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Any ideas

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Sarah-b:
I have fairly recently taken on a plot on a council allotment. Now in my town, there is huge pressure for land for development. In fact, houses are being built on every spare bit.

Apparently there is some pressure on our site and we would be in a much better position to fight (if we had to) if there was a fuller occupancy of the site. It is quite a big site and I would estimate that there are 20-30 empty plots.

So the question is, how do you persuade people to take on plots? I have some ideas, but wondered if anyone here had ever launched a similar campaign or had any new ideas?

rdak:
I'm sure www.nsalg.demon.co.uk could advise.

some thoughts: putting leaflets through doors (try and get council to at least share the cost) ; approach local schools to see if they would want a plot; mental health groups likewise. could existing plot holders be persuaded to take an an extra plot each? Even if it's just used for growing green manure- that must count as being cultivated and therefore used?

look at reasons why people might be put off e.g vandalism, lack of a shared shed etc.

Sarah-b:
Brilliant - that's a couple of new ones already. Had thought of schools and leaflets. Like the mental health idea (apparently allotments have worked well in this respect according to a govt paper).
Also, shared shed is very good idea.

Not sure whether council would be happy with green manure plan (the woman at the council looked a bit sniffy when I suggested I might have a little patch of green under an apple tree). But having said that, it would be a great way of bringing the really dilapidated plots back into an attractive state.
I think one of the probs is that the empty plots are covered in grass.

busy_lizzie:
Hi Sarah,  I believe National Allotment Week is coming up around the 14th August (near that date anyway),  Could you not get the local paper to do a feature on Allotments.  

 If you could  arrange some sort of Open Day at your Site to publicise it, and as Ross says leaflet people and put Notices up to encourage  people to come and have a look around.  If you had some of the plot holders on hand to answer questions and show off their  Plots and produce you might spark off some interest.

How about local organisations, like the Guides or Scouts having a Plot or  as you suggest Schools even.  Mental health organisations might also be keen as part of a rehabilitation scheme.  Have you got an Allotments Officer who could advise?  Good luck with what ever you do, we are all behind you.  :) busy_lizzie

kenkew:
Sarah: Good on you. Try any and everything you can to hang on to those plots. Maybe people don't want them just now, but once they're gone; Well, they're gone. Try getting your local paper involved, local radio and TV love to get their teeth into something like this. Fight for the lotty!

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