Page 47 - ALG Issue 4 2018

Brookhouse
Drive Allotment
Association
We have had an exciting time at the Brookhouse Allotment site over the
past 2 years. Tremendous efforts by the Committee, site representatives and all members have proven worthwhile as we now enjoy over 98% occupancy of plots on site.
This has been achieved by working with existing and new members in terms of size, location and accessibility and we offer anything from quarter plots to multi-plots to accommodate their aspirations, abilities and available time! Though predominantly occupied by local residents we have a very varied range of nationalities represented including Eastern European, Italian, South African... and even a hint of Welsh and Irish! We have an area in the middle of
the site dedicated to and used by Social Services, the 2017 ‘Newcomer of the year Award’ plot and a Community Plot which has also earned rich praise. We encourage plotholders to be nature-friendly and many plots have bird boxes, feeding stations, insect-friendly shrubs and plants and we also have a pond
Enjoying a cuppa in the sun
which is full of aquatic life and was enhanced last year as part of
a partnership with Cheshire Wildlife
We encourage plotholders to be nature-friendly
bigger success than last year as we raised £450, with the help of so many cake and vegetable donations, good weather and a
Trust and Pebble Brook School. This project was a lottery-funded Development Award which supported the creation of a dedicated area adjacent to Pebble Brook School to encourage groups of schoolchildren to
learn about wildlife and working the soil to help them become ‘guardians of gardening and nature’ in the future. To celebrate the success of the Brookhouse site and to ensure great ongoing Community Spirit we held an Open Day and BBQ on Saturday 28th July and were delighted to have the company of councillors Simon and Diane Yates. Our special guests, with about 30 tenants and guests, were shown around to see the progress of the site and the tenants
big allotment crowd.
Two days after this very eventful function, I
was contacted by a local group representing young people undertaking their NCS project bin aid of North West Air Ambulance and the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. They were looking for an area to do a charity peace garden in honour of the Charlie Waller Trust. On Saturday 31st August the team leader and her team of young people arrived to start their work on the plot and the result has been absolutely outstanding; it was a pleasure to see this group so committed to their project.
Marlene Harper, Site Representative
Simon Yates (Crewe Town Council Leader with Councillor Diane Yates and David Leather
Brookhouse Drive
Ron Lawson and Mayor of Crewe
Brookhouse Drive
had the opportunity of showing the guests their plots. We were confident that everyone there was very impressed by what they
saw and the BBQ meal we provided. Many thanks for the ongoing support from the Federation and Crewe Town Council.
Following our success on the day it
was decided to host another MacMillan
Big Coffee Morning which took place on Saturday 18th August with our mayor visiting us at 12 noon. This turned out to be an even
Mick Minshull (Site Chairman) and Tom Finnan (Senior Committee)
47