Two Very Special Birthdays!

Not only did we, at the Stanley Road Allotments, celebrate one 80th Birthday, but two!

Congratulations to Mavis Peart

&

Ron Nash

They are both very dedicated members of the SRAGS Comittee, Ron is also one of the shop managers and both are still very very keen and active allotment gardeners.

p.s. sorry about the quality of the photographs - I forgot my camera and had to use my mobile!!

Childrens Competition Cancelled

Stanley Road Allotment and Garden Society are sad to announce the cancellation of the Children's Competition for 2010.

This is due to only have 2 entrants for this year (who of course are entitled to their entry fees back) compared to over 25 last year.

This is a great shame, not only for the 2 children that did enter, but for the work (voluntary) that members of the committee and other plot holders puts into setting up this competition e.g. preparing/designing posters, printing, laminating, putting them up, entry forms, sourcing trophies & fundraising to support all of these purchases.

Lets hope that there is more interested children for our 2011 competition.

Sutton In Bloom 2010

Ali Campbell from plot 144 entered her allotment in the Sutton in Bloom 2010 competition.
This was her first ever entry & she is pleased to announce that she came 4th out of 15 so very well done for a first entry Ali!

The Judges comments were ‘a terrific effort. Good use of all the space. Very well done. Good composting’.

Pictures from the BBQ

A great day was had by all who attended the BBQ on Sunday 4th July 2010

Fun in the sun, harvesting & BBQ 4th July 2010

With the temperatures soaring today, only a few braved the allotments.

However some did find a novel way to cool down - hitch a ride in dad's wheelbarrow!

Nikki also had a good morning harvesting her delicious strawberries! Yummy

Remember that Sunday the 4th July 2010 is BBQ day

12noon until 2pm

Please RSVP to Nigel so he can cater for all that want to attend

nyoungman1@hotmail.co.uk

 This is from the Newsletter emailed to all our members in early June

Site Representative

Your Site Representative is Carl Brown, Plots 10A and 46A. Tel: 020 8770 9760

BARBEQUE

Sunday - 4th July, 2010 - Noon until 2pm

On Sunday 4th July our friends from the Roundshaw Allotments will be retuning a visit we made to them last year at which we will be having a Barbeque to which ALL our members and their friends are invited. Admission is free and refreshments will be at very reasonable prices.

This will be an ideal opportunity for gardeners, allotment and otherwise, to meet and swap tips, tell tall stories and generally boast about their prowess with the hoe and spade.

It is hoped that as many plot holders will be present to support the Committee and make the event a success.

· The Trading Hut will be open and members of the committee will be present to answer questions, to listen to suggestions and to receive offers of support.

Visitors will be welcome to inspect the site but it is requested that you keep to the main tracks and pathways.

· Children Your children and young people are welcome at our allotments where we hope they will learn to appreciate the joys of cultivation and the wonder of watching a tiny seed develop into a beautiful flower or something tasty to eat but PLEASE remember allotments are not playgrounds and can be dangerous places. Children are not allowed on the site unsupervised and when with you please make sure that they always stay on, or close to, your plot.

Final Reminder

BARBEQUE

Sunday 4th July, 2010

12 Noon to 2pm

Bring your family and friends

RSVP

nyoungman1@hotmail.co.uk

Remember! If you have a garden you need

The Stanley Road Allotment & Garden Society

BONFIRES - what you need to know

Although it is not illegal to have a bonfire, it is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to cause a statutory nuisance. This includes smoke, fumes or gases “emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance” and can include nuisance created by bonfires.

 

 

 

In addition, allowing smoke to drift over nearby roads may also lead to prosecution under the Highways Act.

 

 

 

So, before you light a bonfire, please consider whether there are other ways of disposing of the material e.g. by composting it or by taking it to the Council’s recycling facility at Kimpton Road. This would remove the risk of neighbour complaints.

 

 

 

If, however, you decide to have a bonfire, please observe these simple guidelines:

 

 

 

• Show consideration for the neighbours in the surrounding properties. Ideally, let them know when there is going to be a fire.
• Avoid burning at the weekend and on bank holidays when people are more likely to be in their gardens. Choose a suitable week-day evening after 6.30pm.
• Avoid lighting up in unsuitable weather conditions. Smoke hangs in the air on damp, still days and in the evening.
•  Avoid burning when the wind will carry the smoke over roads or into other people’s property. 
• Only burn dry material. Never burn household rubbish, rubber or anything containing plastics, foam or paint. 
• Never use old engine oil, methylated spirits or petrol to light the fire or to encourage it. 
• Do not light fires near a boundary fence or near sheds. Remember sheds may contain petrol and other highly combustible materials.  
• Never, never leave a fire unattended or to smoulder.
• Before you leave the site, douse out the fire with water. Don’t take a chance that it might rain overnight or that the fire will burn itself out. It might not and residents from a nearby property might mistakenly call the fire brigade on a false errand.

 

Let’s avoid this situation.

 

Thank you for your cooperation.

 

 

 

The Council Inspectors......

Just in case you were wondering, it's not a myth - the council inspectors really do come to the Site every year to carry out their non cultivation inspection.

Here's the proof!

Wednesday 19th May 2010

Site Inspection May 2010

SITE INSPECTION

Plot holders should be aware that the Council is expected to carry out a site inspection of this allotment in late May.

The precise date is not known. Plot holders should take advantage of this early warning and of the improved spring weather to ensure that at least 75% of the plot, on a visual inspection, is cultivated. This 75% figure was the criterion applied last year and it is reasonable to assume that it will apply again this year.

Also, remember to ensure that your plot is clearly marked. This could make a difference. Plot markers are available from the Trading Hut for as little as £1.

If anyone is aware of any extenuating circumstances why someone is unable to work his/her plot, then please let me know. Otherwise, let’s get down to it and avoid the controversies of last year.

Site Rep

18 March 2010

Behind the Scenes

This is what goes on at the allotment site when a delivery arrives for the Trading Hut.....

It's all hands on deck....

The lorry arrives. Arthur & Derek are keen to get stuck in straight away....

That's Arthur & Derek

Ron is making a cup of coffee for the driver

  Arthur & Derek are keen to unloading straight away....

Ron is inside helping with the stacking up of the goods

And all this has to be supervised....

So John volunteers for that job!

When the lorry is unloaded, a cup of tea is called for because all that hard work is thirsty work!

Well done lads!

APPEAL for HALF A PLOT

Are there any SRAGS plot holders out there, who are finding a whole plot too much for them to manage?  Did  you not get as much allotment work done as you would have liked to last year?  Are you in fear of being "told off" for non cultivation of your plot?

If you can answer YES to any of these questions, then we have the solution for you!

Mr Brian Tiernan, a local resident & a Member of SRAGS, who is a regular of the Trading Hut, is keen to take on half a plot & is even more keen to get stuck in to the work needed to fully cultivate half a plot that will take on the vegetable growing capabilities that is required  for 2010

ASAP.

If you would like to take on a "partner" then please call Brian on 0203 044 4072 - that's 0203 044 4072

OR

Call into the Trading Hut on a Saturday or a Sunday morning to leave your details which will be passed on.

Thank You.

Potatoes, Spuds, Tatties - READY FOR COLLECTION NOW!

Yes it's that time of year again!  Your potato orders are in at the Trading Hut

& ready for collection

Please see Nigel on Saturday or Sunday

To collect yours ready for chitting!

ALSO

2010 Membership Fees are now being collected - also at the Trading Hut

so please come to see us ASAP

to renew your membership

&

to avoid having John Bresman call at your door!!

The Good Growing Guides by my friends at Fennel & Fern

Take a look at this invaluable website Fennel & Fern . You will find lots of growing tips for all garden lovers be it flowers or vegetables. Written by people passionate about gardening, you will soon find yourself absorbed in "Real Gardens" or "Monthly Jobs."

I want to share their "Grow" section with you. Click on this tab "GROW" you will be directed straight to this great page. The Good Growing Guide is a series of downloadable, quick reference postcards with all the information you will need down at your plot! Great idea!!

On Tuesday the 5th January 2010 these postcards will be available for sale, so go and take a look - they will make a great gift for you (treat yourself) or someone that you may know who is just starting out in the wonderful world of allotment gardening!

Seasons Greetings

Wishing You All

a

Very Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year

2010

SRAGS Childrens Competition Winners!

It was 2pm on Sunday the 27th of September & the excitement was building!

So much so that at 1 minute past 2 o'clock, the judges were reminded that the

prize giving was running late!

Most of the children who had entered, all those months ago, were waiting in the September sunshine for the results of all their hard work.

There were to be prizes for the following catagories:

Tallest Sunflower

In 3rd Place was Oliver Swettenham - Plot 122a

In 2nd Place

Harry Rogers - Plot 101a

And in 1st place

Ella Rogers - Plot 101a who grew a 10ft 10inch Sunflower!

The next catagory was the Biggest Marrow and in 3rd Place was

Daniel Connew - Plot 131

 In 2nd place Emily Graham

&

in 1st place Amy Graham who managed a really fat 2ft in length marrow!

Both from plot 110

Amy (left) & Emily (right)

Next was the biggest Pumpkin

In 3rd Place was Amy Graham

In 2nd Place - Emily Graham (see picture above)

&

with a whopper of a 42 inch cirumference pumpkin was

Daniel Connew - Plot 131

Daniel proudly holding his prize trophy and gift voucher!

Last but by no means least was the Scarecrow entry.

Timmy Murhpy - Plot 144a won 3rd place

with his laid back scarecrow lounging on a swing

Gina Hazel from plot 110 got 2nd place with this entry

However 1st Prize was won by Joe Bonard from plot 113 with his Scarecrow,

who was considered by an independant outsider to be the scariest of them all......

This Scarecrow certainly scares me everytime I am working on my plot 121 which is quite close to 113!

So it was a great effort by all the children that entered and we hope that they will already be thinking of ways to get into the top 3 ready for next years competition!

Well done to you all

Some of the Prize Winners

A collage of the entries

From Final SRAGS kids comp

Shed Break In's

On Tuesday night (15th September) a number of sheds on site were broken into and some were severely damaged.

If you have been a victim, even if no damage has been done or nothing taken it should still be reported to the police, ideally in person at Wallington Police Station and a Crime Reference Number obtained.

The non urgent police number is 0300 123 1212.

However if the event is reported a Crime Number must be obtained. This is unlikely to lead to any startling arrests but it will at least flag up in the police records, that we are having problems, forcing them, we hope, to increase surveillance.

Information Board & Benches - Sutton Community Funding

Yesterday, we took delivery of an information board, which is proudly installed inside the main entrance of the site.

We also took delivery of a couple of benches, one for Gill Maynard, in memory of her husband Peter, a former committee member and a stalwart of the allotment society.

The benches will be installed in the garden area in the front, which will be made a feature to the entrance of the site. This area will be a communal area for rest and reflection.

There are also a couple of direction posts to make the site less daunting for new comers and visitors.

These improvements were funded by the Sutton Community Fund, which generously gave us a grant of £2,000 earlier this year, and for which we are most grateful. I hope that members will make good use of these facilities.

Carl Brown - Site Rep
30 July 2009

BONFIRES - What you need to know

Bonfires - What you need to Know

Although it is not illegal to have a bonfire, it is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to cause a statutory nuisance. This includes smoke, fumes or gases “emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance” and can include nuisance created by bonfires.

In addition, allowing smoke to drift over nearby roads may also lead to prosecution under the Highways Act.

So, before you light a bonfire, please consider whether there are other ways of disposing of the material e.g. by composting it or by taking it to the Council’s recycling facility at Kimpton Road. This would remove the risk of neighbour complaints.

If, however, you decide to have a bonfire, please observe these simple guidelines:

• Show consideration for the neighbours in the surrounding properties. Ideally, let them know when there is going to be a fire.
• Avoid burning at the weekend and on bank holidays when people are more likely to be in their gardens. Choose a suitable week-day evening after 6.30pm.
• Avoid lighting up in unsuitable weather conditions. Smoke hangs in the air on damp, still days and in the evening.
• Avoid burning when the wind will carry the smoke over roads or into other people’s property.
• Only burn dry material. Never burn household rubbish, rubber or anything containing plastics, foam or paint.
• Never use old engine oil, methylated spirits or petrol to light the fire or to encourage it.
• Do not light fires near a boundary fence or near sheds. Remember sheds may contain petrol and other highly combustible materials.
• Never, never leave a fire unattended or to smoulder.
• Before you leave the site, douse out the fire with water. Don’t take a chance that it might rain overnight or that the fire will burn itself out. It might not and residents from a nearby property might mistakenly call the fire brigade on a false errand.

Let’s avoid this situation.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Site Rep - 9th May 2009

Site Inspection - April 2009

Site Inspection
I understand that a number of people were upset at receiving non-cultivation letters from the Council, following the recent site inspections. These inspections were announced in the Council’s Winter 2008 Allotment Gardeners’ Newsletter and the Spring/Summer 2009 edition noted that the inspections would be “starting shortly” and warned that: “if you do not want to receive a non-cultivation letter, make sure your plot is being worked.”
The Council made it clear that it was acting out of fairness to the many people on the waiting list. The letters had nothing to do with the Society. I understand that the site inspection at Stanley Road was carried out on 2 April. Like everyone else who reads the newsletters, I knew that the inspection was imminent, but I had no prior knowledge of the date, nor had I any need to know.
I recognise that the letters must have come as a surprise, but once the initial shock has died down, please try and put it in perspective.
A site inspection is no more than a snap- shot or a judgement on the condition of a plot on a particular date. With the lighter evenings, and hopefully, less inclement weather in the next few weeks, we are all venturing out on our allotments, so that you will soon be able to catch up and put the judgement behind you. The key point is to make sure that you take remedial action within the stipulated 28 days. If there are extenuating circumstances why you have not been able to work your plot, then let the Council know.
As I said at the recent AGM, we are privileged to have an allotment. We shouldn’t take it for granted.

Site Rep
17 April 2009

The Allotment in the Snow

Photos By Fran Cambettie-Davies

From Plot 93A




Doesn't it all look lovely?

Well done Fran for braving the elements today!

&
Nigel and Carl
too!
they were spotted in the Trading Hut continuing their hard work
to get things ready for opening day

Work on the Trading Hut Continues......

Just in case you haven't been to the allotment lately, this is what has been going on since the Trading Hut was erected.

Alot of hours have been put in and alot of progress has been made!

As you can see, Carl & Nigel - along with Ron, Mike and others, have been busy transforming the interior of the Trading Hut by fixing plywood to the concrete walls

They have to be fixed to the concrete using extra sticky bonding which was very green and very sticky! Nigel's fingers looked more like SHREKS fingers - all covered in green!!


These were then painted white by very generous allotment holder volunteers - it was a fun few hours - cold but fun

Ron, who has put in hours and hours and even more hours was there in the freezing cold today painting what will be the counter and a cabinet.

As you can see, Ron is standing in what will be the store room. To the left of the photo you can see the sectioning that Mike has made an excellent job of - the door between the shop and the store room was being put in today also.

Help has arrived!

Others helped by making teas & coffees, supplying doughnuts (jammy ones!)

There was a really nice community spirit at the Trading Hut today!

Keep tuned in to find out more as the weeks progress - only 2 weeks to go!