Topic: Allotment member participation

[pumkinlover]

We had our annual show/ open day yesterday and it went really well  :) Happy band of hardworking volunteers and we have a good laugh esp. putting up the gazeboo's :-X

However -and it is the same every year we do not get as many of the plot holders just to even turn up as we would like. 

So am I being realistic? 

Can you help by giving me a rough idea of the extent of member participation in any events you organize on your sites? :-\

[goodlife]

We don't do events..but anything to do with volunteers for work parties..out of 80 shareholders (+their partners and family who regurlarly turn up on their plots)..we propably get about 6-7 people turning up..same ones..year after year...some of those are ageing now and not able to do much..but still they turn up to show their moral support.
I think you are doing well for able to do open day to start with.

[Ellen K]

Wot GL said.

We have about 50 plotholders now and although they are all friendly with swops and advice, I'm sure the vast majority of them would stay away on an open day.  And since our plots haven't got any fences, people could just walk around and have a gander in greenhouses etc which would be quite rude if not invited by the plotholder.

So even if a few of us had the will to do it, we couldn't.

People rent allotments to grow stuff and get a bit of P&Q, not to socialise or raise money I'm afraid.

[Squash64]

I was very pleased this year that some of our new plot holders volunteered to help.  One ran a stall and did very well indeed, taking double what was made last year.  Another ran the bric-a- brac from scratch,  collecting the stuff, storing it at home, pricing it and setting it all out.  Others helped by being stewards and keeping an eye on the plots as visitors wandered around the site.  (I think the steward role is a good one for people who have never helped before because they can be as involved as much or as little as they are comfortable with)

I did send frequent emails asking for help, and put posters up but I think the best way is to personally ask people to help.  Even if they don't help on the day, some will grow produce for us to sell, or help to put gazebos up, or clear up afterwards.  Of course, there will always be some who don't want to get involved at all but there is nothing we can do about that.

This was the fifth year we have held our Summer Fayre and during this time we have raised quite a few thousand pounds for Macmillan and Air Ambulance. 

[pumkinlover]

Thanks for the replies.

Betty we have a good band of volunteers, and I ask people if we need more, also the families of some members help.
It is jsut the lack of support by actually turning up which we wonder about, saying that I guess we are at about 40% but they help, or give us some produce. I am coming to conclusion that we do well. It's just when we were all chatting last night after the event a few people said they feel it would be nice to get support from more of the members ie just by turning up.
I just wondered if other sites do get more or less member support for thier activities- am I being unrealistic? :-\

[Squash64]

I think that lack of support on the day might be a common thing at other events too, like church and school fetes.  You will always get some people who turn up year after year, but others who never have and never will.  I don't know what the reason is, or how it can be changed.  Maybe it can't be, it's just how people are. :(

[pumkinlover]

Yes I think you are right, we probably do well actually.

I think we felt we were not doing something right. :-\

[Trevor_D]

We don't have an open day, but at our BBQ we had a dozen of turn up - in the pouring rain - to put up the gazebos, another four did the food, two more did the raffle and about 50 members turned up. Not as good as last year, which was our centenary and the opening of our composting toilet, when we probably had three times that number, including invited guests. But not too bad for a wet weekend.

And we had a couple of plant sales, at the local Fun Day and at our local Primary school's Summer Fair. At both we had well over a dozen people manning the stand - different for the two events - but plenty of members donated plants, some even repotting them or growing them specially. We've only had a couple of working parties this year, but again we probably had upwards of a dozen for both.

That's out of a membership of 100+ so I suppose it's not too bad. There will always be some who can't or won't join in. Funnily enough, they tend to be the people whose plots are a mess!

We do much the same as Betty - put up notices, send round emails, put it in the newsletter - but the best way to recruit folk is to go up and ask them!

[Ellen K]

Just looked at your other thread, I'm glad you had a good day.  Hadn't noticed you were only a short blast up the M1 from me or I would have come too.  

10% of the people do 90% of the work - actually, the whole world runs like that.

[pumkinlover]

Just looked at your other thread, I'm glad you had a good day.  Hadn't noticed you were only a short blast up the M1 from me or I would have come too. 

10% of the people do 90% of the work - actually, the whole world runs like that.

 ;D  would have been nice to meet you- lots of other vegetarians to hug ;)

TrevorD- I take your point-the personal touch.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I run our site show. I always get about half a dozen people to help, mostly the same lot, but not entirely. Out of 80 plots, we get about 14-16 people putting in entries. Not a lot, but it's worth doing; what I'd like to know is how to convince people they don't need anything 'special', as it's not very competitive. Our 'ordinary' veg, the judge assures us, are often better than he sees at the big shows, apart from specific classes like leeks. I always win something (rhubarb this year) despite not entering seriously. Entries this year were a little down on last, but the good thing was that a couple more people made an effort to put a lot in, and there were more than two contenders for the cups!

[picman]

Much the same on our site , you have to work hard just to get the plotholders to read the b***** notice board ! We get the usual hand full of helpers 12 from about 50, our 2010  openday we had two games, cooking demo (free samples), books , crafts, produce , alpacas, tombola, crafts, preserves and cakes, refreshments plus  photo,  kids- garden in a box, treasure hunt and beans in a jar competitions from 10 to 3, was bit too much. we had to cut back this year due to various problems.     

[pumkinlover]

Crikey Picman that's an awful lot of entertainment :)
I hope people come when you have put in that much effort :)

[picman]

Hi Pumpkin,  The one thing that seems to get noticed are fliers through the local letterboxes , its a lot of leg work but pays off, this year i put on the bottom.... "Please share this with your neighbours "  and only did every second house ! (250) ... that 2010 do was very profitable .

Les.

[pumkinlover]

Les-We do flyers and a big poster in the local shop, we do well with visitors.

We just hoped a few more members would turn up, but it seems most sites have the "same old faces" syndrome ;)