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CHILDS HILL ALLOTMENT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
August 2007

Hallo Everyone

So the AGM has been and gone. And we have the opportunity to make a fresh start. The new committee benefits from a few fresh faces as well as the experience of some long-standing committee members. Expect to see a few new leaves turned over…..

One of the objectives in this coming year is to communicate better with plotholders. You’ll find the minutes of committee meetings and other useful information on the site noticeboards, once they are all repaired. There’s also the website (www.childshillallotments.org.uk) which now has the allotment history together with illustrations, as well as other articles and a map. As for the newsletter, could plotholders who are willing to receive it by email, please send me their email addresses.

Thanks. And see you at the barbecue.
Anna Kochan (plot 7), editor
News@childshillallotments.org.uk

Details of the new Committee are now on the notice boards with an outline of our roles and responsibilities. If you need any help or information, do get in touch, by email, phone or, best of all by talking to us on our plots. Also there is generally an officer or committee member in the trading hut on Sunday mornings if you want to come and talk to someone.

You don’t have to be a committee member to get involved in the running of the site. Several members have offered to help in the shop and more volunteers might enable us to extend our opening hours. It’s also a great way to get to know other plotholders. Get in touch with Chris Balyuzi if you’d like to help. If you have practical skills and are willing to help around the site generally the maintenance group would love to hear from you.

Constitution: The new constitution adopted at our recent well-attended and lively Annual general Meeting is now with the Council for their approval. When it is ratified copies will be available to all society members. It will also shortly be on the CHAS website (childshillallotments.org.uk).

Future developments You may have heard that Barnet Council is looking to devolve the management of its allotments. The most likely scenario is for the Barnet Federation of Allotment Society to take over the running of Barnet allotments but this is not yet certain. Our Federation reps (Ann Holtom and John Lankford) will keep members fully informed.

A national development which is causing concern is the recent court decision allowing Eastleigh council in Hampshire to build housing on an allotment site. This is potentially bad news for allotments everywhere since it creates a legal precedent, making it much easier for councils to take over sites for housing development. There is lots of information about this on the Eastleigh allotments website link. There’s no suggestion that Barnet Council is even considering this but there is no room for complacency either. Our site is in great shape, with almost 100% occupancy and a high standard of cultivation (except for the chairperson’s bindweed), we need to work together to keep it safe for the future.

Let’s hope for some sunshine soon, happy gardening.

Heather MacKay (Plot 86)

RUBBISH

We can’t leave rubbish on the hard-standing (by the top car park) any more as we no longer have the benefit of community service workers who have been removing it for the last few months. Unfortunately, the community service organisation is now being privatised. In the future, we plan to get the occasional skip to help plotholders with rubbish problems. Green waste you should compost on your plot, and other rubbish you should remove and put in bins at home. Details of the Camden and Barnet recycling depots are on the noticeboard at the side gate. The community service guys also helped keep paths neat and tidy. Without their assistance, it falls on each one of us to look after the paths around our plots.


BONFIRES

Absolutely NO bonfires are allowed on the site apart from at the permitted times. These are as follows:
September: first Wednesday
October: any day, but only after 4pm
1 November – 30 April: any time
July, August, September: first Wednesday

Take care to keep your bonfires safe, and avoid burning oily rags, rubber, plastic or other material that could create heavy or pungent smoke that may be toxic.


NEIGHBOURS

Please respect your neighbours’ plots. It’s an unspoken rule that you don’t touch a neighbour’s property or crops, or walk on their plot. If there’s a problem with paths being obstructed or with overhanging branches, please try and resolve it amicably. Alternatively, speak to a committee member.


CONDOLENCES

We are sad to announce the untimely death of Jerry Smith, who would have been known to many of you for his good humour and merry laugh. Sincere condolences to all Jerry’s family and friends.

ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY
In the unfortunate event that someone has an accident and you need to call an ambulance, make sure you tell the ambulance service that the entrance to the allotment site is in Garth Road, adjacent to No 39, and that it is wide enough for an ambulance. In any case, it’s a good idea to keep a small first aid kit on your plot.

General day-to-day running and council liaison: Heather Mackay, chairperson (Plot 86, mob: 07704 274911, email:macheather1@hotmail.com)

Shop: Deborah Thompson (Plot 8, email: shop@childshillallotments.org.uk), deputy chairperson, assisted by Chris Balyuzi (Plot 16) and Christine Guedalla (Plot 85)

Lettings: Irene Stephens (Plot 132, irene1943@hotmail.com)

Site maintenance: Martin Stevenson (Plot 17, admin@childshillallotments.org.uk), John Lankford (Plot 106) Hush Balyuzi (Plot 16) and Ron Emerton (Plot 78)

Machinery: Paul Edkins (not a committee member) is responsible for hiring out the machinery (Plot 102, Tel: 07931 724203; Martin Stevenson is responsible for maintaining it.

Barnet Council liaison: Philippa Fraser (Plot 125)

Web Site: Martin Stevenson (Plot 17, admin@childshillallotments.org.uk)

Barnet Federation of Allotment Holders Reps: Ann Holtom (not a committee member) and John Lankford (Plot 106)

Newsletter and communications: Anna Kochan (Plot 7, email: news@childshillallotments.org.uk)

Fundraising: Tim Reed (Plot 6)

Other officers:
Correspondence Secretary: Joanna Goldsworthy (Plot 75, email: secretary@childshillallotments.org.uk)

Minutes Secretary: Philippa Fraser (Plot 125)

Treasurer: Richard Clerk (Plot 150, email: treasurer@childshillallotments.org.uk)

Other committee members: June Stevenson (Plot 18), Jane Bell (Plot 103), Ron Emerton (Plot 78)