Page 6 - ALG Issue 3 2021

President’s
scribblings
I have spoken and recently written both at the AGM and in ALG 2 about all the good things that are happening with our organisation up to this moment in time. The list is quite extensive.
I now feel, rather than repeat myself,
I shall look to the future. Things look brighter already, with the lifting of many of the covid restrictions (it is just a shame the weather is not looking brighter, but I am sure it will soon change; plants are beginning to move now). I always think a good electric storm helps with plant growth (here in Yorkshire we had a beauty last week). How much truth there is in that, I don’t know.
I hope you are all starting to plan for National Allotments Week 9 – 15th August 2021. Fling your gates open (if conditions permit) and let the public have a peek at how great our allotment gardening is whilst making a bob or two for the association in the process. At my site when our visitors arrived last time, they enjoyed it so much they stayed all afternoon and didn’t want to go home. It is a really good opportunity to let the community know how beneficial our allotments really are, and our theme this year ‘Plotting for the Future’ is so appropriate to our movement. Have a go – it has an added bonus: plotholders tend to put in an extra effort to tidy
things up and make the place look good.
I have attended a couple of meetings recently on behalf of the NAS; one with the University of Essex having an input into a handbook they are developing on ‘Prescribing for Nature’ for the medical profession for people with mild mental disorders. I am also attending the Zoom launch of the handbook this week (27th May) and it should be available in hard copy and online after this date.
The second meeting was with Heritage Open Days (HOD) organisers and was really interesting. The event will be held 10 – 19th September this year. This festival offers the opportunity to open your site gates to the public yet again. The HOD theme is also very appropriate: ‘Edible England’. We tick all the boxes for participation of this event. Do not be put off by the duration of the event; you can choose when
and how long you would like to open
up within that time frame, and the added advantage is that they do all the advertising for you both locally and nationally. My site has participated twice before and both times were a huge success.
The big flower shows are also planning opening as the year progresses. The Harrogate Spring Flower Show has
It is always good to be in demand, and allotment gardening is flavour of the year
been open to the public this week
(20 – 23rd May) with safeguards in place, under a different name ‘Spring Essentials’ as the show is a month late. The reason I mention “shows” is that again it offers the opportunity to blow the NAS and your local federation and sites’ trumpet. It can also be extremely good fun to participate, and usually there is ample opportunity to participate as an exhibitor. It is even better if
you win. It can be a most enjoyable experience; have a go. I love the shows, they have a great positive atmosphere.
I did promise not to mention the past and, although developed in the past, the NAS webinars are in great demand and are getting booked up extremely fast.
It is always good to be in demand, and allotment gardening is flavour of the year. Also, with a bit of luck, by the time you read this, some of our new courses may be online.
Enjoy your gardening.
Phil Gomersall
Containerwise
Long-life
Propagation Trays
Buy once – use for years. The ultimate in recycling.
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6 Allotment and Leisure Gardener
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