Help to improve allotment site

[andy_j]

Got a reletively small area of allotments...no more than 60 plots which are are all well managed. Ive been asked to go on the committee and been asked what improvements we can make to the site for everyone to benefit. Our rent will be going up in October by £1.50 a rod which was fine by everyone.

Presently, the only thing we have is running water from Apr to Nov. Ive already suggested proper numbering of the plots, a couple of notice boards, one at each entrance, stickers for the car as a security thing...just to let people know that you're supposed to be parking in the car park.

Ive also suggested a community shed and ive we can get the cash, maybe purchasing a rotorvator and/or a strimmer.

What else would you have to improve things ? can be as small as you want as sometimes the small touches make a lot of difference.

Ta

[Dorothy rouse]

We have a supply of chippings, very useful.

[Nicos]

Seed /seedling/plant swap perhaps for any 'excess to requirement'?


How about 'communal help' where someone helps someone else say for an hour and it is then reciprocated? Sometimes sharing the heavier jobs makes the task less daunting? eg swap 1 hr digging for 1 hr barrowing muck?
(Bit like a babysitting service where you swap 1 hr for another hour on a different date)

[sparrow100]

We have a supply of free chippings and manure - we pay into a kitty for the manure (the delivery guy is paid in beer!) and a fiver means you can have 30-odd barrows/year.

Our site has been on the improvement rollercoaster for a while apparently (I'm relatively new) - we have a new brick BBQ, a couple of communal picnic areas (to be honest these are only used for the site parties and not for anything else), a toilet (which took years to negotiate planning for), and hardcore parking areas on site. We don't really have shared equipment other than a lawnmower as someone has to do the maintenance, and no one wants to...

[sparrow100]

Seed /seedling/plant swap perhaps for any 'excess to requirement'?

That sounds cool - am pinching that!

[chris]

Being open and publishing minutes, IMO is a good step forward - it's what we're planning on doing. Also we're bringing comms into modern tech too, by mailing lists, text message notification, and a website. Public knowledge of the waiting list will help the public monitor their wait times, as tbh- being an "outsider", it's frustrating that it's pretty much in peoples heads/paper based.

[Sheneval]

Apart from the things you mention I suggest the main thing needed is good communication eg; do you have a website and are the Committee Meeting Minutes put on it after each meeting - is it updated regularly - Do you have occasional group meetings open to all to discuss plot holders' problems/points of view regarding the running of the site.

We have the website but that's about it at the moment.

[Hans Mum]

We have a website which is easy just to shove information on quickly and also use email for communicating with most of our members. I'd like to get something for texting quickly but cant find a free programme that I can fathom out. (if anyone knows of one) But good communication as others have said is absolutely vital.

We also twice a year put physically a newsletter in every shed/greenhouse so everyone sees it.

[andy_j]

Thank you for all your suggestions.

We don't have a website but do have a mailing list for everyone via email. Im going to volunteer to do a newsletter and hopefully get people to contribute to it.

[Dorothy rouse]

I forgot, we have a Newsletter also, really useful, apart from telling us dates of things like AGM's, tel numbers, includes price lists for stuff in allotment shop, what's not in stock, when our potatoes will be in , and price lists etc. even had a 'blight warning' last year

Very helpful.

[Bill HH]

How about your own gardeners question time, invite a few head gardeners or local nursery men and the like for an evening.

[alldigging]

Bulk seed buys. Possibly a bit late for this year but suttons etc do 50% off for a big enough order. Which is easy to do with enough people.

[andy_j]

How about your own gardeners question time, invite a few head gardeners or local nursery men and the like for an evening.

ironically, im a head gardener myself but only just getting in to the veg side of things !!!!

[veggiechicken]

My priorities were - toilets, security, water near my plot, parking, shop for seeds, fertiliser etc.
Don't have a plot now though so can't comment on the niceties, just the basics.

[Veggielot]

We have a toilet which is handy if you are down the plot all day,. We also have a shop.