Page 55 - ALG Issue 4 2014 Digital Edition

Eastern
Northfields Allotments Club – Open Day 2014
Our Open Day was originally scheduled for the 10th August but due to the remnants of Hurricane Bertha and the doom-laden prophesies of the BBC weather persons, it was postponed, which in the end proved to be a wise decision. At 9.05am the Chairman looked out of the window at the downpour
and remembered the words of Winston Churchill: ‘In my life I have made many decisions and not all of them have been wrong’.
Sunday, 7th September dawned cloudy, but soon cleared and a sunny day ensued. We opened our gates at 10.30am in the presence of the Mayor of Hunstanton, Cllr. Carol Bower, and she then toured the site.
The aim of the Open Day is to encourage good husbandry and to showcase our site to the people of Hunstanton. This year we had a new tenant who was busily working away on his plot, which gave an interesting slant on things.
We hold an annual Allotments Competition, which is independently
judged. There are various classes, which since Olympic Year, has Gold, Silver-Gilt, Silver and Bronze categories. We also have ‘Best Newcomer’, and of course a shield donated by the Town Council for the ‘Best Allotment’. We have the ‘Green Wellie’ award, which is designed to encourage the best use of recycled materials; the prize
for this is a magnificent pottery boot made by one of our ladies who is a potter. This year we had a special category of ‘Prettiest Shed’, pink with blue door and decorated with pink flowers and window boxes. Her plot also had plenty of crops.
All plots were visited and certificates handed out by the Mayor, who spoke to each recipient; the reactions of winners made the whole effort worthwhile.
The tearoom and the barbecue were soon doing lively business. The surplus fruit and veg were popular, healthily grown and tasty. The homemade cakes and jams sold briskly in the tearoom and the children’s activity went down well. The beekeeper persuaded his creatures to perform and
also sold lots of honey too. The raffle tickets sold well. Second-hand books were sold with the surplus being donated to a local Hospice Shop.
This year Liz Bunting from NSALG Head Office attended and it was good to see and hear her comments.
We had many people through the gates, including representatives of the committees of neighbouring allotment sites. We also had a lady who is attempting to persuade her parish council to set up a new site, and we will, of course, give her all the help we can.
Inevitably the waiting list increases whenever we have an Open Day and this time we attracted eight people who have seen at first-hand the joy of allotment gardening, community spirit and health- promoting gains through exercise and good honest produce.
All in all it was a jolly good day with a healthy balance generated to boost club funds.
David Elvidge
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