Page 53 - ALG Issue 4 2022

To give you a taste of what has been happening on the project so far, during the 2022 summer school term, pupils from two primary schools undertook
an oral history training programme, before visiting local allotment sites to interview plotholders. Welford Primary School in Handsworth visited Victoria Jubilee allotments to talk to plotholders Balbir & Jeevan (and find out about their lifelong love of growing), whilst Thornton Primary School in Ward End visited St Margaret’s Road allotments to interview Noor, Steve, and Chris. Noor’s interview was particularly poignant
as he explained the significance of his plot as an Afghanistani asylum seeker separated from his young family.
The volunteer team of interviewers have conducted 25 interviews in the
first phase of the oral history side of
the project thus far. Highlights include the warm hospitality at Gospel Lane Allotments, our oldest interviewee
yet (93 year old Mr Bansal from Clay Lane Allotments who was interviewed with his daughter), the resident cats
at Walsall Road Allotments trying their best to disrupt the interview by playing with the recording equipment, hearing extraordinary stories from the Windrush generation, groundbreaking stories of women’s involvement at Tinkers Farm, and the two immaculate plots of 87 year old ‘Trinnie’ at Lime Tree Road.
Every interviewee to date has articulated a very personal case as to why allotments are important to their wellbeing, and this is exactly the reason this project exists: to share plotholders’
Every interviewee to date has articulated a very personal case as to why allotments are important to their wellbeing
passion and gain more insight into
why they are so dedicated; to motivate others to explore their local history; to celebrate allotments in Birmingham; to entice potential new plotholders to start their own journey.
If you would like to contribute
any stories, photographs or
help towards this project,
please visit the project website: thebirminghamallotmentproject.co.uk or email generalpublicprojects@gmail. com
If you’re not an internet user, call/text Chris on 07792736125.
Rebekah Salisbury
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GDPR and Associations
Associations need to ensure the Society has one default contact and that it is kept up to date. NAS can discuss benefits with affiliate members, however, would not pass on personal details without the permission of the default contact or committee member listed.
Keeping people’s personal data safe is key.
Check your security measures line up with the sensitivity of the data you hold. Put stronger security measures in place if the data poses a higher risk or is sensitive.
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 53