Welcome to the Aldershot and District Allotment Association 102nd Annual General Meeting 2019. This report is a summary of activities for the period March 2018 to February 2019..
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
The ADAA’s title deeds and other important historical documents are now lodged with the NAS for safe keeping.
As a result of the Bonfire ban introduced in March last year, there have been no complaints to the council from our surrounding neighbours. The ban is from 1st March to 1st November every year.
A key box has now been attached to the main gate, containing a key to the site. In the event of an accident on site requiring an ambulance to be called, the ambulance can access the site by using the code already provided to them and stored on their central system.
The ADAA web site has now been up and running for over a year and contains news items, plus monthly advice, events planned during the year, copies of our Rules and Bylaws, and various request forms. The website has proved popular, with over 1200 hits during its first year so if you have any suggestions for additional content, then please contact any committee member.
Access to the web site could not be easier…just type in aldershot-allotments.co.uk into google and away you go
A couple of local stables are now delivering manure again. Although this is on a first come first served basis, the committee would ask members to share it.
Adam’s Trees, a local outfit, are now providing the site with wood chippings and logs, at no cost, and this will continue through the next year.
Throughout the year, the committee has used the Probationary Team to cut our hedges and to clear the boundary ditch parallel to Coronation Road. The team has consisted of upto 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 it is therefore the subject of a proposal to be discussed at the AGM,.
Later last year, we had the Stores building inspected for asbestos by a local firm ASL Ltd of Guildford and samples were sent off for analysis. A formal report was received to say that No Remedial Action was required, though they did recommend that the Stores ceiling be painted in “encapsulating paint” to seal over any possible asbestos. This will be done early in the spring.
The cess pit has continued to be a problem, and late last year, the committee decided to contract with John Medhurst (Developments) to provide a 27 metre soakaway to alleviate this problem. The estimated cost for doing so was £2470 plus VAT which when compared with the other options previously quoted for in 2015 is reasonable. Only two plotholders were affected by the work, as the trench followed the pathway between their two plots. This work has now been successfully completed.
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 at a cost of £400 and trained in all four directions. However, the tool shed was subsequently broken into and the camera leads cut and removed. A replacement camera has been fitted, at a cost of £100
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 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); Stores Manager (Mike Fellows) and anyone who turned up to help with specific tasks throughout the year.
Financial Summary:
Income total for year = £14,457.80, made up of:
Rents and Membership = £10,191.50
Shop takings = £4,266.30
Expenditure total for the year = £11,417.87, made up of:
Repairs and maintenance = £5,179.44
Stock = £3,096.64
Admin, inc Insurance = £2,494.16
Prizes, refunds and utilities = £647.63
Social Events
In addition to the regular coffee mornings on Sundays and the newly introduced craft afternoons 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 £1500 for local charities. Many thanks to everyone who helped and supported these events. This coming year there will be similar events. 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 18th 2019
Competition Results
Due to the work of the Committee and plot holders, the Association has again been awarded a Level 5 – Outstanding in South & South East in Bloom competition. The certificate is being displayed in the Stores. Well done Everybody!!
The following is a summary of competitions which took place on our site during the year.
Hampshire Cup Competition
This year we did not enter any plots into this cup.
Aldershot & District Allotment Association Plot Competition
10 Rod Retired:
1st Plot 10 – Barry Dickinson.
2nd Plot 70 – Audrey Cook
3rd Plot 72 – Matt Edmunds
10 Rod Weekend:
1st Plot 8A/9A – Iris Paulzer-Sweeny
5 Rod Retired:
1st Plot 30A – Tik Pun
2nd Plot 97A – Lynne Hills
3rd Plot 21A – Peter Richens
5 Rod Weekend:
1st Plot 20A – Barry Setterfield
2nd Plot 71B – Rod Farquhar
3rd Plot 16A – Catherine Davis
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 Pat Ellis
Adam’s Cup for Best New Plot Holder
Judged by the Committee, this has been awarded to Russell Taylor on plot 28A.
Rushmoor in Bloom Awards
| GOLD AWARDS | |||
| 10 | Barry | Dickinson | |
| 20A | Barry | Setterfield | |
| 34A | Jean | Dickinson | |
| 50 | Clive | Sutherland | |
| SILVER GILT AWARDS | |||
| 1 | Carol | Atkins | |
| 21A | Peter | Richens | |
| 30B | Derek | Harding | |
| 38 | John | Mezzetti | |
| 70 | Audrey Cook & Mike Fellows | ||
| 75A | Val | Read | |
| 51B | Kareen | Price | |
| SILVER AWARDS | |||
| 4B | Peter | Hyde | |
| 5B | Davina & John | Harding | |
| 20B/83A | Ian | Welch | |
| 30A | Tik | Pun | |
| 55A | Roger | Gear | |
| 71B | Rod | Farquhar | |
| 77B | Sandra | Fleming | |
| 81A | Stan | Davis | |
| 81B | Barbara | Horton | |
| 82A | Kundan | Gurung | |
| 97A | Lynne | Hills | |
| 8A/9A | Iris | Paulzen/Sweeney | |
| 12A | Eamon | Flahive | |
| 16A | Catherine | Davis | |
| BRONZE AWARDS | |||
| 5A | Krishnaraj | Rai | |
| 7A | Laura | Chant | |
| 19B | Chandra | Gurung | |
| 28A | Russell | Taylor | |
| 33A | Cat | Llewellyn | |
| 39B | Stephen | Haigh | |
| 41B | Maria | Tsiotova | |
| 62A | Claire | Setterfield | |
| 62B | Claire | Huggan | |
| 79A | Martin | Osman | |
| 80A | Magda | Cummins | |
| 88B | Alex | Roberts | |
| 89 | Indrabahadur | Pun | |
| SPECIAL AWARD | |||
| 55B/67A | Blooming Marvellous | ||
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.
2018 Merit Cup.
This year, the cup has been awarded to Bloomin’ Marvellous for their wonderful boat display, pictures of which appeared in the local press.
If anyone has any ideas for a theme or themes which we can use for the basis for the Merit Cup in 2019, please contact any member of the committee.
Current membership.
Currently we have no empty plots and a waiting list of 24. There has been a rising trend of retiring plotholders which has started to reduce over the past 2 years.
Aldershot Allotments Shop Report
In the last year the shop has had a make-over and a carpet that was being discarded was fitted over the floor to make it more hospitable.
This together with the coffee morning on the Sunday has brought many more allotment holders to visit the shop and sales of stock has improved over previous years.
We are always on the look out to improve the variety of stock and if found at the right price will be purchased and stocked if requested by the plot holders.
The price levels are normally cheaper that Garden centres or at the same price. We are not in it to undercut garden centres but for the benefit of the plot holders by having stock on site.
If there is a member of the committee on site during the week that has a key to the stores, they would be happy to open the stores if a plot holder needs some stock urgently.
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.
The Sunday coffee mornings continue to be well attended. Hot and cold beverages are available with biscuits and cakes (occasionally). Following the refurbishment of the meeting room we now have a more comfortable and congenial space to put (the gardening) world to rights. A very special thank you to all the ladies who volunteer to make sure this is a success. Please note more volunteers are needed if this is to continue, so if you would like to offer help please contact a Committee member or speak to the ladies on a Sunday morning.
Due to the interest being shown on Sunday mornings in knitting and crochet, a craft afternoon is now being held on the last Wednesday of the month and has proved popular amongst the members.
Helen Williams President
Robb Small Chairman
