you what you can and cant recieve.

[saddad]

Hi I know this is old news but with no axe to grind I thought you might be interested.
Our site was NSALG and changed to Notts based one, against my personal view. The services supplied are very similar, but I stayed as a personal member of NSALG. As treasurer of our site I have heard the arguments a NSALG but would rather we had stayed put.... Reg Knowles who runs the Notts break away group was the treasurer of NSALG but is a one man show and I am not sure what would happen if he fell ill or heaven forbid died in office!

[adamreith]

 :) The Notingham Group has an excellent seed scheme (the packets  are sent direct and save the Seed Secretary much work) and of course offer insurance and are cheaper.  As to legal action, both of them have to go to a solicitor ( or you do) for advice.

[legendaryone]

Hi sallyann993, can you check your link as i cannot get the web site :)
Nevermind this link should work
http://www.theallotmentsandgardenscounciluk.org.uk/index.html

[adamreith]

It might interest you to know that the NSALG has just (2007) increased its annual charge for each plot-holder to £2-00, while apparently having £400 000 in the bank!  It has still not started a court case to make Councils put all the proceeds of allotment-land sales back into the allotment movement and so remove the temptation to close Fields (Blog:allotmentrightsandwrongs.blogspot.com).  It has also it seems abolished the separate election of its publicity officer, so perhaps threatening the independence of its magazine while at the same time (as the Press Council has claimed) apparently not accepting PC investigation of any suggestions as to false reporting - which would make them one of the very few magazines still in this position. One wonders why people join it in this unreformed state.