Allotments 4 All

reckon you have a point there but I think I may go to the allotment society and talk to the secretary bob....see what he says about it all before we go to petition stage. I agree it isn't fair that they will ask for a years fees in October for something we've not been able to dig over yet :(

well I have  a friend and her stepmum is part of the allotment society for swindon, she goes to all teh big meetings and things.  I am going to phone her tomorrow and tell you the issue ans say that we cannot even use the plot.  I have not been able to plant one thing this year as the ground is always flooded, my second plot is hard clay and my first is half nice and half clay, the fence is still not done.  I rekon we need to have the fence fixed, the whole place sorted so flooding does not occur, and at least the poiltness of a return phonecall.  Plus I have tons of red ants on my plo aswell and my poor kids have been bitten as have I am my partner.  I just give up phoning her cause she never returns calls.

hi all ! well i am glad that i am not the only one who is having problems contacting emma at this stage i have done 54 emails - 72 calls and 4 visits to the offices and not had one reply or confrontation yet ! i think we are all suffering the same thing - NIC    NO INPUT FROM COUNCIL !it is truely perfetic. there are at least 9-10 allotments down are place so why are people waitin she said in march that they would be sorted - still waiting as as far as gates and fences go yours are far better than ares- hence all the kids keep knicking things and breakin in the sheds ! ???

I am going to leave her a message today saying that I am looking to canx my two lotties and I want a full refund as I have not been able to use them once.  The ground is full of red ants and the other half under water.  Its reall sad cause I loved having a lottie just wished I could use it at least once.  I am going to collect my shed and raised beds from there, and do it at home.  I forever have friends offering me greenhouses so I am going to put a few more up and do it that way.  I have had more crops at home this year any way

 :o dont you think its sad as we have all been givin it are all ! and she cant even reply. what gets me the most is there are waitin list and so many lotties waitin empty - surely that would help there tight budget lol the point is when you have put so much into your lottie your reluctant 2 give it up !

I was very sad to see that your shed had gone last time I was at the lottie caseylee. Such a shame to give up the plots. Pretty sure if we all protest in writing ie official complaint about her lack of communication they will sort it out at the councils end. Anyway, a fox ripped open three big bags I'd planted up and ate the seed potatoes so I'm going once again email her and hopefully get a response of some kind *rolls eyes here*

Fluff

I just gave up trying to get hold of her to sort the lottie out, and also tired of walking in deep mud and having red ants trying to eat me alive.  I have now got one side of my garden full of greenhouses, as my husbands family just keep giving them to me when thye don't want theres anymore ( they are a massive family) and I can go out every morning and check everything.  I have had tons of produce this year from the greenhouses and I can look after them in my pj's.  I think emma is terrible and needs to be replaced cause she is clearly not doing her job

what are you going to do about your raised beds etc. Are you going to take them home again?

I am yeah, hubby and I are off this weekend so we are going to go down there and collect the raise beds, and make sure the plot is how we fond it, so mow the grass down and clena up and take the compost bin.  I will then take photos to show its been cleaned up and email them to Emma to say we no longer want the plot and it has been left in good condition

well just 2 let u no me and 4 other people went down the council today asked to speak to emma as e-mail and phone calls dont work with her they told me she was on holiday till monday ! laugh i nearly split my sides ;D i asked is that since febuary because thats how long i have been calling and e-mailing since to no reply. they told me to right a complaint out there and then but said they had loads of complaints about her . well we now have 14 empty plots at cranmore and 12 people on the waitin list  ( mad i no) but there all so badly in need of doin as its ruinin the rest of are allotments ! bit of luck that she may come back from her little holiday - lol

Hello Caseylee, Sorry that your giving up.  Some of us have been trying to contact Emma barton for months.  We have issues dating back over 18 month when Christabel Banks was the Allotments officer. At Dawlish Allotments, Park  North there's fly tipping there that's been waiting to be removed and despite promises its still there.  I don't no if any of the promised monies have been spent on any of the other Allotments in the Swindon area. If someone can supply me with the name of the National Allotment people in Swindon I would be most grateful.  There's been no meetings of the Allotment reps for some time as far as I'm aware.  I rang the council this week to be told Emma is on holiday.  The weather the last 2 years as been terrible.  What hasn't rotted with the rain as been eat by the slugs.  My project for this Autumn is to get as much well rotted horse manure on to my plot and raise the levels as flooding is a problem.  I've been advised that digging in lots of grit sand will also help with      drainage.  Have a good weekend. Regards, Taurus        

Apparently if a letter is recieved and it is aimed at a particular person by name, that person must and I stress the MUST give a written answer within a certain time frame ( not sure what that is but I have ways of finding out) so answer is to write to her the old fashioned way ie pen, paper and a stamp and keep a note of when it was posted ;)

I am so busy at the moment I cannot e bothered to write to Emma, she will probley throw it in the bin anyway so whats the point.  The only letter she is going to receive from me is a canx one, and a refund request, I am then going to give her 14 days to reply, if no reply I will then take it further.

well heres a laugh for you all me and 4 freinds went down to see emma 2 times last week in the end we were told she was on holiday - i ask was it since feb as thats how long i have been trying and a few others 2. any way got to talkin to a man called martin xxxxx who is her boss well if ever i have heard a load of thingy and bull. told hom that 14 allotments are not bein used in are allotments he said they were wrin to people since feb and have to give it time !asked about new fences and gates or even havin the roadway cut - i just of well spoke in swaheelie he just fobbed me of. then to top it all there was a story in the adver sayin about some area in swindon has 4 plots not bein used somewhere when there is a waitin list, well theres a waitin list at are place of 12  and there are 14 not bein used !!!!!! ??? madness

Hi Penlope, some one listened to what you said because I've received an e-mail from Emma laying out the work that their proposing to do over the next few weeks so I'll keep you posted as to what work gets done and when at the Dawlish site on the Parks.  Theres a meeting on the 3rd Thursday of each month in the Sheik temple of the Allotments Association.  I'm going to go this month and join.  It starts at 7.30. We have 10 plots not been worked this year on our site. The householders who's homes back onto our site have complained about the uncultivated plots as it effects their gardens. I'm going to make Crab apple jelly for the first time so wish me luck. Hope you've all had a nice sunny day.Taurus.

whoops,
            correct address for the Swindon Allotments and Leisure Gardens Association meeting on the 3rd Thusday of the month is the Community Centre BEHIND the Sikh Temple in Gorse Hill. 
By joining the S.A.A.L.G.A you will receive 3 news letters per year.
Join in with the Seed, Grow organic, and Discount Schemes.
Shop at the Association Stores.  And lots more.
Off round the allotment now. Hope the rain keeps off.
Taurus
                                     

hi taurus for that i might try and see if i get get a bus to that meetin - what time is it ? and i have asked for a lottie at dawlish. what they like - do many flood ?

Hi Penlope
               The good news is that when I weny round Dawlish today the vacant plots have been scrapped and the fly tipping rermoved. If your about on Thursday I can meet you so you can have a look.  If you email me at:
opals11@yahoo.co.uk we can arrange a time to meet.  I suggest you give Emma a ring to find out if any plots have been taken and which ones are free. 
                                  Taurus

Morning Allotmenters,
                           For those of you who are interested the Dawlish Allotments will be open for anyone who is interested in an Allotment tomorrow Fri 22 Aug. I will be there from 8am till 10am  They have been scrapped off so knows the time to start.  Emma Barton will also be there from 8.30 as she's giving me a helping hand on a small project.
To find us you can drive up Shaftsbury Ave and turn into Dawlish road and you will see the gates on your left about 2/3 rds round or if your coming from Welcombe Ave turn into Midhurst Ave then right in to Dawlish road and the gates are on your right.
Penlope if you e-mail me I can give you a lift to the meeting this evening.
                                                       Regards, Taurus

Can't believe Emma burton. It now appears that she has 'promised' to be in the council offices on a Monday and Friday morning until at least mid day according to the young man I spoke to two days ago. had to call in to let them know that some toerag had pushed the barrel of the lock into the actual padlock preventing any of us accessing the allotments unless we're agile enough to climb over the top of the gates. me n other half plus his mum  climbed over simply because I had stuff that needed watering and we are keen to get on top of things ready for next season.

He was going to tell me to contact Emma but I said "please DONT ask me to contact that lady! she's still not got back to me about plot allocation numbers since I emailed her and rang her several times in April/may of this year. He told me to write down what the problem was along with contact details but true to form she ain't rung me and I'm not expecting her to anytime soon. In the meantime a retired chappy a plot up and across from me can't pick his broadbeans or access his plot and I ain't climbing over no 6ft gate on my own again so i guess all my hard work over the past weeks alongside my OH's mum has all been wasted. the plots are waist high in weeds too which doesn't look like they have owners..it's madness :(.

Going to email the swindon aver as they seem to be running a lot of articles on allotments with it having been allotments weeks recently..you never know we might get some joy sooner rather than next year *rolls eyes*