President’s Review of 2022
It is so good to see real people at a real AGM again.
As you’re most aware, it has been a challenging few years and I know many of you have been badly affected by it. I hope your allotment provided solace from lock-downs.
I couldn’t have coped without being able to visit my plot, chat with other people and help keep our sanity during those challenging times. No wonder the allotment waiting list doubled – people realise the value of fresh air and well grown food. We are very lucky.
The waiting list in Edinburgh is now around 5,600. Ian Woolard, our Allotment Officer has just published turnover figures for each site in Edinburgh. They total just short of 100 plots being reallocated each year – which makes the current expected waiting time, if you join the list now, 56 years. We are VERY VERY lucky.
Thanks to everyone that sent stories and pictures during Covid of how much they valued their allotment. I’ve added them all to a section of the FEDAGA website for all to see and as a historical record of how our plots got us through those awful times. Do take time to have a look under More… on the navigation bar then look for ‘2020 Covid-19 Memories’.
Our monthly Management Meetings have been generally replaced with Zoom meetings. I say generally, as one was held at the Boys Brigade HQ at Lethem Park, frustratingly I was on holiday.
Thanks are due to Liz Grace and our Management Committee for their wise council in helping improve sites to make the allotment experience better for everyone.
I think Zoom will stay at least for the majority of meetings. We’ve got used to the comfort of our homes which has meant more attendees, shorter meetings and no travelling. The only downside is that virtual meetings become a bit of a challenge for keeping minutes. Huge thanks are due to Paul Kerr and Ernie Watt for performing this essential role in keeping us right.
The pandemic has also given the Council’s Allotment Service the excuse for not holding regular strategy meetings. The best date I can get is late November/early December. We have however been able to obtain our membership lists after years of trying. We’re now able to send newsletters to all members and offer the same facilities to any site wishing to do the same for their members. If this appeals to you, please contact me. All part of the FEDAGA service and at no charge.
Our membership is now around fourteen hundred plotholders, all being sent the monthly newsletter. The newsletter will help you keep up to date with what is going on in your Federation and to take advantage of advice, discounted seeds and, now we are able to, events and visits.
I really enjoy reading it and hope you do too. Ernie Watt is our newsletter editor and webmaster. On behalf of all your readers… Thank You Ernie, you do a brilliant job.
Our relationship with the Allotment Service remains very positive. Ian Woolard now attends a couple of meetings a year which gives us the opportunity of a Spring and Autumn review which makes a great difference to resolving problems and prioritising maintenance.
Some of our larger sites have been provided with chippers by the Council as part of a nature renewal grant. This reduces bonfires to a minimum and also helps site composting efforts. I’m pleased the ban during the warmer months seems to be well observed. It was introduced during the pandemic to help people shielding by not polluting their air.
Our committee meetings continue to align our meeting agenda to our constitution. As I’ve said before, our constitution has quite simple objectives:
The co-ordination of Allotment Associations, the protection of their interests and the improvement of their conditions.
So, the first thing we discuss is site reports. What problems are being encountered, can we help, are there precedents? Anyone gets a say, but most importantly there is time to try to seek resolutions.
A highlight must be that Northfield finally has a mains water tap. It took about eight years and I think Heather and Phil deserve medals for their persistence.
Our small grants scheme, now named after our legendary Gilbert Clark, continues. It has helped many sites build communal composting bins, buy wheelbarrows and generally improve sites. Dave will give some details in his report.
Planning applications affecting sites are monitored by Alison Hewitt, Sites at Northfield and West Mains are both active with plans that could overshadow or flood their respective sites. Thanks to Alison and to our members who monitor and comment on these applications.
We are also involved in maintenance at sites to ensure we get value for money. Thanks go to Neiria McClure for keeping Ian Woolard on his toes.
Our constitution continues -
To stimulate interest in and to encourage a commitment towards horticulture in allotments.
We were able to run ‘Virtual Shows’ during the pandemic.
I must share one story of setting it up at the height of the pandemic. I created a show entry form on the website where entries could be made accompanied by a photo of the exhibit. Entries were automatically emailed to John Grace who pulled it all together and sent everything off to the National Vegetable Society for judging.
I sent a few test emails ahead of it being made available to members. A wee slip up somewhere meant my test entries also being sent which included a picture of some rather handsome potatoes I’d found on the Internet.
Imagine my horror at being awarded Best in Show for them! All sorted out quickly of course and I hope John, you can find it amusing now.
This year we took part in an Edible Edinburgh event along with the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society (aka ‘The Caley’). We wanted to show what fruit and vegetables is grown, and also how they can be grown. John will tell you more later. Thank you, John and his team of helpers, for making the virtual and real events such a success.
If you’re wondering what Edible Edinburgh is all about, it’s Edinburgh’s food growing strategy. Margaret Williamson represents Edinburgh’s allotment community at meetings and exhibitions. We attended one event back in the Spring and handed out onion sets and seed potatoes to get people growing at home. A great success. Our thanks to Margaret and helpers.
Finally, our constitution has as its last objective -
To purchase, on a co-operative basis, supplies for the use of the members of the Federation.
I hope you take advantage of our seed scheme which is generously provided by Kings Seeds. This year we made orders valued at almost £9,000. Our plotholders only paid 55% of that and another 10% was returned to sites as an additional commission.
Alison Hewitt also looks after trading and has put together a report on the scheme and the changes she’s made to both improve it but also continue by adhering to the restrictions during the pandemic. More from Alison later.
Thanks again to Alison and all the volunteers who arranged the incredible effort that is rewarded in savings to you and commissions to site funds.
FEDAGA also help Edinburgh Council define and implement its Allotment Strategy. As I said earlier, this hasn’t really happened. However, a Scottish Government review of the Community Empowerment Act took place during the year. We had hoped the Act would open the door to more allotment sites by not allowing Councils to have applicants for plots wait longer than five years.
The Committee recently reported their findings and provided what I’d call a problem definition of where we are; long waiting lists, scarce Council budgets, little coordination and no communication to those waiting for many years for a plot. The Scottish Government are now expected to respond in the next couple of months.
After many years, even more than Northfield waited for water, new allotment regulations came into force. They are on our website for information but how the Council will actually implement them is an unknown.
Normality seems to be returning after quite an interesting and challenging three years. It is good to see so many familiar faces here and I trust you are all enjoying the healthy exercise, fresh food and the community spirit that we’ve realised are so important to our health.
The Federation certainly wants that to continue and thanks to our devoted committee and site representatives, I’m confident that it will.
(Stuart McKenzie, October 2022).
It is so good to see real people at a real AGM again.
As you’re most aware, it has been a challenging few years and I know many of you have been badly affected by it. I hope your allotment provided solace from lock-downs.
I couldn’t have coped without being able to visit my plot, chat with other people and help keep our sanity during those challenging times. No wonder the allotment waiting list doubled – people realise the value of fresh air and well grown food. We are very lucky.
The waiting list in Edinburgh is now around 5,600. Ian Woolard, our Allotment Officer has just published turnover figures for each site in Edinburgh. They total just short of 100 plots being reallocated each year – which makes the current expected waiting time, if you join the list now, 56 years. We are VERY VERY lucky.
Thanks to everyone that sent stories and pictures during Covid of how much they valued their allotment. I’ve added them all to a section of the FEDAGA website for all to see and as a historical record of how our plots got us through those awful times. Do take time to have a look under More… on the navigation bar then look for ‘2020 Covid-19 Memories’.
Our monthly Management Meetings have been generally replaced with Zoom meetings. I say generally, as one was held at the Boys Brigade HQ at Lethem Park, frustratingly I was on holiday.
Thanks are due to Liz Grace and our Management Committee for their wise council in helping improve sites to make the allotment experience better for everyone.
I think Zoom will stay at least for the majority of meetings. We’ve got used to the comfort of our homes which has meant more attendees, shorter meetings and no travelling. The only downside is that virtual meetings become a bit of a challenge for keeping minutes. Huge thanks are due to Paul Kerr and Ernie Watt for performing this essential role in keeping us right.
The pandemic has also given the Council’s Allotment Service the excuse for not holding regular strategy meetings. The best date I can get is late November/early December. We have however been able to obtain our membership lists after years of trying. We’re now able to send newsletters to all members and offer the same facilities to any site wishing to do the same for their members. If this appeals to you, please contact me. All part of the FEDAGA service and at no charge.
Our membership is now around fourteen hundred plotholders, all being sent the monthly newsletter. The newsletter will help you keep up to date with what is going on in your Federation and to take advantage of advice, discounted seeds and, now we are able to, events and visits.
I really enjoy reading it and hope you do too. Ernie Watt is our newsletter editor and webmaster. On behalf of all your readers… Thank You Ernie, you do a brilliant job.
Our relationship with the Allotment Service remains very positive. Ian Woolard now attends a couple of meetings a year which gives us the opportunity of a Spring and Autumn review which makes a great difference to resolving problems and prioritising maintenance.
Some of our larger sites have been provided with chippers by the Council as part of a nature renewal grant. This reduces bonfires to a minimum and also helps site composting efforts. I’m pleased the ban during the warmer months seems to be well observed. It was introduced during the pandemic to help people shielding by not polluting their air.
Our committee meetings continue to align our meeting agenda to our constitution. As I’ve said before, our constitution has quite simple objectives:
The co-ordination of Allotment Associations, the protection of their interests and the improvement of their conditions.
So, the first thing we discuss is site reports. What problems are being encountered, can we help, are there precedents? Anyone gets a say, but most importantly there is time to try to seek resolutions.
A highlight must be that Northfield finally has a mains water tap. It took about eight years and I think Heather and Phil deserve medals for their persistence.
Our small grants scheme, now named after our legendary Gilbert Clark, continues. It has helped many sites build communal composting bins, buy wheelbarrows and generally improve sites. Dave will give some details in his report.
Planning applications affecting sites are monitored by Alison Hewitt, Sites at Northfield and West Mains are both active with plans that could overshadow or flood their respective sites. Thanks to Alison and to our members who monitor and comment on these applications.
We are also involved in maintenance at sites to ensure we get value for money. Thanks go to Neiria McClure for keeping Ian Woolard on his toes.
Our constitution continues -
To stimulate interest in and to encourage a commitment towards horticulture in allotments.
We were able to run ‘Virtual Shows’ during the pandemic.
I must share one story of setting it up at the height of the pandemic. I created a show entry form on the website where entries could be made accompanied by a photo of the exhibit. Entries were automatically emailed to John Grace who pulled it all together and sent everything off to the National Vegetable Society for judging.
I sent a few test emails ahead of it being made available to members. A wee slip up somewhere meant my test entries also being sent which included a picture of some rather handsome potatoes I’d found on the Internet.
Imagine my horror at being awarded Best in Show for them! All sorted out quickly of course and I hope John, you can find it amusing now.
This year we took part in an Edible Edinburgh event along with the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society (aka ‘The Caley’). We wanted to show what fruit and vegetables is grown, and also how they can be grown. John will tell you more later. Thank you, John and his team of helpers, for making the virtual and real events such a success.
If you’re wondering what Edible Edinburgh is all about, it’s Edinburgh’s food growing strategy. Margaret Williamson represents Edinburgh’s allotment community at meetings and exhibitions. We attended one event back in the Spring and handed out onion sets and seed potatoes to get people growing at home. A great success. Our thanks to Margaret and helpers.
Finally, our constitution has as its last objective -
To purchase, on a co-operative basis, supplies for the use of the members of the Federation.
I hope you take advantage of our seed scheme which is generously provided by Kings Seeds. This year we made orders valued at almost £9,000. Our plotholders only paid 55% of that and another 10% was returned to sites as an additional commission.
Alison Hewitt also looks after trading and has put together a report on the scheme and the changes she’s made to both improve it but also continue by adhering to the restrictions during the pandemic. More from Alison later.
Thanks again to Alison and all the volunteers who arranged the incredible effort that is rewarded in savings to you and commissions to site funds.
FEDAGA also help Edinburgh Council define and implement its Allotment Strategy. As I said earlier, this hasn’t really happened. However, a Scottish Government review of the Community Empowerment Act took place during the year. We had hoped the Act would open the door to more allotment sites by not allowing Councils to have applicants for plots wait longer than five years.
The Committee recently reported their findings and provided what I’d call a problem definition of where we are; long waiting lists, scarce Council budgets, little coordination and no communication to those waiting for many years for a plot. The Scottish Government are now expected to respond in the next couple of months.
After many years, even more than Northfield waited for water, new allotment regulations came into force. They are on our website for information but how the Council will actually implement them is an unknown.
Normality seems to be returning after quite an interesting and challenging three years. It is good to see so many familiar faces here and I trust you are all enjoying the healthy exercise, fresh food and the community spirit that we’ve realised are so important to our health.
The Federation certainly wants that to continue and thanks to our devoted committee and site representatives, I’m confident that it will.
(Stuart McKenzie, October 2022).