Page 48 - ALG Issue 2 2023

West Midlands
Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Warwickshire
REPRESENTATIVE
Tom Terrence
17 Stonefield Close, Walsgrave Keep, Walsgrave, Warks CV2 2PZ
02476 621350 tterrence@btinternet.com
DEPUTY REP/MENTOR
Colin Bedford
07592 822195 cbedford.nas@gmail.com
Welcome to our new members...
Delves Green 2 Allotment Association Hilderstone Road Allotment Association 5 Individuals
The Bradley Trust
Cofton Hackett Parish Council
Madeley Town Council
West Midlands update
As the West Midlands Mentor, one of the major delights I get is meeting members who are proud to make
a contribution to the allotment movement. I’ve given just a few examples of the activities that I’ve been involved in...
In 2022 the region was at the Malvern Spring Show. We had a prime spot, which showed off the vegetable garden brilliantly. The weather was kind, and we attracted a great number of visitors including HRH Princess Anne, who spent a good 10 minutes admiring
the vegetable display. The stand was staffed by volunteers from member associations across the region. Their enthusiasm was tremendous, and without their help it would have been impossible to cope with the volume of enquiries and promote allotments so effectively.
Also in 2022, I was asked to represent the region at the official opening of Lansdowne Allotments’ waterless composting toilets. They had been awarded a grant from Severn Trent Water, and Sue Heyes from Severn
Trent performed the opening ‘ceremony’. John Young (Chair of Lansdowne Allotments Association) said the toilets were a huge asset to
the site. In particular it meant that One Direction (a group of adults with various disabilities) could now spend a full day at the site.
Last year we were at Gardeners’
World Live with a smaller version of
the Malvern Show (in terms of the vegetable garden) but with the addition of a large stage where guest speakers delighted the audience with their expert knowledge on various aspects of vegetable growing. Again, the work put in by the volunteer team was brilliant with many putting more hours in than they were scheduled for.
At the end of the summer, I was invited to the Myton Green Allotment Society inaugural AGM in Warwick Town.
This is a new site, and it was great to hear how much new plotholders were looking forward to obtaining their land and how they were establishing an environmentally friendly site from day one.
Tilling Drive Allotments near Stone in Staffordshire asked me to visit their site to advise on ways they could reduce their water costs. I was treated to sandwiches and homemade cake
– that went down well! Whilst eating, we discussed various aspects of site management. This was followed by a tour around the site enabling me to pass over a few ideas.
Colin Bedford,
West Midlands Mentor
48 Allotment and Leisure Gardener