Page 42 - ALG Issue 2 2025

NORTH WEST
Where to begin?
Once upon a time my dad had an allotment. l was given a
small patch to grow something, so l planted Rob Roy Daisies.
They grew; l was four years old and hooked.
I planted, grew and harvested in season,
with some success and more failures, just
like everybody else.
Nothing much happened after that,
except l remember growing huge potatoes
on land that had had a lot of real soot
dropped on it some years earlier. They were
enormous!
Many years later, l got my own allotment
in East Manchester, and one day it will be
perfect.
I became very involved with my own
allotment site, working in the shop on
Sunday mornings, helping out with the local
horticultural show, and assisting with the
local town show. I began to take a more
active part in the running of the site, and
found there was an under declaration of
membership. Well, that was sorted; from 10
members to 50, to 80 and now we are at 98.
Then a message came round for people
to help fill sandbags for the WW11
display North West Counties were doing
at Southport, so as it was in the school
holidays, l went. We found out that there
were meetings held every quarter, but the
then site secretary did not pass on the
information.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed visiting shows
and talking to people, and sharing my love
of allotments has always felt ideal – and
still does. Over the years, I became more
involved with the local societies, and
eventually, I was honoured to serve as
the North West Rep, alongside Alan Hull
from St. Helens and Andy Percival from
Blackpool. They are big shoes to fill.
Northwest Counties is a fantastic region
for allotments, with many notable successes.
One that stands out is the revival of
abandoned and rundown allotment sites
in Salford, thanks to the incredible work of
the allotment officer, Steve Dennison, and
the late Don Booth, who sadly passed away
recently. Without the tireless efforts of Don,
Alan, and Andy, the allotment movement
would not be in as strong a position as it is
today.
"Northwest Counties is a fantastic region for
allotments, with many notable successes."
SOUTH EAST
Members from the South East
Wanted…
Would you like to join our team in the
South East? We are a small band of
volunteers who support the National
Allotment Society in the South East
(Surrey, Sussex and Kent) and we
would love more members to join our
committee.
If you would like to join us, please send
an email to southeastbranch.nas@gmail.
com and include a contact number so we
can have a quick chat. Your support would
be greatly appreciated. We're a great team,
and won't overload anyone with work!
Do also feel free to join our Facebook
group if you are a FB user. The link is: South
East Branch of the National Allotment
Society | Groups | Facebook
42 | Issue 2 2025 | Allotment and Leisure Gardener
Welcome to…
11 individuals
Dukinfield Allotment Club
Fennyfold Community Garden
Harpers Lane Allotment Society
Hope Street Allotment Society
Knutsford Allotment Society
Lindow Horticultural Society
The Elms Allotment Holders Assoc
Warrington Borough Council
St Mark's RC Primary School
As my time comes to stand down from
my role as regional rep, I’m looking for
passionate volunteers to help us continue
the important work of protecting and
preserving allotments. If you have the
opportunity to take a more active role in
your local allotment society, seize it with
both hands—you never know where it
might take you on your allotment journey!
John Irwin
Regional Rep
Welcome to…
22 individuals
Birling Lands Allotment Group
Bognor Allotment Holders
Association Ltd
Highwood Allotments
North Nevill Allotment Association
Oare Garden and Allotment
Society
Farnborough Hill Allotments Ltd
Boughton under Blean Parish
Council
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council
Paddock Wood Town Council
Orchard Primary School