slack hackney council

[jamesthehat]

is there anyone else from hackney area out there who is a bit grumpy about having to wait two and a half years for an allotment when theres loads of empty space every where and what are we going to do about it.
  Guerrilla growing ??? ???

[jamesthehat]

[wardy]

Direct action.  If they won't admit there's folks queueing up for them despite lots of empty allotments then you're going to have to get one for yourself.  if they're just sitting there growing weedy then I think it's your duty to get one.  Call it squatting if you wish but hey you'd be doing them a favour.  If you feel guilty about rent just make sure you put some aside in case they come back at your for it  :)
Bloke on plot next to mine doesn't pay despite everyone else paying!  Annoying or what.  The council or lotty association sits on their hands doing absolutely nowt while he gets away with it.  His lotty is a mess too as he only comes to plot once in a blue moon  :) He grows peas and spuds, has bonfires when he brings stuff from home! Once the spuds have gone we won't see him again til next spring.  My niece wants a plot so I've told her she can have that one  :)

[jamesthehat]

oh hello wardy. my next move in this game is to get info on where all the sites are.

[daveandtara]

do you have kids? or can you borrow some? ;D
find out if hackney has surestart in the area. it's a government funded scheme to improve the lives of pre-school children living in 'deprived' areas.
i have found them to be wonderful allies in getting things done, round here they've turned heaps of wasteland into playgrounds, quadrupled council streetcleaning rounds etc etc.
if you can convince them that wasteland should be made available for allotments so that young families can access higher quality food, excercise and so on, especially if many live in flats, then they will get it done. they are mr Blair's darlings at the mo and have huge political clout.

[wardy]

Too true  :)   Our garden design teacher has been offered a job running a sure start veggie garden so they can wean mums and kids off crisps and McDonalds  :)

[peaches]

hi everyone

i am faily new to this game but i am desparetly looking for a alloment in hackney just wrote a cheque to joing the hackney allotment society for 4 pound not much but the wait is around 3 years bit annoyed at that. so if there is anyone moving out pleasee.

thanks

[caroline7758]

Isn't Joe Swift's plot in Hackney? Might be wrong, but he didn't have to go on a waiting list!

[cambourne7]

Hi

My parents are in Hackney i grew up there, is hackey out of special measures??

Looking at the hackney allotments site they have 125 plots and almost 300 people on the waiting list.

I suggest that you write to Jules Pipe whos the mayor Email: mayor@hackney.gov.uk 

Good luck.

Cam

[cambourne7]

hay jamesthehat have you managed to get in touch the hackney council? Hows it all going?

[Borlotti]

Joe Swift's allotment is in Enfield and he is treated the same as everyone else. There were/are spare allotments and we all get compost from the Council. If you ask you don't get and people are quick to criticise.  Due to the interest in allotments more are being taken but some people give up due to the mares/horse tail.  Enfield Council do seem to be more organised and sorting out their plots.  I had to wait a year for mine as they had to give notice to the previous plot holder and people don't always notify the Council when they leave and just give up due to bad health or boredom.  This is not fair to people waiting. Now that there is more demand for allotments the Council will check that plots are being cultivated.  Some plots have been neglected and are full of brambles but these are being rotavated by the Council gradually (won't be so many blackberries next year).  The wild plots were great for wild life and the foxes!!!  I hope we do not get too regimented as my grass needs cutting and I do not want to be told off. Some of the older people are finding it harder to manage their plots but it would break their hearts to give up as some of them have had them for 25 years.  Perhaps it would be a good way for young people to earn pocket money helping the older allotment holders.  My partner has a motor mower so does try and help one old lady when he has the time.  I think newcomers think of it as a hobby but don't realise that it takes over your life and it is better if one is retired or doesn't work as allotments need a lot of attention especially at this time of the year.