Page 43 - ALG Issue 4 2017

North West
North West report
Well what a summer we have had in the North West; the last few months have been hectic with lots of events and functions across Blackpool & Southport. The allotments here in Blackpool have been a thriving place during the summer, getting prepared and growing for a wide range of events.
Our Bedding Plant Sale started the year off in July down at Lawson Road. It was so popular we had to add additional opening dates to the calendar, with people queuing at the gates long before we opened. Again, this year we were blessed with good weather and we were able to use our new community area for storage of hundreds of beautiful bedding plants, hanging baskets and vegetable plants.
As the summer started, jobs switched to decorating the site and this year’s theme was fairground rides and games. The pressure was on to ensure that the site was ready for not one but two competitions, Blackpool in Bloom and also North West in Bloom; this is where you see the community spirit come into action, with dozens of tubs and planters all decorated ready to go out on display.
Out came the scarecrows, all to be dressed differently so they could look over their new roles; one on hook a duck, one on tin-can alley and another on the see saw. Then we needed people to welcome the visitors and take the tickets. As the judging days came closer, guess what? Our English weather changed and decided to become wet and windy but with careful pruning and care the owers looked great and despite it raining on judging day it didn’t dampen the whole fun at the fair.
Then as August came, the main events were upon us; our fantastic Open Day and then the wonderful Southport Flower Show. Our Open Day was superb; the weather was
Welcome to our new members...
Appley Bridge Allotment Society Hough Green Allot Association Knutsford Town Council Saddleworth Parish Council
4 individual members
kind for most of the day and the place was buzzing, packed with loads of events, music, stalls and lots of games for the kids - a real family community feel throughout the day. We would like to say a huge thank you to all those, along with their families that helped on Lawson Road Open Day - we have
been able again this year to support the Air Ambulance as our chosen charity. A very special thanks to Radio Lancashire for their continued support and broadcasts especially Stephen Lowe & Shelley Booth; oh and our master John “Gillie” Gillmore.
National Allotments Week saw a wide range of the federation allotment sites open their gates each weekend during August; this year it worked very well as each site had an open day on separate days so we were all able to support each other. It was great to see good community turnouts on all sites within Blackpool Federation; this is a great opportunity to offer support, help
and guidance to would-be allotment folk, sell our produce and generally be part of the community.
And as if we thought that was our summer activities over .... no way! Southport Show here we come. This year we saw helpers from Lawson Road, Chorley, Skelmersdale, Trafford and Salford Allotments (I hope I’ve not missed anyone). The gloves were off and we had three days to produce a stand that meant something real and not just a display. With support from our kind sponsors,
the NAS, and with the help of Premier Polytunnels, we were able to create an old and modern allotment all on one site, and a fantastic information display in one of our marquees, offering advice on obtaining an allotment right through to bees.
This year we had the great pleasure of our President, Phil Gomersall, visiting our display not just for an hour or two but for two whole days, which brought cheers and
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