Page 41 - ALG Issue 3 2020

Aren’t allotment gardeners absolutely wonderful?
As President of the National Allotment Society for the past three years, I have been kept very busy. The downside has been that my allotment has suffered, but, when the coronavirus lockdown started, all my appointments were cancelled and it gave me the freedom and the opportunity to really go to town on my allotment. During those early days with social distancing, I managed to re-cover my polytunnel (ripped to shreds in the gales), trimmed back the raspberries and tidied up generally. I also dug over half of my plot, and sown some seeds. I was in absolute heaven.
Then it arrived; the dreaded letter: “As an extremely vulnerable person we
ask you to isolate and shield yourself for 12wks.” said the Government. After such a high over the previous weeks, I was devastated. So, to do my bit for the nation, NHS and my family, I arranged for a fellow plotholder to splash the plants in my polytunnel, packed up one or two gardening things, and sadly (with head bowed down) went home.
I have been extremely frustrated at being restricted to home, but, as any homeowner knows, I have a list of jobs to do as long as my arm, and also, with being involved in an ‘In-Bloom’ group, I have had hundreds of plug plants to pot up in my greenhouse at home. When we shall get to plant these plants is another story. All the time whilst isolated at home, in the back of my mind I have had concerns about the state and condition of my allotment.
I should not have worried; during these past six weeks of isolation I have literally been blown away by the kindness of my fellow plotholders. They have brought me essential supplies of food to my doorstep, weeded my plot from top to bottom, shredded all my waste matter for composting, watered my polytunnel, and harvested potatoes, rhubarb, leeks, cauliflowers from my plot and brought them to my home as I have needed them. They have even gone on to plant three bags of seed potatoes and all my onion sets, planted out my cauliflowers, kohlrabi and chard, and the list goes
on. I cannot get over the kindness and thoughtfulness that has just flowed out of my fellow plotholders, and I feel quite spoilt and very humble.
I am managing to fulfil most of my allotment site secretarial duties from home, as nearly all our members are on email. I have sent out all the National Allotment Society coronavirus advisory notices and all the associated updates and made posters for my colleagues
to collect and put up. I have arranged for our chairman to show potential plotholders from our waiting list our vacant plots (observing social distancing of course). Then I have posted out the
There has been a 300% increase in our waiting list since the outset of this pandemic, with one council reporting a 500% increase in demand
documentation and awaited its return before filing it.
The kindness shown and camaraderie of the plotholders on my site has just been absolutely amazing.
I have promoted the benefits derived from allotment gardening for over 20 years now: fresh food, healthy outdoor exercise and social engagement, to mention just a few at the tip of the iceberg. It has taken this pandemic to bring to the fore just how beneficial allotments really are in creating a healthy society and such a benefit to the environment. People have seen these benefits first-hand, and they are now clambering to acquire an allotment plot for themselves. There has been a 300% increase in our waiting list since the outset of this pandemic, with one council reporting a 500% increase in demand.
How pleased I am to belong to this wonderful movement and I just can’t wait to get back to my allotment.
A quite frustrated and very humble
Phil Gomersall, Secretary, Victory Garden Allotments, Leeds
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Allotment and Leisure Gardener 41