AGM update and News

PLEASE LOCK THE GATE!

It has been brought to our attention that on more than one occasion the gate to the allotment site has been left unlocked, presumably all night as it was found unlocked early in the morning. We don’t need to spell out the implications given the recent rough sleeper in our Hut and theft of around £100 worth of items. In addition, it is a continuing concern that travellers could enter the site and cause considerable disruption. (This did happen some years ago and the site was closed for 6 months.) Please be vigilant and keep a look-out and let Pat know if anything seems amiss. Any theft from your plot should be reported to the police.

HOW DECISIONS MADE AT THE AGM AFFECT YOU

Thanks to all those who attended the AGM last Sunday – great turnout! And thanks to those who purchased seedlings to boost the BLAA coffers. The coffers were an important item of discussion, as following one year without membership subscriptions, the Committee reported that our financial situation was not sustainable and put forward a proposal to  introduce a £5 site contribution per plotholder, per year. Burydell Lane Allotments have considerable site expenses including fencing and site maintenance, a requirement to pay site insurance, and funds are also needed for maintenance to the Hut. (In that vein there will be a working party shortly to repaint the outside and we will let you know the date.) This was unanimously approved and the new scheme will start with immediate effect. If you want to see the audited accounts that were made available for the AGM, please see here.

Pat as Site Liaison Officer will collect the £5 contribution, or alternatively, you can let Barbara have the £5 in an envelope with your name and plot number. Post through the door at 2 Mill. Again, just to clarify, it is £5 per plotholder NOT plot. The plotholder is the individual who holds the tenancy agreement with the Council.

YOUR COMMITTEE 

The new Committee members are as follows – please also see the updated committee page.

• Officers – Kim Scrivener (Chair), Heather Spencer-Smith (Secretary), Chris Feakes (Treasurer)
• Members – Jan Castle, Derrick Davies, Sonia MacArthur, Christine Miles, Jim Miller, Barbara Vernon
• Pat Solomons is a committee member by virtue of her role as Site Liaison Officer

NEW COUNCIL RULES

Have a look at the new Council Allotment Rules which apply to all allotments in St Albans. Key points are:

• Use of hosepipes
• Bonfires
• 75% cultivation
• Shortened eviction process (no NC2)

WATER WATER

Please use water responsibly and make sure that you turn off the tap after you have finished. There have been a few occasions when a tap has been left on and this not only damages the ground but wastes a valuable resource.

BEES ON THE SITE

There will soon be two resident beehives on the site, belonging to Claus Schnorr. We will shortly put some more information on the website and by email.

Newsflash!

No coffee morning next Sunday

We normally have coffee in the hut on the 1st Sunday of the month but we are not having a coffee morning on the 5th May because of the AGM on the 12th May.

AGM/Plant Sale/Social Event

Please join us on 12 May at 11.00am. Please bring any spare plants or seedlings or gardening-related items you may wish to swap or sell. After a short AGM tea/coffee/Danish pastries will be served.

We are looking for a new Treasurer
Unfortunately our Treasure is standing down so if you think you might be interested in this role and would like to find out more about it please email Kim (our Chairperson) – Kim – KIM.SCRIVENER@gmail.com. We are a small friendly committee and the job of Treasurer should not take up too much of your time!

Squash Growing competition
Time to get planting now. The biggest squash is the winner! Top tip – lots of muck and water!

Plant swap and AGM Sunday 12 May 2019 at 11am

Dear all

This is to let you know that the plant swap and AGM will be happening on Sunday 12 May 2019 on site at 11am with light refreshments.

The agenda is here and the minutes of last year’s AGM are here. If you have any items you’d like to raise, please let Heather Spencer-Smith know (hspencersmith125@gmail.com).

Look forward to seeing you there!

Kim (Chair)

Don’t miss out on…

Quiz at Park Street Village Hall – 9 March

Still time to book if you would like to come! Please email Barbara Vernon vernonbarbara@gmail.com

Sunday Brunch – 7 April – from 11am

Coffee and barbecue breakfast. From 11.00am at the Hut – voluntary donations requested. The first Sunday get together of the year. We hold these on the 1st Sunday of the month. Do please come along for a catch up – whatever the weather!

Plant Swap and AGM – 12 May – 11am
Please think about any spare plants you may have or indeed anything you could sow now and bring along. If you don’t have anything please come anyway (voluntary donations always welcome!). A short AGM will be held.

Open Gardens Scheme – 4 August – 11am to 1pm

Under this scheme we will again open the allotments to the public. Refreshments will be available. If you can ‘toil on your allotment’ during this period and answer any questions from curious visitors it would be appreciated. Also if you have any spare produce you can offer it for sale.

Newsflash

Dear allotment holders

Break ins at the Allotments

We have just learned that the allotments were broken into before Christmas and several people had items stolen from their sheds.

If there was evidence your shed has been entered, or the door left open, even if nothing has been taken it is still a crime and we would urge you to inform the police to enable them to built up a picture. Phone 101 if only to report ‘trespass’. The police need reports from each individual. You will be given a crime number. If fences have been damaged please let me know and I will inform our Site Liaison Officer – Pat.

Burydell Lane Annual Quiz

9^th March

£6 per head (pay on the night).

No food or drink will be provided so please bring your own snacks, food and drink.

Doors open at 7.00pm for 7.30pm start.

Please let Barbara Vernon know if you plan to come and the size of your party. Tables accommodate 8.

This is our main fund raising event of the year and donations of items suitable for a raffle would be welcome.

Future changes being made to the rules by the Council

Barbara will be contacting you shortly – to make you aware of new Council rules – when these are available.

The first Sunday morning get together

This will be from 11.00am on April 7th. Please come along and join us whatever the weather for a free brunch!

Your Autumn Newsletter is here!

Dear all

Please see here for your Autumn Newsletter! Unfortunately the first social event listed happened this morning, so apologies for (my) lateness. However that did not prevent a good crowd assembling for an autumnal butty experience – thanks go to our volunteer committee for organising and to those of you who attended!

As the Autumn creeps in, the allotment begins to go to sleep. We have had one delivery of manure, paid for by your donations, and we expect to have another before Christmas – so give your beds some love!

Summer Newsletter is here!

Hi folks

Please see here for the Summer Newsletter – enjoy!

New Data Privacy Notice

The new Data Privacy Notice is now available here and has been added to the main row of tabs when you open the website.

Please take a minute to look through and let me (kim.scrivener@gmail.com) have any comments or concerns.

Two more things….

• I forgot to include the very exciting decision that was made at the Annual Plotholders Meeting to not charge a subscription fee this year. The Committee put this proposal forward as a pilot, and we will evaluate whether we do the same in future. We will be putting donation boxes at coffee mornings, and maybe undertake specific fundraising activities for specific projects.
• The new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) are upon us and affects even tiny allotment associations. There will be a communication to you all shortly about how we collect, use and protect your data. We do not need to ask if you consent to us continuing to use your contact details, as we fall into the “legitimate interest” category – but we will tell you how you can remove consent should you so wish. Your data is not – and has never been – shared with any other body, including the St Albans District Council. It is only held for the purposes of communication. However if you do decide that you do not want us to hold your details, please be aware that there have been occasions in the past (e.g. flooding, burglary) when we have needed to contact all plotholders. 

Annual Plotholders Meeting 13 May 2018 – feedback

The AGM took place on Sunday 13 May 2018 where those present elected the Committee and approved some important changes to our Constitution. Our committee page has been updated and the revised Constitution is available here (and on the committee page). Those elected were:

• Kim Scrivener (Chair)
• Sonia MacArthur (Treasurer)
• Kati Gastrow (Secretary)
• Jan Castle
• Chris Feakes
• Derrick Davies
• Christine Miles
• Barbara Vernon
• Pat Solomons (Site Liaison Officer)

Thanks were expressed to Gill Feakes for her long service on the Committee and great input into social event planning over the years, and to Jan Carpenter who completed her term of office as Treasurer. Thanks also to Jan Davies who helped with the refreshments.

The changes to our Constitution were:

• Specification of a 50% limit on the number of Associate committee members
• Limitation of term of office of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary who are Associate Members
• Clarification that Associate committee Members may remain until the next Annual Plotholders Meeting
• Clarification that the Site Liaison Officer may be an Associate Member provided the St Albans District Council and Annual Plotholders Meeting agree

We also agreed to donate £100 to the Park Street Village Hall as our annual charitable donation.

All are welcome to attend our Summer committee meetings in the Hut, the dates of which are as follows, at 7.45pm:

• Monday 21 May
• Monday 25 June
• Monday 30 July
• Monday 24 September

Lastly, do take a moment to pop into the Hut to see the lovely artwork created by Kati to celebrate our tenth anniversary!