Page 55 - ALG Issue 3 2023

FODAA
I am the Membership Secretary for the FODAA. We have two sites which were established in 2008 from a field with dead lambs and metal debris. Since then, the sites have developed into well-kept sites and many improvements implemented. We have approximately 31plots at Whitecroft and 9 at Parkend.
Several committees have come and gone, but this committee has gone further with development.
We extended our car park and a turning area with funds that have built up over the years. Although, like a few of us,
we didn’t have much knowledge of groundwork so it was a ‘suck and see’. Our contractor, who was supplying hardcore, did not help – using a trailer with flat tyres and consequently pushed the hardcore against the newly built wall, causing it to lean. So, we had to buy in more concrete posts to secure the wall. Additional costs.
Furthermore, I instructed the contractor to scalp the clay back to create the car park. However, he cut it at 90 degrees, which meant the bank started to move when it rained. So, a wall was built and water loving plants planted quickly.
I envisaged over a few years we would have droughts during the summer and a great need for water. We did consider a water pipe from the main road, but the chances are someone would leave the tap running and a huge bill would incur. We already harvest our water from our communal shed and a water harvester roof to fill two IBC tanks of 2000ltrs.
We then purchased more IBC tanks and roofing materials to create four more tanks. That year we found that was still not enough. So, with the help of our secretary, who is a farm labourer and had access to several IBCs for free, we were able to increase the harvester not only for one site, but for two. Whitecroft which is the larger of the two, now has 16000ltrs of water and Parkend site 6000ltrs, plus individual plots having their own IBC.
Our funds were depleted, and we needed to replace all the boundary wooden posts. I set about applying for grants. I applied for five lots of grants, of which four were granted. One was for materials for water harvesters, the remainder for concrete posts, to replace wooden. This would be a once off cost rather than replacing wooden every
10 years. We applied to The National Lottery Community Fund and The National Allotment Charity Fund to buy all the materials and some labour for the bulk of the work.
Hopefully, we now have enough water harvesters to supply all the water we need, but if not, there is a stream which we can pump water from with a maximum of 350 cubic metres a day, more than ample for our needs.
However, our Parkend site would not allow concrete to be used to replace posts, so we now have to buy wooden – but this is only a small site. We had a grant for this from West Dean Parish Council. This has been started and will be finished in due course.
Hopefully, we now have enough water harvesters to supply all the water
we need, but if not, there is a stream which we can pump water from with a maximum of 350 cubic metres a day, more than ample for our needs.
Once the fencing has been completed, we envisage no more work will be needed. Famous last words?
We had an issue with surplus rainwater running off the road down the lane and into the allotment, making some plots waterlogged. We found a drainage channel partly covered with tarmac
and stone, so we have uncovered it and found the drain caps broken, so we have replaced these with new. At the time
of writing, this will be finished in two days’ time. Then we will dig out another trench and fill with concrete and mould a channel out with a downpipe inserted in the concrete until it sets, then remove the pipe. This will collect the remaining surplus water which will be guided down the lane away from the allotment.
Mike Pillinger
South East
Surrey, Kent, West Sussex and East Sussex
Welcome to our new members...
Copper Beech Allotment Society Langton Green
Allotment Society Longfield and Westbury
Allotment Association Summerhill Lane
Allotment Society 10 Individuals
REPRESENTATIVE
Vacant
Contact natsoc@nsalg. org.uk if interested in volunteering
with the Region
DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE Andrew Bird
07421 233506 abird.nas@gmail.com
DEPUTY REP/ MENTOR
Paul Neary
0845 313 8422 pneary.nas@gmail.com
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Allotment and Leisure Gardener 55