Page 55 - ALG 1.21

'Zooming' back again!
Having cancelled two Quarterly Meetings, we approached the Annual General Meeting with fear and trepidation. What to do? Then Head Office announced they had a Zoom Licence, by which people can see
and speak to each other through the mysteries of the computer. One person operates the programme and everyone else simply clicks on a mystery code
in an email message and is connected to everyone else, as if by magic. It does not bite nor steal your soul!
Of the 13,500 people in the West Midlands Region 30 brave souls were prepared to join us for the AGM. We began with a speaker, showing slides of his raised beds and explaining his technique using no-dig, to produce some very splendid crops.
The Regional Chairman, in the business section of the meeting, held a one- minute silence in memory of Maurice Lander, the previous much respected Regional Representative, who had died just prior to the first lockdown.
The Regional Secretary revealed that membership had increased slightly over the year whilst the Region, normally having the privilege of a number of gardening shows within its area, had seen their cancellation and feared problems for 2021.
In a further tribute to IT, the Secretary described his allotment association’s experience with the new online
ordering from Kings. After some hesitation, and much careful reading
of the instructions, it was explained to his site membership that they would
be ordering in a different way this
year. Catalogues with instructions
were distributed, passwords issued, registration of members occurred
and, slowly at first, members placed their orders. Mistakes were made
and glitches in the programme were discovered. Kings Seeds’ IT department came to the rescue. Occasional support was required over the telephone. Those, who did not own a computer or lacked the confidence to order online, had orders placed for them. Finally, orders were ‘consolidated’ and everyone received a confirmation email from Kings! The seeds are now awaited, but the ordering system worked. Why not try it? Warned that delivery is taking longer than usual, members seem prepared to wait as long as they are kept informed. (Footnote; the delivery was nearly
delivered only 13 days after ordering, but is now scheduled for 17 days after ordering. Another glitch which will be addressed in the next version of the programme).
The Regional Treasurer explained that, as the receiving account for the Annual Rebate is now paying 0.01%, he had closed that account. He offered to talk to anyone by telephone if they needed an explanation of the accounts.
Unable to visit sites, the Regional Representative said the Region had been quieter than normal and most problems had been discussed via the telephone. He recognised that Head Office had been most supportive. Where members were unable to attend their plots due to shielding, members were urged to contact their landlord to make them aware of their circumstances and, where landlords were unsympathetic to the failure to cultivate, contact Head Office or the Regional Representative or Mentor for advice and support.
The Regional Mentor is supporting
a local authority in its move towards self-management of its allotment sites, one site being used as the model for the others.
Just like the Regional Representative, he had received many requests for advice from individuals, committees and local authorities.
The Officers were duly re-elected,
and from the floor Barbara Smith
of Birmingham & District Allotment Confederation expressed her personal thanks to Head Office and the Region for their support during this difficult time.
The possible dates for Quarterly Meetings in 2021 will be Saturdays: 13th February, 15th May, 7th August and 6th November, providing speakers could
be found for these dates via Zoom, though this may change. Asked if the Government were likely to change the ruling regarding opening of allotments, Liz Bunting advised that, as it had been written into the new legislation, it was unlikely. If it did happen, she would again lobby the Government. Barbara Smith advised that Birmingham Allotments were providing a valuable source of food to local Food Banks, so reinforcing the necessity for allotments remaining open.
The Officers were duly re-elected
Tom Terrence thanked everyone for ‘attending’ and thanked Liz Bunting for hosting the meeting via Zoom.
Please note, non-computer users in the West Midlands wishing to know about future meetings, please contact the Regional Secretary enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
John McNab, Regional Secretary, West Midlands Region
Thank you, Jennifer
Here are two photos of myself (Beulah) and my sister Helene, who were with the NAS and Jennifer from REMIN on that day (pictured in the previous Issue) at Gardeners World Live, in 2008 with the main man Maurice Lander.
It will be 12 months since his passing and we miss him greatly. We have since taken on his allotment in memory of him. It has become
our ‘go to’ place when in need of a bit of peace and quiet; we feel his spirit is still about the place. Everything we learnt along the years from Maurice about plants, butterflies, birds, trees even weeds, he seemed at one with all of it.
The main thing he taught me was to be still and observe nature and work with it.
He was sturdy as an oak, a truly kind friend.
Beulah Digger, Lakeview Allotments
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 55