Page 46 - ALG Issue 4 2019

North West
Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire
Revidge Allotments Open Day
Revidge Allotment Association is located in Blackburn. We have 66 plots and we held our first Open Day for many years on Sunday 18th August as a part of National Allotments Week. We were keen to publicise our work and alert the local community to the existence of the allotments. The day was advertised on social media and the Nextdoor website; we also spent £100 on two banners which we put up at the entrances to the site. There are no dates on
the banners so they will last for years. Fifteen people turned up to have a look around and enjoy a cuppa with scones and cake.
Three people asked to join the waiting list, currently we have 23 people on the waiting list. The weather was surprisingly good and the visitors and allotmenteers seemed to enjoy the afternoon. We will definitely repeat the event, but maybe not in August as many people seemed not to be able to come along due to holidays.
Our annual show was held on 1st September this year at our Revidge site in Blackburn, Lancashire. The weather was kind and our plotholders turned up in droves with their produce. Carolanne and Ruth were very proud
of their prizes for their aubergine and raspberry jam respectively. The quality of produce was excellent, and we were all very proud particularly since it has been such a challenging year weather-wise with lots of rain and not much sun. The free BBQ was a great hit with veggie burgers, sausages and halal beef and chicken burgers being served by Julie and Geoff.
This year we also had a tombola to start our fundraising efforts to build a new cabin and compostable loo. The tombola raised £83 which was a great start.
Kath Knowles, Secretary, Revidge Allotment Association
46 Allotment and Leisure Gardener
Cheadle Hulme Garden & Allotment Association is recognised as one of the UK’s very best green spaces
The Billy’s Lane allotment site in Cheadle Hulme has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best in the world. Billy’s Lane joins 202 other green spaces awarded recognition in the North West. The allotment site is among
a record-breaking 1,970 UK parks
and green spaces and 131 in thirteen other countries around the world, that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Community Award – the mark
of a quality park or green space. This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that
the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained, and has excellent visitor facilities.
Billy’s Lane in Cheadle Hulme spokesperson, David Rawstron,
said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the first time. We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Billy’s Lane to such a high standard. We are particularly pleased to be the only allotment site in the North West to achieve this award.”
International Green Flag Award scheme manager, Paul Todd, said: “It’s fantastic
that we have more Green Flag Awards in the UK than ever before, joined this year by 131 International winners. Each flag honours the thousands
of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We congratulate each and every winner on their fantastic achievement.”
The Green Flag Awards Scheme (http:// greenflagaward.org/) is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry
of Housing, Communities and Local Government, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status. A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site Accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation.
Sarah Hubbold, Secretary, Cheadle Hulme Garden & Allotment Association