We attended a talk last night about green projects and allotments featured a lot.
One of the central themes was about making the allotments feel like a community and also encouraging others, like local schools, to use them.
Our committee are terrified that anything like this (even having a longest carrot competiton) will lead instantly to more break ins.
Do you have any experiences from your plots? Does your site ever get together for a BBQ or competition?
Actually it is something that I am trying to do at my site, in previous sites in my old town we had lots of social events, not so much the old boys, but new members, families etc, at Christmas we had carols and father Xmas, in autumn inter plot comps and shows. It worked a treat and helped to get to know people and improve site security.
We have an open day and light hearted competition each year, we are surrounded on three sides by housing and a lot of local people stop us to ask when our next day is. Local infants school visited fro first time this year.
It has brought the site closer together and I think means people may just report suspicious goings on rather than ignore it.
Theives will operate either way- just had a phone call from someone who has had a mini greenhouse nicked :-[
but the more people who enjoy the allotments in what ever way the better.
Obviously you don't leave the shed door open with your rotavator on show the day of the open day!!!
We have an annual show, and a school plot. Neither has ever caused the slightest problem. We did have people in the previous committee who had that sort of negative idea, but the real agenda was to stop anyone else doing anything in case it threatened their little empire.
Our site was a bit like that a few years back. The turning point was working parties. (We're a private site, so they are fairly essential if you want to make any improvements.) Standing knee-deep in mud digging a trench, or even painting lockers or cutting back bramble, is great for getting to know people. We have quite a few working parties! And it's led to more informal things as well, with individuals or small groups doing odd jobs around the site.
When we put up a notice saying that two classes from the local primary school were going to visit, no-one batted an eyelid, and several even offered to show them their plots! And when, in return, they invited us to run a plant sale at their summer fair, loads of members donated plants and came along to help. This year we're making a return visit, and have also just run a plant sale at the local Chamber of Commerce's Fun Day: we had 25 helpers at various points (including several families) and raised £100.
And last year we gained Lottery funding to install a composting toilet. Part of the deal with the Lottery was maximum publicity. As it was also our Centenary, the Grand Opening was followed by a BBQ. It was the first ever social event on the site, but it went down so well that at our AGM in January there was great enthusiasm for a repeat performance! (And at the AGM we had a slide-show of the year's activities, plus a raffle and refreshments - all 'firsts' as well.)
We haven't yet gone the whole hog and held an Open Day, but we had loads of invited guests to our Grand Opening - none of whom ran amuck and destroyed anyone's crops - that it's only a matter of time. Certainly, our local community are enthusiastic.
And I can't see that it's led to more break-ins - we get those from time to time anyway, like most sites. In fact, it's led to closer links with our local Community Police. And if the local community see and value the allotments, they are more likely, not less, to be protective towards them.
Site barbies are a great idea. We have had a few tea parties on peoples plots but there is no central area to gather, and toileting is an issue!
I think that inviting schools to use the allotments is asking for trouble though. Of course most kids are OK but all it takes is one little s**t to spoil it for everyone. These ideas are usually proposed by the PC brigade who own their own house with a big secure garden, and what happens on their veg plot its no big deal. My plot is my home from home, and I couldnt afford (or have the time to) replace things that got vandalised or stolen. If schools want gardens they should create their own, but at our school I seem to remember they just ended up strewn with litter and trampled plants.
Sorry if that sounds like grumpy old fogey (which I am!)
I'm glad others feel the same way!
I do want to make it clear that the plot isn't unfriendly at the moment, I just feel it could be even better. We currently have no toilets and a large area of land has been earmarked for these and some half plots designed for disabled growers or those with reduced mobility. I thought about suggesting a BBQ and fundraising day to raise money for that - perhaps it could include a BBQ at a small profit, a competition of some kind (maybe will a small sponsored prize) and maybe even a little bit of a working party if a project could be found.
I'm hoping that people's fears of vandalism will be reduced if its just for plot holders (to begin with ;D) and in aid of something that the site could benefit from. We could of course invite the local allotments manager and perhaps the local police team - as a fellow emergency service worker I know they can be lured anywhere with tea and biscuits!!
The only problem is that our committee seems to be fiercely political, so I'm not sure if the idea will get lost in it all!
We're having our first barbie Saturday week, I'll tell you how it goes
When we had our compost deliverys we had to clear an area and quite a few chipped in to help, that brought a few people together
When we opened our shop last month it seemed again to get a few more people together
;D
Quote from: lewic on May 26, 2011, 13:34:15
Site barbies are a great idea. We have had a few tea parties on peoples plots but there is no central area to gather, and toileting is an issue!
I think that inviting schools to use the allotments is asking for trouble though. Of course most kids are OK but all it takes is one little s**t to spoil it for everyone. These ideas are usually proposed by the PC brigade who own their own house with a big secure garden, and what happens on their veg plot its no big deal. My plot is my home from home, and I couldnt afford (or have the time to) replace things that got vandalised or stolen. If schools want gardens they should create their own, but at our school I seem to remember they just ended up strewn with litter and trampled plants.
Sorry if that sounds like grumpy old fogey (which I am!)
It Does! You are!
:D
People who visit us usually comment on how friendly our site is. We have 'Open Gates' on Sunday mornings when anyone can come in and walk around. There are always lots of plot holders there to keep an eye on things.
We have two events which are open to the public, our Plant Sale/Cream Tea/Bric-a-Brac and our Summer Fayre.
We have fun competitions for scarecrows, best flower garden, longest carrot, heaviest pumpkin/marrow, tallest sunflower etc.
Two schools visit us regularly but they don't have a plot on our site.
We take part in outside events and usually take a scarecrow with us.
I don't think we have more vandalism than sites which are not so friendly.
I'm the secretary of our site and I make a point of knowing every plot holder's name (there are over 100)
We are very lucky to have a pavilion with a kitchen where plot holders can make hot drinks and sit outside under cover for a chat.
We have barbies, bonfire nights, an annual plant sale/open day, we have 2 schools and now 2 special needs groups and a s.n horticulture group coming on site. The brownies are doing their gardening badge on there. We are part of Wigan in bloom. Our 'thank you for plant sale help' bbq is on june 11th, We have regular work parties to fix up the site and no more or less break ins :)
I'm really pleased when I read about barbies etc and getting together on the allotments, but it just does not seem to happen on ours, we tried to start an allotment association which was a non starter, you try to speak to some folk and it is just a nod of the head, my adjacent neighbours I do get on with, but the one rule we do have about keeping the lotty gate shut is just not followed, I've given up I just go up there and do my stuff and buggar off home,
There is lots of things happening on our site.
First, part of getting a plot is agreeing to community work around the gardens therefore we have monthly work parties which involve work and food. Volunteers drive the grasscutters, weed the communal borders, re build sheds, maintain the water system etc etc. At a party last week we had about 50 volunteers turn up in pouring rain and worked through it. No moaning, everyone was fine with it.
We have shared fruit areas with blueberries, currants etc so volunteers do the pruning and weeding around them.
We have an annual fete,gardening workshops etc.
We have an area that is allocated out to community groups, I run the large greenhouse in that area and raise transplants for everyone. We are currently talking about a childrens garden. We do have an annual competition of the best child gardener now, last year it was run by a n eight year old.
We have high raised beds for the disabled.We have volunteers who tend other folks gardens during illness.
There is always something going on as we are a Heritage Park and bird sanctuary so there are walks and activities laid on all through the year
All in all a very busy friendly place.
We are completely self sufficient with no financial assistance from the municipality so we have to do our own work We have block watch representatives throughout the gardensm not for security but for general help.. The gardens are in super condition thanks to the involvement.
We have several pot luck dinners a yearIt is a very friendly place!!
XX Jeannine
It was vandalism that pulled us together.
We realised that as a group we would have a louder voice and could get more done. It has worked ;D
We organised ourselves into an association and have AGMs but we're not that big on formal committee meetings. The AGM is followed by a BBQ. We have work parties but it does tend to be the same people that support them. Last year we made a bid for a community grant from BAA and got it :o and turned two derelict plots into a community gardening club with small starter plots and communal areas and space for a fenced off plot for the pre-schoolers.
We had a plant sale last year and non plotters wandered around the site.
The net result is that we have more people coming and going on site throughout the week as well as the weekend and I do think that has reduced vandalism.
You have all inspired me further!
We have a communal wood chip pile but thats it really. The committee shed is always locked away unless there is a meeting. I'd love to see us get involved with communal manure and compost, and we definately need toilets!
My ultimate dream would be a new communal hut for us all to use, perhaps with those toilets, and a few planters around it with communal fruit bushes.
At the risk of engaging in plot politics, I'm going to email the secretary or ring the chairman later and start making some suggestions!
Our Allotment committee have a family BBQ every year for holders and family members it is a really good community builder.
Billie
Games room, bar, Sauna, outdoor BBQ, band on a saturday night...........
I forgot to add on here that our Barbie went really well
A lovely Sunny day
30+ turned up
A greek cook
Homemade wines, Whiskey and Punch was passed round
Kids went to the fair afterwards So all in all we had a good day
Now people are asking when the next one is.
;D ;D ;D
Lincsyokel you forgot the outdoor heated swimming pool. :D