Page 31 - ALG Issue 3 2021

National Allotment Society AGM 2021
JOHN IRWIN CHAIRMAN OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Chairman introduced the Officers, and welcomed Jenny Scaldwell from MH LLP Accountants. He also outlined how voting would take place with red cards and that delegates should remain on mute until they wish to speak.
WELCOME TO THE VIRTUAL AGM BY PHIL GOMERSALL, PRESIDENT NAS Well, I have completed the first year of my second term of office and boy-o-boy will it be a year that is remembered, not always for the right reasons? It has been a difficult time for some, and our hearts and thoughts go out to those who have lost loved ones during this awful pandemic.
On the whole however, it has been an extremely exciting and positive year for the allotment movement. In times of crisis, allotments always come to the forefront. They did in both WW1 and WW2 and now throughout the duration of the Covid pandemic. I can see this demand continuing for some time yet due to the unemployment and social situation making allotments essential for living as opposed to a leisure activity.
NAS positives have been many; the up-to-date pandemic site guidance notes, available to all, have been
very well received, not only by sites
but LAs and PCs, bringing with it additional memberships. Despite working from home, our administration team have kept things moving along, maintaining our advisory services to our membership.
The National Allotments Week was more successful than ever with a great increase in media attention in
all spheres, TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers. The media attention has in fact increased over the whole year and I am still getting requests for radio interviews now.
There has also been a huge increase
in demand for webinars and training
by LAs and PCs and our modern technology has been of great assistance in catering for all sorts of audiences.
Zoom, in particular, has been a
real bonus, allowing more frequent meetings, easier access for many, financial savings and faster response times.
The Flipbook Allotment and Leisure
Gardener magazine, that is distributed to our membership via email, has enabled many more members to see what the organisation is all about and what it does for its membership. I defy anyone to name an organisation that offers so much for so little. Coming from Yorkshire and always seeking a bargain, I am very much aware of these things. Facebook is another area which has allowed opportunities to promote allotments and share information. It has also enabled closer links with the International Allotment Movement
and many of our universities, sharing many positive and different aspects of allotment gardening.
The general public has also seen the many positive aspects of allotment gardening looking over the allotment fence and are clamouring to get a
plot of their own to participate in our wonderful recreational activity. The result is huge waiting lists. Many sites like my own are reducing plot sizes; we are offering quarter size plots with no loss in revenue, if plots are paid for pro rata. This is to try and accommodate as many as we can from the waiting list. Unfortunately, I have heard of the odd LA closing its waiting list, an awfully bad practice which distorts demand and should be objected to strongly.
Still more positives; new allotment sites are being created in many areas by developers as part of the green space allocation. This is a practice where
Zoom, in particular, has been a real bonus, allowing more frequent meetings, easier access for many, financial savings and faster response times
some planning authorities need to be applauded. Fewer overgrown plots make it easier to protect sites when pinpointed for other development.
There have also been fewer Section
8 applications and fewer being approved. This is all incredibly positive but, unfortunately, we still get the
odd complaint coming in, not always but quite often due to lack of proper paperwork and understanding the management of allotments.
However, there is hope on the horizon. NAS is developing some online courses for Allotment Site Officers which should be available quite soon.
What of the future? We have a very positive public image, Government recognition, programme of training courses, webinars educating LAs and PCs, new allotment sites, productive and healthy relationship with universities, excellent relationships with the International Allotment Federation. It is no wonder I am so excited.
How does it all happen? Many thanks must go to our volunteer regional representatives and mentors, our administration and legal staff, and not forgetting our marketing and Mentor Co-ordinator.
THINGS ARE LOOKING VERY POSITIVE. ‘THE FUTURE OF ALLOTMENTS IS BRIGHT’.
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 31