Page 5 - ALG Issue 1 2018

chairman’s comments
Writing these notes on a dark, wet November afternoon it seems a long way from the New Year and even further from the spring. However, by now I hope you have all enjoyed Christmas and had a Happy New Year.
We really do have an exciting year ahead of us. There will be a
new Regional Constitution, written in conjunction with the Regional Secretaries. In fact, I suppose largely on their input with the original Regional Rules they supplied forming the basis and then their input at two further meetings when the Constitution was knocked into shape. The result of their efforts should now have gone out to the regions in the form of the nal Draft Constitution. At last,
we all have the same hymn sheet.
Another exciting move is insurance - not usually spoken about in these terms, but justi ed this time I think. In the dim and distant past of my early involvement with regional
and national affairs, I seem to remember the
rumours that membership of the National
Allotment Society (NAS) meant you were
insured whilst on your plot. Of course this was never so, and as
more associations became self-managed and took out their own insurance, this myth was quashed. Associations take out their Public Liability Insurance, which is more than likely a condition of their Lease Agreement. If the association has volunteers undertaking maintenance work, then they will also be taking out Employers’ Liability Insurance. From spring 2018 in March/ April, NAS will be taking out a blanket policy which is to be called ‘Allotmenteers Liability Insurance’. This covers the individual plot holders’ own plot, to ensure that as a paid member of NAS all our members are covered when working their
own allotment, providing they have contracted into the scheme. To do this, all that is required is for the secretary to con rm the number of af liate members, the names, addresses, and email addresses for each member who wants this cover. Yes, any member of the National
Allotment Society, Individual Member or Associate Member who has paid the current years fees. If the association is a paid member, it will be eligible for this totally free membership bene t. At long last the myth will become a fact - just another reason for becoming a member of the NAS. Full details of the scheme are in the double page spread in this and following editions of the magazine, and will of course be available on the members’ page of the website.
Recently two colleagues and I visited Durham; rstly a trip around the Roddymore site, one of the four sites owned by the NAS, where we were made very welcome. Then, on to the Northern Region’s
At long last the myth
will become a fact - just another reason for becoming a member of the NAS
quarterly meeting, where we were again welcomed. A very good and lively meeting ensued, at the end of which several members asked if some or all of us would attend further meetings. The answer is yes, if we are asked, as we do to any regional request.
Before I close, we had a good Annual General Meeting in Bath this past June. From the delegates comments during the latter parts
of the meeting, I think most agreed, and several said it was one of the best in recent years. This coming year we will be meeting at Wyboston Lakes, Wyboston, Bedfordshire on Saturday 2 June 2018. I am assured that Wyboston is a purpose-built conference centre, and is ideal for our requirements. Several workshops have also been organised, and a trip around Audley End gardens for those who wish to go on the Sunday. Please put the date in your diary; I look forward to seeing many of you there.
A Happy New Gardening Year to you all. May you all have a warm, bright spring and the time to enjoy it.
Tony Heeson, Chairman
Head Of ce
Christian left the Society at the end of January; we would like to wish him all the very best for the future.
president’s scribblings
Well things haven’t changed – I’m still extremely busy.
I’d like to mention, following the very positive International Allotments Study Session, that there is a lot more networking taking place between the various countries which is very interesting to follow.
There is also the possibility of UK sites receiving an International Award if certain criteria are met; watch the magazine for details. I am also attempting to create a ‘National Good Sites Guide’ with a couple of sites in each region.
If you think your site ts the bill, contact your
Regional Representative. We have already
had interest from Croatia National Television
to come and lm allotments, and a delegation
from Germany will be visiting London
allotments in May 2018.
multi-million pound Council nursery, the ‘Arium’. It is absolutely huge and state of the art; well worth a visit if you are in town.
It is very forward thinking of Leeds Council, as many Council nurseries are closing and will be relying on this new venture to supply their plants.
In a previous story I mentioned judging Ackworth allotments. Well, I was invited and attended their awards evening along with your Chairman Tony Heeson. It was a very pleasant evening in
I attended a very positive NAS Regional
Secretaries meeting, where proposals have
been presented regarding the future of our
organisation. I do hope that they will be looked on favourably by the regions, as I feel they will be very bene cial to the Society in the long run.
I spent a whole afternoon on my site lming with a lm company called ‘Raise the Roof’ from Glasgow. They are hoping to put forward proposals for a more realistic and down to earth programme about allotments to the BBC. I’ve also had a couple more radio interviews and a pro le of me entitled ‘My life in Plants’ in the December issue of Garden News.
In my home city of Leeds, I attended the opening of a new
There is also the possibility of UK sites receiving an International Award if certain criteria are met
the local pub and a good night was had by all (story in magazine).
I always wanted to visit one of the Society’s allotment sites, and got the opportunity to visit Roddymoor allotments on our way up to the Northern Region Allotment Association meeting in Durham, along with Tony Heeson and Liz Bunting. They had a lovely communal building with weekly events for people of the local community; very commendable (again,
stories in magazine).
Again, I have had one or two problems brought to my attention.
Yet again the worrying thing is that most of these issues wouldn’t arise in the rst place if proper paperwork and procedures were in place, and followed onsite. Ensure your site’s paperwork is in order. See examples in members' section of the website.
By the time you read this I hope you have had a nice Christmas, and I wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Phil Gomersall
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