Page 48 - ALG 1.21
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                                North West
Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire
  In case of emergency, just call
removing a ‘rubbish dump’ at the bottom of her plot which she called her ‘nature area’! It’s also been interesting to think about whether we make our plots accessible for others ‘in case
of emergency’. One polytunnel I was watering was so jampacked it was hard to water the furthest tomatoes without knocking over her staging. One plot was hard to navigate safely through the trip hazards, whilst a third with no water butts was what seemed miles from the mains tap!
All in all, I think I’ve spent as much time on others’ plots as my own; weeding, watering and generally caring for, so when the owner returns, they are not totally despondent. I’m the lucky one as I’ve been able to do this. As the growing season slides towards the end, my ‘emergency service’ is coming to an end, although I’m currently the resident fruit bush pruner it appears!
When I think of 2020, I will think of the traffic free roads as I walked to the allotment, the quietness in the air and the solace I found in being on site and being able to support my fellow allotmenteers when they’ve needed it, and the pure pleasure of sowing, growing and harvesting my own food.
Pam Pickard
2020 was the second year that I’ve had an allotment; in February I took on the half plot next to my existing half plot and (thanks to Covid-19) was able to work on it every day as my work as a freelance art and craft tutor dried up (and there’s no sign of re-starting this year!). I’ve become a champion scrounger as I look around and realise I’ve obtained a shed, greenhouse, paving slabs, pallets, wire fencing, an old bed to make a bench, and even a baby bath, now turned into a wildlife pond.
So thankfully my plot is under control and I’ve grown as much veg as I can eat, and my freezer can take! I have donated onions, garlic, potatoes, runner beans, kale and apples to a local organisation a friend developed during lockdown to feed vulnerable people with a hot meal three days a week. It’s very gratifying to hear that my onions made 50 cheese and potato pies one day. However, I have missed giving bags of tomatoes to members of my walking group.
I say thankfully, not just for my own benefit but for those plotholders affected by Covid-19. I’ve been the ‘emergency service’ throughout the year – the NHS workers’ workloads were increased and priorities were for those affected by this terrible virus. Some
of the older gardeners or gardeners living with vulnerable people went into self-isolation, and a few plot owners either contracted the virus or a member of the household tested positive. You see this virus hit us gardeners at a time when we’d sown seeds or bought bare- rooted fruit bushes. We’ve had heat waves when tomatoes, peppers and other crops were in danger of drying
out and we’ve had rainfall which always
generates weed growth even if we’ve
been able to pull a few out earlier in the
year! I’m
      I’ve really found it interesting to see how others propagate, stake and tend their plants. I’ve only ever seen as many varieties of tomatoes at a garden show. I hope I’ve done a decent job for the experts on the site. My work has been appreciated by all but one owner, who agreed to be helped with clearance,
but felt that I got carried away with
currently the resident fruit bush pruner
      Another Green Flag Award for Billy’s Lane!
Cheadle Hulme Garden and Allotment Association on Billy’s Lane, Cheadle Hulme, is raising a Green Flag Award for the second time. Billy’s Lane is one of more than 2,000 sites across the country to collect the Green Flag Award for 2020.
Barbara Heyes, Chair of the Association, said: “This is a tremendous achievement
on behalf of all our plotholders and a much-needed boost to our spirits in this challenging year. We count ourselves very fortunate to have this wonderful and greatly- valued green space in Cheadle Hulme.”
Commenting on Billy’s Lane’s success, Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “This year, more than ever, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline and we know that millions
of people have used them to relax, meet friends, exercise or simply escape for a short time.
“It is testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of parks staff and volunteers that, despite the challenges, Billy’s Lane Allotment has achieved the highest international standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”
Any green space that is free to enter and 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. https:// www.greenflagaward.org/
48 Allotment and Leisure Gardener







































































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