Page 5 - ALG Issue 1 2019

vice-chairman’s comments
As you will realise by the heading and the name at the bottom
of this, Tony Heeson did not write it. Tony is not very well and,
as Vice-Chairman, I have been asked to put in a few words
to introduce myself. My name is John Irwin, I am North West Counties Representative and I will be acting for Tony until he gets better.
I first began on an allotment in Carlisle, aged seven, where the allotment was right next door to our house, literally out of the back door, past a plum tree and onto the plot. The house and the allotment are still there – I wonder who is working it now.
I was offered my first plot in Tameside, East Manchester, in 1976 just before the HOT summer. I chose that plot out of the five I was offered as it had the biggest weeds. By the end of July, all the weeds on one half of the garden had gone, the first potatoes were in, and I was hooked. Allotment gardening is contagious, you catch the bug, and it can develop into an obsession.
I have almost got my allotment to how I want it, which isn’t bad after 40 years and it would be better if only Mother Nature would co-operate.
But that’s enough about me and my plot.
Now to the National Society and some exciting developments. We are going to be offering LANTRA training courses on aspects of site management and maintenance, and one of the first will be on Rodent Control. Further information on this will be included in the magazine as the courses become available, as well as online. These are fully accredited courses, and, as such, qualify the trainee, on successful completion, to satisfy most Local Authority and insurance company criteria.
There are many more new allotment sites being created, and older sites are being regenerated, and with the headlines from some Daily Papers suggesting that, pre and post Brexit, store cupboards may or may not need to be filled, there could be an equal surge in demand for growing spaces.
And finally, I am sure that you, with me, send Tony our best wishes for the future and our hopes and prayers that he gets well soon. John Irwin
Head Office
president’s scribblings
Happy New Year to one and all; where does time go, and what a year it has been. The extremes of the weather have given some bumper harvests and also created some failures too, but that is allotment gardening for you; some you win and some you lose.
With regards to my role as your President, I don’t think I quite envisaged how busy I would be (mind you, I’m partly to blame, I do have difficulty in saying no). I am quite dizzy as I have been up and down this country like a yo-yo (do you remember those?) but it has been very gratifying
as the vast majority of my engagements have been very positive. There was a visit South to Hothorpe to the Representative/ Mentor training session; that was a really useful time with lots of progressive ideas suggested for the future of our NAS. Then up to Durham to give an illustrated talk to NAS Northern Branch. Then way back down to Oxfordshire, to present an International Office Diploma to Swinbrook Allotments (story in regional section) – what a wonderful achievement and very well deserved. You can find entry criteria for International Diplomas in the members section of the website. Our NAS Yorkshire AGM (which I chair) was in Rotherham this year, so not
too far to travel (story in regional section). It has been most gratifying to see the many dedicated souls of our organisation putting hours of committed time into promoting the NAS at numerous shows. Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show, Gardeners World Live, Malvern and Rotherham to name but a few. I have had the honour of accompanying them at some of these shows; it was quite humbling as I know exactly how much effort goes into creating a stand. Having said that, I would encourage anyone to have a go at volunteering; yes, it requires commitment but it is very satisfying and can be great fun.
The full-on commitments of my Presidential role eased off towards mid- November and I very foolishly thought 'Ahhh! time to relax'. How wrong I was; it has been non-stop catching up with the commitments of my other organisation roles. Better busy than bored. I wonder what boredom is like!
Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful year on the allotment with a bountiful harvest, and don’t forget volunteering can be great fun.
In general, I think 2018 has been a very positive year for our organisation, a direction in which I hope to see it continue in 2019. Phil Gomersall
5
2019