New official needs advice

[Barbara'nTom]

I have recently been elected (persuaded) to become secretary of our local association primarily because no one else wanted to do it. Thing is I have no experience of running committes or such things and it is really a baptism of fire since a couple of plots are in the firing line to be lost for development (council say they will move plotholders but nearest site is 2 miles away)

Association numbers are down although there are about 10 committee members who usually turn up to things. There were some issues last year which resulted in some heated meetings which I think caused people to leave and to be honest it would have included me if I had not been on the committee. There is some lottery funding which needs to be dealt with but there are now some objections to its use.

The treasurer rarely turns up and he is the one with all the information about members which I have asked him for. We have noticeboards but the council will not allow us to have the details of all plotholders - Data Protection. We have meetings each month but numbers have really dropped off.

Clearly I need to organise a membership drive and some social events but I am really a bit lost as to what else. Everyone seems to want things to happen but doesn't want to get involved.

A couple of schools have plots so I was thinking of contacting them to see if they would like anything from the association.

Thanks for all your thoughts

Apologies for sounding a little down - just feeling a bit overwhelmed!

I think the previous officials bit off a bit much trying to get funding before getting membership up and running so I feel like I am back tracking all the time. Whilst I am quite keen to get things moving I am really at a loss of where to start.

Please can you let me have your thoughts and experiences both as officials and members of associations as to what I should think about doing and what members want from their associations.

[Eden]

Hi there!!
I can't understand why the council won't let you have plotholders details. I support our allotment 'chief' in many ways and he has everyones address so that if a meeting is coming up he hand delivers letters to all. How about asking the council to forward a letter to all plotholders informing them of a meeting where you can discuss issues, ask them to provide a venue too. In the letter explain the situation to everyone and that for things to run smoothly and move forward you need to all work together. You will always get a large percentage that don't want to get involved in this kind of stuff and just want to have their allotment with no other ties.
How about putting up notices in the local library/shops etc. I think that if the allotments have less than 40% take up then the council can claim the land back, but if there are enough people wanting plots then they are legally obliged to have them. I hope this helps and if I can help in any other way I can talk to our allotment chairman to get advise, all the best, Eden

[carlseawolf]

congradulations on your post ,
treat this job as a chore or a challenge it's up to you but the first will get you down the second will make your name history on the site.
if members are down and people have no intrest in the allotments apart from digging thier own then you have to find things to change that as a situation like yours is doing more harm than good.

Is there any money in the bank for a christmas party as free booze and food allways works on people , and wants they are in the room you can give them a speech about the future of the allotments ie council land grabs.

There might need to be a change to the rules , on are agm we get a letter from the secetery a month before and any possible change of rules or other business can be forwarded to him before the meeting so it gets included as on the day it won't be included.

Everyone is informed in advance of what the agm is about and voting is taken place at the meeting so if your not there you don't have a vote or a say in the matter and have to like it or lump it.

General details of plot holders can be got at the party or walk around the allotments and tell them why you would like there details as you only need a name and phone number to inform them of meetings.

There is always a general few who will not attend and that happens at any organization and as long as it does not jeperdise the allotments as a whole then i would not worry to much.

Having a tresurer that is never at a meeting is not worth having and needs to be replaced as soon as possible what ever the cost as plans for the future need to be organised .

The lottery funding is for the allotments so let the members choose where it goes and have a date sometime in january for a meeting and all ideas how ever bizare gets a hearing and then give every one a ballot paper to vote which idea they like best and the one with the most votes gets the go ahead , it's very simple and above board that way and nobody can say it was a fix by doing the vote and count in the same night in front of the members.

Before you start attracting more members try to get what have under control first and then make everything bigger latter and deal with small problems first before they grow to big and make your life a misery.

Find out what your job acctually is responsible for and any powers your position holds and then you know where you stand before you start in forceing changes.
good luck on your appointment

[robD]

Ask the council to send out a letter to the plots holders on behalf of the association, offering to pay postage if absolutely necessary. Set up an email list to keep people in touch with developments and encourage as many people to sign up - members or not - if people know what the association is up to they might be persuaded to join up. Organise a working day or something similar to get people to work together on something, throw in free tea and coffee, bacon sandwiches, etc. All helps to get people together and shows the association in a positive light. We've done all of the above setting up an association in the last few months.

[rustylady]

Ask the council to send out a letter to the plots holders on behalf of the association, offering to pay postage if absolutely necessary. Set up an email list to keep people in touch with developments and encourage as many people to sign up - members or not - if people know what the association is up to they might be persuaded to join up. Organise a working day or something similar to get people to work together on something, throw in free tea and coffee, bacon sandwiches, etc. All helps to get people together and shows the association in a positive light. We've done all of the above setting up an association in the last few months.

Good idea getting the council to write (if they will). However I would suggest printing and laminating a notice to put up near the site entrance inviting people to a meeting. Is there a central plot on the site (shop/secretary's shed)? You need somewhere people can drop in and have a chat, or have a mailbox thingy they can post letters, comments, questions so you will get them.

[Percy T]

Hi there

I find this all very interesting as I too have become the secertary recently for our allotments with have been with out a committee for some time. I have a similar problem with contacting plot holders and at a recent meeting with the council offical they suggest that they would write to all the plot holders and ask them to sign a disclaimer regard release of their address's to get round the data protection thing.

Bye the way good luck

[nick the grief]

The easiest wat is to do what I did, I nobbled someone who is on the site most days to go around with a note pad and got him to get all the names, addresses, phone no's & e-mails and I keep them on my own database now so I can notify folks of things they need to know about.

You'll find loads of folks who are willing to snipe but do sod all so I quietly grabbed them by the throat and sqeezed whilst telling them to f&*% off .... it worked Seriously all you have to say is

" I agree, your just the sort of person we need on the committee!!" and they soon run for cover.

As for mail boxes, we got some funding last year ans so we acquired some sheds and replace some of the Soweto look with nice new ones and we hope to do the same again and then we are going to give everyone about 18" of drain pipe to screw to the shed so we can leave them newsletters etc.

Don't hold your meeting in a pub it will either a) get distracted by beer or b) you'll get accused of being too P**sed to make a decision ( as we were - despite the fact that night we secured over £5k worth of grants for the site .... if only we'd been sober )

Also once a week or for an hour or so when your on the site go round and speak to folks tell them what your ideas are for what you think you should have on the site and ask them what they think & what they would like - try to sound interested even if your not ( writing it in a note book looks good) and if enough people come up with the same idea you should have a winner if you can pull it off.

Most important of all enjoy it. If you don't it's just a pain in the ass. Rmember you are trying to improve things for future generations of allotmenteers not the old farts that are there at the moment.

[allotmentlady]

secretary

I was secretary of our site for 3 years and it is a tough job. Organise a membership day and collect memberships, asking members for their names and addresses, if they are prepared to do so. If your part of the NSLAG then do a seed scheme day.
Its difficult not having your committee members or treasurer turn up to meetings, believe me I know! Try to organise meetings at the weekend, maybe at the site, to try to encourage them all to come.
Get to know people at the council and especially your allotment officer, a good working relationship is beneficial.
Put notices up around the site, informing people of meetings, your appointment, events and ask for advice!

Mail boxes, go to your local leisure centre and persuade them to give you empty tennis ball cartons, they are plastic come with lids and are easily attached to a fencepost.

Dont take everything on becuase nobody else will do it, it will take over your life and run you down. Priortise your life first and fit your role into it.

If you want any help, message me and I will only be too happy to give advice.

Congratulations and Good Luck