Page 38 - ALG Issue 2 2017

Developing and Securing
The Future Of Allotments
– the work going on behind the scenes
BT Facilities Services (BTFS) project with the NAS
BTFS have been working on a project to turn large areas of land in their telephone exchanges into allotments, working with the National Allotment Society (NAS). The initiative champions BT’s purpose to make a better world and helps our goal to be a sustainable business, by working for the environment and supporting communities too.
Phase one has now been launched in the North West of the country where 20 BT sites in the region have been identi ed as suitable for allotments and the details of these have been shared with the NAS . In addition there are 6 sites in the North East which have been identi ed and following keen interest BTFS have been approached to supply allotments in Evesham via the Parish Council. In Essex BTFS are currently working with the Parish Councils to provide two sites.
Plots will be ready for launch from April in the North West region, so that we can start a national roll out to the rest of the UK in 2017 / 2018.
BTFS are excited and pleased to be working with the NAS bringing BT back into the heart of the community.
Lynne Bunyan Regional Facilities Service Manager Home Counties BT Facilities Services
Measure Your Harvest
Run by researchers at the University of Shef eld. A project NAS are a partner in, working with members
of the public growing food on allotments, in gardens and other own growing spaces across the UK to understand the yield of typical UK fruit and vegetable crops.
We are encouraging our members to become involved in this exciting research project as the data collected from this research will provide the vital evidence base to support the use
of land required for growing space within our villages, towns and cities. This information will be useful for
the Society, for the future provision, protection, and promotion and of allotments throughout the country.
Allotment associations who trade as a limited company
NAS have received many requests for speci c training for members of the Management Committees and Directors of Limited Companies. We are producing Governance Training in the form of on-site workshops / interactive sessions. These will deal with the systems and processes concerned with ensuring the overall direction supervision and accountability of an organisation.
Good governance is crucial to effective operation regardless of the size, legal form of the business or sector. It supports the governing body in its task of creating and maintaining a strong and sustainable organisation that meets the needs
of its members and is robust
enough to embrace change. Neglecting governance weakens
the accountability and also carries multiple risks to the organisation. We have a pilot which we are rolling out in April 17. Further information will be available on the website in May.
Allotment Of cer Forums
NAS arrange at least two Allotment Of cer Forums in each Region each year.
These are generally facilitated, by the Mentor in the region, with the assistance of the Regional Representative.
In the past these have been mainly larger Councils who have attended. However during the past year we have been arranging forums for lower tier Councils, Parish and Town. These have been arranged to discuss best practice for the management of allotments and networking within regions and to assist in solving common problems.
These forums are extremely well attended and during the start of this year Parish / Town forums have taken place in the South West, two in the East Midlands and two in Yorkshire. We continue to work with the County Associations of Local Councils to deliver this type of informal allotment management training.
Dry Project
NAS are one of the partners in this interesting 4 year project which started in April 2014. It is being undertaken by the University of the West of England. The purpose is to develop an innovative, evidence-based resource, which can be used for decision making in drought risk management. This research is funded by ve UK Research Councils, including the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
Droughts and water shortage pose a signi cant threat to the environment, agriculture, infrastructure, society and culture within the UK, which could have a major impact on the lives of us all and especially allotments. The project will:
• investigate different stakeholder perceptions of drought occurrence and actions needed
• examine the in uence of rainfall, water levels and temperature on drought perception
• explore the impact of policy decisions on drought management
• consider the conditions under which water users’ behaviours lead to adverse
drought impacts on people and ecosystems and
• draw on previous drought experiences and lay or local knowledge to evaluate
water-use con icts, synergies and trade-offs
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