Page 39 - Allotment Gardener Issue 2 2024

SOUTH EAST
The South East Region
have recently re-formed
as a committee and,
following an inaugural
AGM, we have now confirmed our committee members:
• Regional Representative - Andrew Bird
• Deputy Regional Representative & NAS
Mentor - Paul Neary
• Regional Communications Officer - Pippa
Graeme
• Regional Secretary & Treasurer - David Moran The team are keen to hear from NAS members in Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Do get in touch with us if you would like to know what the NAS can help you with, for example help with how to apply for grants for facilities such as toilets or site security, or if you have ideas or suggestions for projects, we can get involved in. Our
email address is southeastbranch.nas@gmail. com and our new Facebook group is gaining
members at a steady rate - so please do join and contribute your regional news and engage in the conversations: www.facebook.com/ groups/1287381301981528
Welcome to...
44 Batshill Allotments
Burgess Hill Allotment Association Maresfield Parish Council
Rye Town Council
The Ridgeway School
9 Individuals
MEET PIPPA
The QR code will take you to our group:
I’m Pippa Graeme, part of the team in South East Region (Surrey, Sussex and Kent). We are an enthusiastic committee of four – keen
to put all our energies into revitalising the branch.
I’m an allotment plotholder in Weybridge, Surrey. Relatively new to allotmenteering
(I have had my plot for six years now) I’m a complete convert to the allotment world. The joy of growing one’s own fruit and veg is matched by my love of the flowers, wild and cultivated, which I grow on the plot. I have
a small garden at home, so being able to cultivate flowers such as sweet peas, cosmos, dahlias and sunflowers is really important
to me, and of course they have the added benefit of attracting all types of pollinators to the plot.
My aim is to grow at least one vegetable each year which I haven’t grown before.
Last year I tried celeriac (with mixed results I have to admit) and this year I will be planting asparagus crowns for the first time. I’ll have to be patient as I know they aren’t to be
cut for eating for the first three years, but I’m sure they’ll be worth it! I am also in the process of converting one of my largest beds to ‘no dig’ after seeing an inspirational presentation by Russell Attwood from the East Midlands branch.
I am also an active member of our two local allotment community groups. As well as providing advice, particularly to newer plotholders, and via our ever popular, locally tailored ‘Jobs for the Month’ which
is provided to all of our members, we are keen to reach out more broadly to the community. For example, we run stalls at our local fayres to chat about sustainable gardening and to advance the conservation of our natural resources. We organise activities to improve sustainability, reuse and recycling (sharing tables are a must on an allotment site in my view), and we run social events such as our biannual quiz night, and summer picnic as well as impromptu tea and coffee gatherings.
Pippa Graeme – South East Communications Officer
Welcome to...
EAST MIDLANDS
Benefield Road Allotment Association Brixworth Parish Council
Spilsby Town Council
St Johns Allotments
Stallingborough Allotments Association
8 Individuals
NORTH WEST
Garstang Town Council 13 Individuals
NORTHERN
Barrow Town Council 1 Landowner
7 Individuals
SCOTLAND
Dunterlie Allotments and Horticultural Society
John Wick Parish Council
4 Individuals
SOUTH WEST
Dawlish Town Council
Midsomer Norton Allotment Association
Shaldon Village Produce Association 13 Individuals
SOUTHERN
Chalford Parish Council
Charney Bassett Parish Council Kings Worthy Parish Council Purley Sustainability Group
The Eastington Allotment Society 9 Individuals
WALES
Laleston Community Council Newton Nottage Road A
St Mary’s Street Allotment
1 Individual
WEST MIDLANDS
Breast Friends Solihull
Evesham Town Council Longmeadow Crescent Allotment Association
Myton Green Allotment Society Shakespeare Drive Allotments Association
St Johns Allotment Association
10 Individuals
YORKSHIRE
Allithwaite and Cartmel Parish Council Baildon Hort Soc
First Fruits Community Allotment Great Ayton Parish Council
South Milford Community Allotments The Station Allotment Ass
6 Individuals
Allotment Gardener | Issue 2 2024 | 39