Page 40 - ALG Issue 3 2019

policy, then insurance will not pay out. Chris recommended sites consider an extension on the policy to cover landlord insurance. He also explained that Employers Liability Insurance will cover volunteers carrying out tasks on site and that the threshold for negligence is lower for that insurance. Chris then answered questions.
Q What is the position with intruders? A Landlord must demonstrate that they have done their best to keep intruders out.
Q What about contractors on site?
A They should be covered by their own Public Liability Insurance; you are not classed as their employer; you have a contract and are purchasing a service. ItisagoodideatoasktoseeaPLI insurance certificate.
Q What about contractors accessing gardens via the site?
A Ask for an Indemnity letter and PLI, although site still has duty of care.
Q What about school visits?
A Schools will have PLI; check they have brought sufficient adults to supervise; protect your interests. Community groups on site were mentioned – Ian Crawford commented that they insist groups have their own PLI.
Q Does the ALI insurance cover gardening activities at home?
A The ALI insurance does cover activities outside the site, but Home Insurance is more likely to cover activities in your garden.
ANDREW TOKELY – KINGS SEEDS
Andrew talked about his award-winning plot at Capel St Mary allotments. This is the base for the Kings Plot articles
in the magazine in which he now puts
a quarterly master class in specific vegetables. He advised delegates that ground preparation should start in autumn, not spring, and that he had started sowing crops in March. He
protects his crops with enviromesh
and will soon start sowing crops
for Christmas – Eskimo carrots. He stressed the importance of regular hoeing to keep down weeds. He recommended existing plotholders as a source of help and advice and stressed that Kings Seeds will always help with problems, replacing seeds and trying to find out what went wrong.
Q Problem with creepy crawlies in Lark F1 seeds.
A Kings do fumigate but sometimes things do hatch in the seed packet, probably due to last year’s extreme heat.
Q Problems with sweetcorn germination; could this have been due to heat too?
A Andrew stressed the importance of using seed compost and watering with tap water. Butt water is contaminated, and multi-purpose compost is too strong for seeds. Also, it is easy to overwater seeds and rot them.
Q Problems with germination of club root resistant seeds.
A Andrew queried the temperature the seeds had been germinated
at – brassicas need no more than 15 degrees. Kings had no problems in the lab and Kings staff take home seeds to test – no problems reported. Advised to ring up with Lot no. of packet.
Q Should we keep seeds in the fridge? A Not necessary, seeds are in sealed foil. Store in a dark, cool place. Lettuce may germinate better if put in a fridge the night before if the weather is hot.
Andrew pointed out that the gift bags contained new varieties from the next catalogue.
BOB GRANT – GET INTERNET SERVICES
Bob outlined the process that the Society had been going through to update the IT system to increase efficient working of the Society. The
Society are keen to hear from members with requests and ideas
old system was outdated, inefficient and would have been very expensive
to continue to use. The new system
is secure and reliable, increases staff efficiency, is future proof, gives better access to data to more people in the Society, and will enhance the service the Society can offer to members. There are further phases planned in the development such as tools to help associations manage sites, and the Society are keen to hear from members with requests and ideas.
Q Will Mentors have access to data as well as Regional Reps?
A Different levels of authorisation
and access will be agreed by the Management Committee.
Q What is the timeline for the next phases?
A By November 2019 Regional Reps will have access to their regional data; they will be able to download an Excel file; by June 2020 members will be able to access and amend their own details.
Sonia Gallagher, NAS Office Manager, explained that there will be security systems in place – access can be blocked if someone leaves, and guidance will be given to associations. Sonia also answered a question about the associations reluctant to give contact details for their members. Sonia pointed out that this is changing and that we now have details for 40,000 affiliates.
Q What are the GDPR implications when data is transferred to a region?
A NAS remains the Data Controller, the region becomes the Data Handler.
Phil Gomersall closed the meeting, thanked delegates for travelling to Llandudno, and announced that next year the Society celebrates their 90th anniversary. The AGM will be held in Leeds and we hope to welcome a big crowd of members.
40 Allotment and Leisure Gardener