Page 54 - ALG Issue 1 2016 No social share

West Midlands
Welcome to our new members...
Heron Cross Allotment Association 5 Individual members
West Midlands AGM and Compost Talk
The AGM was held in what has become a frequently visited venue for the West Midlands Region - Westwood Heath Allotment Gardens in Coventry. In a change from the normal format, the meeting began with a talk from a Master composter on the bene ts of homemade compost and the way to organise a compost bin or, better still, a trio of bins for more ef ciency. Following the opening remarks, the audience were invited to put questions forward to be answered and a discussion soon developed as to the best ingredients for a good mix.
Bob concluded by thanking everyone for all their support over the years since his appointment.
Describing some of the meetings he had attended during the last quarter at both Head Of ce and around the Region, (including the Malvern Autumn Show), Tom Terrence, the Regional Representative, expressed a hope that the Region might be involved in this Show in the future. Maurice Lander announced that he was standing down as Tom’s deputy.
With the exception of Bob Preston and Maurice Lander, all of the Of cers were re-elected. Roger
After the break the AGM was held.
Gordon Shaw, the Chairman, said in
his opening remarks that it was hoped
to arrange further talks in future, on
a range of subjects appropriate to
allotmenteering, in an attempt to increase the number of people attending the quarterly meetings. The Regional Secretary would be delighted to receive the contact details of anyone offering to give such talks.
The Regional Secretary was pleased to report that the number of groups belonging to the West Midlands Region had now stabilised after a decline in recent years. Various items from the latest magazine were highlighted and members were reminded to check the address sheet of the magazine for important information from Head Of ce.
Cartwright was elected Treasurer and Maurice Lander was elected as President. Bob Preston received an Honorary Life Membership for his services to Coventry and the district.
The Royal Horticultural Society has decided to no longer organise Gardeners’ World Live and the North Warwickshire Federation was not arranging the West Midlands’ Region stand but Tom was looking into the possibilities of taking over the setting up of the stand.
Members were invited to host the 2016 meetings; volunteers were found during the meeting for February in Birmingham and Warwickshire and Coventry in May; we were still seeking a venue in Herefordshire and Worcestershire in May and Staffordshire and Shropshire in November. There is still time and the opportunity to host a meeting!
To nish, Gordon Shaw thanked Westwood Heath Allotments for their hospitality in hosting the 2015 AGM and the meeting was then closed.
John McNab
Delivering his nal report as treasurer, Bob Preston said that we were unlikely to get a grant in 2016 as the Region had not spent suf cient of the current funds. He advised that money was available for associations wishing to have banners, etc. Requests should initially be sent to the Regional Secretary and costs agreed
before purchases are made. Receipts
would then be requested for any
purchases made. When asked why
money was not being spent, Bob
advised that money was available
within the guidelines of the NAS but
societies were not coming forward to
ask for nancial assistance with the
promotion of the allotment movement.
How Old?
Having read with interest the article about the Rugby allotments that date from 1661, a number of our gardeners suggested that I should tell you our story.
Over the years he has won several prizes at all our local shows, and he just keeps getting more and more.
The gentleman is John Lloyd. Listed below are just this year’s awards:
Bewdley Horticultural Society Show
First Prize.................................25 certi cates Second Prize .........................11 certi cates Third Prize ..................................7 certi cates C Aston Cup for the Most Points in Vegetables
First Cup for the more points in Dahlias CRG Farmer Cup Class 67
Medal for the most points in show.
In the 12th century, Stafford was run by the
Burgesses of the town. They managed most
of the affairs later undertaken by mayors,
corporations, councils, etc. They owned
substantial lands and to each burgess, they granted “Burgess Plots”, so that they could feed their family.
Allotments” are a registered charity, run by a Trust appointed by
the current Burgesses of Stafford. Our prices are well below those of local equivalents and for the rst time in many years we have a waiting list. Sadly, there was little interest in allotment gardening over much of the 20th century so land became derelict and was annexed with no recompense by the local authority. Since the 1920s we lost over 250 plots, but we now have just enough to satisfy the number of people wishing to take up this healthy pursuit.
John Edwards, Scribe to the Trust.
For more information www.coton eldsallotments.co.uk
*Before somebody says King John couldn’t write, this is one of very few charters where his mark can be found!
When King John needed money, as he often did, he issued charters con rming ownership of land and granted a number of privileges to those administrating his kingdom locally, in return for an annual rent. In 1206 he signed* the Stafford Charter, granting to “My Burgesses of Stafford” various rights, including the land known as “The Coton Field”. Old maps show this to have been several hundred acres, but by 2015 we have lost most of that heritage, but still run 22 acres with over 150 allotment plots.
So we offer “well over 800 years of continuous cultivation” as possibly the oldest allotments still in use in the UK. These “Freemen’s
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Bob concluded by thanking everyone
West Kidderminster Allotment Society
As secretary of the above society, I wondered if you would be interested in printing an article about one plot holder on Great Field Road site, Kidderminster.
Kidderminster Horticultural
Society Show
First Prize.................................18 certi cates Second prize..........................21 certi cates Third prize................................11 certi cates
The Allotment Shield
The Harvey Cup
The Ron Lincoln Challenge Cup RHS Banksian Medal
National Chrysanthemum Award Certi cates
National Dahlia Bronze Medal National Vegetables Society Medal Third Prize in the Malvern Show
I think you will agree with me that this is quite an outstanding achievement and should deserve some recognition. Cynthia Styles, Secretary