Welcome to the Aldershot and District Allotment Association 103rd Annual General Meeting 2020. This report is a summary of activities for the period March 2019 to February 2020.
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COMMITTEE
Helen Williams was elected President
The committee members who served during the year are as follows:
Robb Small Chairperson Linda Bucket Health and Safety
Sandra Fleming Secretary Mike Fellows Competitions
Vaughan Kurn Treasurer Martin Wells
Frank Rust Membership Secretary
Audrey Cook Minute Secretary
General
As a result of the Bonfire ban introduced in March 2018, there have been no complaints to the council from our surrounding neighbours. The ban is from 1st March to 1st November every year.
Throughout the year, the committee has continued to use the Probationary Team to cut our hedges and to clear the boundary ditch parallel to Coronation Road. The team has consisted of up to 8 people, plus their supervisor and represents excellent value for money at £85 per day.
Clearance of the ditch along Coronation Road continues to be an onerous task, and was the subject of a revision to the bylaws last year. However, this proved unpopular with some members and the committee took the decision to revise that bylaw yet again. The build-up of leaf litter etc will now have to be managed by members of the committee.
The bylaw has now been amended as follows:
4.1 The tenant must look after, for example trim and cut regularly, the edges of the footpaths next to their allotment. Footpaths between plots must be maintained so that the width of the path is 60cm (2ft). Where the allotment is situated next to a boundary ditch, hedge or fence the tenant must leave a 90cm (3ft) wide area free from obstruction to allow maintenance work to be carried out safely. This is especially important where the boundary is a ditch. Plot holders whose plots are next to a ditch are required to monitor the state of the ditch, ensuring that they do not add to any detritus in the ditch and to inform the committee if for any reason it is becoming seriously clogged.
However, the three-foot rule ensuring access to the ditch will in future be strictly enforced, so please make sure that sheds, water butts etc do not encroach.
Our insurance does cover us for flooding from the ditch. Flooding due to excessive water in the ditch is viewed as an Act of God
The committee intends to install a couple of extra grills along the ditch to trap leaf litter which is the main cause of blockages at the lowest end of the ditch where it flows into the culvert.
Recently we had the Stores building inspected for asbestos by a local firm and they recommended that the Stores ceiling be painted in “encapsulating paint” to seal over any possible asbestos. This has been done for the shop and meeting-room area. The toilets will be similarly painted this spring.
Unfortunately, there have again been a number of thefts reported from the allotments, including tools, plants and produce. As a result of those thefts CCTVs have been erected around the Stores and grounds and are monitored regularly.
Although the Committee take these reports seriously and should anyone be caught stealing, they will be evicted forthwith, please note that members are responsible for the security on their own plots.
Please remember that you are responsible for removing from site any rubbish you create. Do not dispose of it anywhere else on site, including the ditch or around the bottom car park, as has happened on a number of occasions during the year.
The committee have been assisted during the year by many volunteers from the site. These include the Social Event Organisers (Moira, Trish, Val, Barbara, Jackie, Helen, Claire, Audrey, Rosemary); Shop Manager (Mike) and anyone who turned up to help with specific tasks throughout the year.
Financial Summary: (taken from the December minutes).
All figures are to the end of November
Current Account £19194.74
Savings £8498.39
Bond £7000.00
Note the current account figure includes the sum of £2500 banked for the charities.
Current Account available funds £16694.74
Allotment worth/cash £32193.13
Stock value £2752.10
Figures for the year brief summary (figures may be subject to some amendments)
Total annual income £16257.55
Total annual expenditure £12859.99
Profit £3397.56
Break down of Expenditure
Maintenance (includes cesspit work) £6087.42
Utilities £384.43
Shop sales £5300.05
Stock cost £4306.41
Profit £993.64
Note previous year sales were £4266.30 so an increase of £1033.75.
Shop Report:
In 2019 the garden shop has been able to stock many more items which has resulted in an improvement over last year’s sales figure. This shows that the garden shop is being more widely used as its main purpose is to hold stock on site for the benefit of the plot holders.
We all know that if you travel far enough and have got the transport, you may be able to get some of our stocked items slightly cheaper but there is a cost of time and travel to get them,
The heavy rain that we have all experienced at the end of 2019 and into 2020 has resulted in the plot holders not being able to work their plots. The shop is well stocked for the coming season and I am sure everyone is itching to get on.
We are always trying to improve the variety of stock. If a new requirement is identified by a plot holder and can be purchased at the right price it may be possible to stock some.
If there is a member of the committee on site during the week that has a key to the stores, I am sure if requested politely, they would be happy to open the stores.
The slug pellets that we all relied on over the past years has now been taken off the market. The alternative products are on sale in garden centres and stores but at a high price. The ferric oxide version is priced at £5 to £7 pounds. If we can find a cheaper source we may be able to stock some.
Social Events
In addition to the regular coffee mornings on Sundays and the craft afternoons on the last Wednesday of each month several special events were held throughout the year. An Easter Event with prizes for the best bonnets, a BBQ in August, A Pumpkin Sunday at the end of October, a Christmas get together and a very well attended Open Day on May 18th with many plants and other goodies for sale. Together all these events raised £3200 for local charities. Many thanks to everyone who helped and supported these events. This coming year there will be similar events with Pumpkin Sunday being renamed the Autumn Soup Kitchen. Please look at the notice board at the allotments or visit the excellent web site for dates and details. In particular note the date for the Open Day – May 16th 2020. Members will have the opportunity to nominate a charity to support in 2021 at the Christmas Event in December.
Competition Results
The following is a summary of competitions which took place on our site during the year.
Hampshire Cup Competition
Barry Dickinson came second in Hampshire missing the top spot by one point.
Aldershot & District Allotment Association Plot Competition
10 Rod Retired: Selbourne Cup
1st Plot 10 – Barry Dickinson.
2nd Plot 72 –Matt Edmunds
3rd Plot 70 – Audrey Cook
10 Rod Weekend: George Gladding Cup
1st Plot 1 – Carole Atkins
5 Rod Retired: Jarvis Cup
1st Plot 21A – Peter Richens
2nd Plot 77B – Sandra Fleming
3rd Plot 97A – Lynne Hills
5 Rod Weekend: Harvey Cup
1st Plot 20A – Barry Setterfield
2nd Plot 28A – Russel Taylor
3rd Plot 46B – Vaughan Kurn
All the above competitions were judged by independent judges.
Produce Competition
The winner of the 2018 Produce Competition which again coincided with the annual barbecue was Barry Dickinson
Adam’s Cup for Best New Plot Holder
Plot 57A – Stephen and Sue Carter. They renovated a plot which has not been in good cultivation for years.
Rushmoor in Bloom Awards
| Gold | |||
| 10 | Barry | Dickinson | |
| 20A | Barry | Setterfield | |
| 70 | Audrey | Cook | |
| Silver/Gilt | |||
| 21A | Peter | Richens | |
| 28A | Russell | Taylor | |
| 30A | Tik | Pun | |
| 34A | Jean | Dickinson | |
| 38 | John | Mezzetti | |
| 75A | Val | Read | |
| Silver | |||
| 1 | Carole | Atkins | |
| 4B | Peter | Hyde | |
| 5A | Krishnaraj | Rai | |
| 5B | Davina | Harding | |
| 14 | Elizabeth | Knapp | |
| 15B | Louise | Vickers | |
| 16A | A | Wood | |
| 30B | Derek | Harding | |
| 39B | Stephen | Haigh | |
| 55A | Roger | Gear | |
| 62A | Claire | Setterfield | |
| 65A | Jeremy | Stewardson | |
| 71B | Ginny | Farquhar | |
| 77B | Sandra | Fleming | |
| 81B | Barbara | Horton | |
| 82A | Kundan | Gurung | |
| 97A | Lynne | Hills | |
| Bronze | |||
| 7A | Laura | Chant | |
| 8A/9A | Iris | Paulzen-Sweeny | |
| 12A | Eamon | Flahive | |
| 15A | Eamonn | O’Rourke | |
| 19A | Martin | Butler | |
| 23A | Allan | Smith | |
| 31A | Robert | Pullen | |
| 31B/32 | Colin | Brown | |
| 33A | Cat | Llewellyn | |
| 39A | Kul Bahadur | Gurung | |
| 41B | Maria | Tsiotova | |
| 46B | Vaughan | Kurn | |
| 50B | Antra | Gulbinska | |
| 55B/67A | Hazel | Chant | |
| 58A | Stephen | Carter | |
| 69 | Sue & David | Baker | |
| 83A | Ian | Welch | |
| 89 | Indrabahadur | Pun | |
| 97A | Lynne | Hills | |
| Special Award | |||
| 55B/67A | Blooming Marvellous | ||
2019 Merit Cup.
To be announced at the AGM.
Congratulations and thanks, on behalf of the Association, go to all of the winners above and to everyone entering the various competitions. Why not get involved and enter one or more of the competitions this coming year.
Current membership.
At present there are no vacant plots and there is a waiting list of 46. This is nearly double compared with the end of 2018. This increasing trend appears to be continuing.
Maintenance
General maintenance of the site continued and included the following aspects:
Further fencing work has been carried out along the Church Road end of the site.
Improvements in the shop continue to be made.
A big thank you to all volunteers who helped.
