Page 60 - ALG Issue 2 2019
P. 60

                                                                                                                                             West Midlands
Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Warkwickshire
 Welcome to our new members...
Barrow Parish Council
Mona Land C Allotments Association Ringers Lane Association
Somerville Primary School
Wetmore Lane Allotment Association
9 Individual Members
  REPRESENTATIVE
Mr Tom Terrence
17 Stonefield Close, Walsgrave Keep, Walsgrave, Warks CV2 2PZ 02476 621350 tterrence@btinternet.com
MENTOR
Colin Bedford
West Midlands
0845 261 3672 cbedford.nas@gmail.com
  From ‘Aliens in the Garden’ to Gardeners' World Live, in two hours
 The February meeting of the West Midlands Region of the National Allotment Society was held in the Senior Citizens' Club at Kenilworth. It was hosted by the Kenilworth Allotment Tenants' Association, with at least thirty people in attendance, something of a record.
Our speaker was Roger Umpelby, an entomologist and horticulturist, with a wide background in the field. His talk entitled ‘Aliens in the Garden’ covered a range of creatures mainly brought in via global transport. The effect is
to change the biological balance, to compete, displace and import diseases. The edible snails, imported by the Romans to supplement their diet, were some of the earliest ones. They began in one part of the country and after two thousand years have spread to a radius of twenty-five miles. Other creatures are not so slow and are regarded by FERA Science (formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency), as being so serious a danger that, on notification, samples are collected by courier and, once satisfied that they are a threat, a J.C.B. is dispatched to remove soil to a depth of two feet from the contaminated site. He said that for the layperson the RHS website was a useful starting point for identifying new pests and disease risks.
The Regional Secretary emphasised the need to get the magazines out
to the members and suggested displaying them on a site noticeboard, giving members the opportunity to borrow and return them, though this did present some problems. He also drew attention to courses, run by Lantra, suitable for self-managers of allotments.
The Treasurer, Roger Cartwright, reported that we are still solvent and that the grant for this year had been received with an additional grant to cover Gardeners' World Live Show at the National Exhibition Centre.
The Regional Representative reported that he and the Mentor had been more actively involved with sites
than in previous years, mainly due
to more local authorities moving to self-management, which involved training and generally providing help and support to both local allotment officers and sites. When a question about Wellesbourne allotment site was raised, the Regional Representative briefly outlined the help being offered by the Region and Head Office.
The Regional Mentor, Colin Bedford, had enjoyed a relatively quiet three months but expected the situation to change very soon.
The Deputy Regional Representative, John Outhwaite, who is responsible for the NEC's Gardeners' World Live
His talk entitled ‘Aliens in the Garden’ covered a range of creatures mainly brought in via global transport
stand, described a recent meeting with the Show's organisers, RiverStreet Events, who are encouraging an increase in the contribution of
the National as the Show's main representatives of vegetable production at the Show. Guest speakers have been arranged on an hourly rota throughout the four days of the Show, Kings' Seeds are again supporting us with their seeds, and a better sound system is to be provided by RiverStreet.
Anyone who is interested in helping at the Show for even half a day was asked to contact any of the Regional Officers.
John McNab
Date and location of next meeting: 11 May 2019 at 2.00 pm at Stirchley, Telford
          South East
Surrey, Kent, West Sussex and East Sussex
REPRESENTATIVE
Vacant
Contact natsoc@nsalg.org.uk if interested in the position
MENTOR
Paul Neary
South East
0845 313 8422 pneary.nas@gmail.com
  Welcome to our new members...
Broadstairs Town Council Washington Parish Council
7 Individual Members
     Want to see more from your Region?
Send your articles to natsoc@nsalg.org.uk
60 Allotment and Leisure Gardener



















































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