Armitage with Handsacre Allotment Association

1. Armitage with Handsacre Allotment Association Britain in Bloom 2012

2. Welcome Message from Chairman. On behalf of the committee and plot holders in the Armitage with Handsacre Allotment Association, (AHAA) we welcome you and invite you to share in some of the achievements we have made since the site was opened in April 2011. The last 15 months has a seen a green field transformed into a series of vegetable plots, and even more important a place where friendships have been formed and ideas exchanged. Jim Bowater June 2012

3. WHERE WE AREARMITAGE AND HANDSACRE Armitage is a village in Staffordshire, on the south side of the Trent and Mersey Canal between Lichfield and Rugeley. Together with the adjacent village of Handsacre, it forms the parish of Armitage with Handsacre The name of Armitage comes from the middle English “Ermitage” meaning “Hermitage” from a tradition that a hermit lived between the Church of St. John the Baptist, and the river Trent. Armitage does not appear in the Doomesday Book, although Handsacre does.

4. How we began Allotment plots were hard to find in the local area until a local farmer Paul Boston transformed a previously used paddock at the side of the canal, into a site of 102, 50’x20’ plots. These were soon snapped up by local residents with a keen interest of living a semi self sufficient organic lifestyle.

5. PLAN OF ALLOTMENTS

6. Early Days May 2011 saw the start of many allotments.

7. An Association is Formed Over the past year the plot holders discussed the importance of becoming an Association, to help and support each other to harness the enthusiasm of allotment holders and convert this into effective use of resources and skills for the improvement of the local community. A general meeting for plot holders was held at the British Legion in Armitage. We asked for a vote of interest in forming the Association. The vote was carried.

8. Work Begins Time to start planting

9. The Committee • At the meeting we also asked for volunteers to sit on the committee, comprising of Chairperson, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Social Secretary, PR and two non-executive members. • All of these actions were followed closely by Paul Boston and Local Councillor Steve Hyden

10. Starting to Grow

11. Armitage with Handsacre Allotment Association Constitution. • Almost the first task for the newly formed committee was to prepare a constitution to be put forward for ratification by the members vote. • The framework for our constitution was taken from the Constitution of the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardeners and adjusted to meet our needs.

12. Parish Council The newly elected Chairman and Treasurer of our Association, met with the local Parish Council to show our interest in supporting the local community at Village Fetes, Church events, School projects and any other matter of interest to the local and wider community.

13. Looking good!

14. Logo Competition • Over Easter we ran a design a logo competition at The Croft Primary School, Armitage. • We were overwhelmed by the quality of responses from children of all age groups within the school. Five highly commended places were awarded to the best design from each year group. After great deliberation a winning design was finally chosen for use on all our stationery and other materials.

15. THE LOGO COMPETITION Chairman Jim Bowater with children from the Croft School holding their entries.

16. Armitage with Handsacre Allotment Association Handbook • It was decided by the committee that we should gather information for association members in the form of a handbook. • The handbook was compiled by our secretary Carole Devine, with discussion from committee members.

18. Contents of Association Handbook. • The Constitution • Information about Association Committee Members. • Information on the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardeners • Information on the South West Counties Allotment Association • Future Events

19. Support from Local Businesses A local training provider from Lichfield, Juniper Training gave their time to support less able bodied plot holders with some hard labour for a day. They toiled long and hard digging over numerous plots, weeding, painting sheds and even digging in manure! They asked for nothing in return but were happy to take donations for their chosen Charity – Prostate Cancer, which were all gratefully received.

21. Communication Thanks to the computer skills of one of our Committee members Chris Elston, the Association has its own website www.ahaa99.co.ukto inform members about the benefits of the Association and our current activities. It is also used to contact Committee members and keep in touch. The Association is also publicised on the village website – www.armitagewithhandsacre.co.uk We also use this site to advertise forthcoming events.

22. Communication continued. • The Association is also publicised on the village website www.armitagewithhandsacre.co.uk • The Association has a twitter account with many followers (@ahaa99) with also a numbers of followers on Facebook.

23. Finance A brief overview of the Associations finances: Incoming. £495.00 Membership fees. £ 80.00 Village Fun Day Stall. £ 36.00 Raffle. Outgoing. £ 203.10 National Association of Allotments. £ 60.00 Association Handbooks. £ 48.00 Association Banner £ 27.00 Photocopying, stamps etc. Balance. £272.90

24. The Croft Primary School • In June 2011, pupils from the Croft Primary School accompanied by their teacher made a visit to my allotment plot. Their topic for the term was “English Country Gardens” and their teacher was keen for them to se the vegetable and fruit growing side of a garden as well as the flowers side. • Twenty-five children were divided into three groups. Group one collected water from the trough down by the canal, and were able to see the permanently moored canal boat and its garden.

25. The Croft School Continued. • Group two - armed with clipboards and pencils drew a plan of the allotment and the vegetables. • Group three – came with me and spent the time looking and identifying the different vegetables and flowers. • At the end of the session I dug up my first new potatoes and the whole group had the experience of touching the potato and seeing how it had grown. • Carole Devine.

26. The Notice Board The opening of the Associations Notice Board, kindly donated by Councillor Steve Hyden.

27. Our Community Grows The continued support and interest from Paul Boston and his family, has helped the plot holders become a sub community of our own within the allotment site itself over the last year. We have developed a sense of community spirit, sharing ideas and support for each other along the way. A beautiful notice board was hand made and funded by Local Councillor Steve Hyden, and erected by Steve and Paul Boston.

28. Armitage Fun Day 23rd June 2012 • Our timing was perfect, for the bi-annual village fete. • We were invited along by the organisers to help raise funds for our association. • Our stand sold flower and vegetable plants donated by allotment holders. • We also ran the following competitions: • Guess the name of the knitted gardener. • Guess the weight of the allotment cake.

29. Armitage Fun Day Members on our stall. Guess the weight cake.

30. It’s Your Neighbourhood! By working in such a small, close knit community, we came to hear about The Royal Horticultural Society, Britain in Bloom, It’s Your Neighbourhood non-competitive competition. We all share a vested interest in a self sufficient lifestyle, focusing on getting to know your neighbourhood, recycling, composting, saving water, companion planting, scarecrows, encouraging wild flower growth, cross pollination and hedgerow development.

31. Visit of Fran Lee. On Friday 11th May, members of our committee, Carole & David Perry Jim Bowater, Audrey Arscott and myself were very pleased to welcome Fran Lee on a visit to the allotments. Fran is the representative volunteer for “Heart of England” who are running, “It’s your Neighbourhood” competition, which we as an association have entered this year. As we walked around the allotments we chatted and swapped ideas, such as the various way in which to organise plots either raised beds or traditional.

32. Fran Lee Visit Continued. The building of compost heaps and how to conserve water. Fran made suggestions such as putting guttering on sheds that are currently in place to conserve water. Another suggestion was to plant wild flower seeds around the parameter of the field, in addition to companion planting on the individual plots to encourage the bee population

33. What a Beauty

34. The Marmite Moment! A difficult decision had to be made by a local resident. What would she buy her father for his 65th Birthday? He is the man who has everything! For the ultimate surprise she decided on doing the one thing he would either love or hate! As he is a keen gardener at home, she thought he would love an allotment (only because she wanted one herself!). On the morning of his Birthday , she gave him a special treat of being blindfolded and chauffeur driven to the allotment site, to be presented with a 50’x20’ plot of dirt, decorated especially with a balloon and ribbons.

35. The Big Question? Would he love it or hate it? What do you think?! Of course he loved it!

36. Look What He’s Achieved!

37. Our Future Plans • We will continue to involve our members by holding regular open meetings throughout the growing season, as well committee meetings. • We hope by next season to become more involved with the parish and perhaps plant up some of the village. • We had hoped to extend a welcome to the allotment to clients from “The Homestead and also Hawkesyard Priory this summer, but owing to the disappointing summer weather we have had, this has not been possible.

38. The Sight of Summer

39. Future Plans (2) • We are now hoping for a warm sunny autumn when we will be able to invite the residents of both residents. • We intend to use the seed facilities offered by Kings Seeds. Our Chairman has volunteered to take on the task of organising the seed ordering and is now eagerly awaiting the delivery of the new seasons catalogue in August.

40. Future Plans (3) • We again would like to contribute to the Harvest Thanksgiving celebrations at St. John the Baptist Church Armitage with produce from the allotment. • Finally we intend to have an “End of Season Bash” have some fun and share our produce.

41. A Final Word Shed Some Light A vacant field, what shall I do? I could build a house or two A caravan store, pig pens galore What should I use that field for? A flash of light, the idea was there Something for the community to show I care Allotment plots, that’s a village need I’ll use my initiative and take the lead

42. Plots were advertised for a small fee Interest was great, oh what glee One by one they were all sold Everyone was welcome to the fold Now everyone knows you’re gonna need tools An allotment without them, do you think we’re fools? A place to store them, that would be great Do we need permission? I don’t know mate

43. A phone call was made, an answer received No permission required, or so we believed New sheds were acquired and put in their place What a good sight, we thought they looked ace Our joy was short lived, as complaints came in A shed on an allotment, it’s a cardinal sin!!! To the Parish council to find out more Little did we know what would be in store

44. One person says this, another says that But there is no law, that’s where we’re at Planning permission, no one can decide For a movable structure that’s six foot wide The debate goes on, our bets we hedge For goodness sake, we only want to grow veg Not the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jill Hyden 2012.

45. Future events. 2012 • Judging of It’s Your Neighbourhood 6th July • National Allotment Week. 6th – 12th August • Harvest Thanksgiving St. John the Baptist Church Armitage. Date to be announced. • Open Meeting for members September 13th. Royal British Legion Club. • “End of Season Bash” date to be announced.