Dobies Seeds

Please note that new supplies of the Dobies Seeds catalogues and order forms have been placed in the Brew Room. There are substantial discounts on seeds and also on potatoes and onion sets.

Please place orders through the Secreatry (Margaret) before December 16th 2012.

Committee Minutes 6/11/2012

Bonfire Night

Bonfire Night was a success, all went off well and safely.

The Committee agreed that safety would be improved by better outside lighting around the Amenities Building. Simple Spotlights should suffice.

All monies collected were handed by the Chair to Mick Carcione to defray the costs of providing burgers etc. The Treasurer has been asked to ensure that there had been a sufficient amount to cover Mick’s costs. The Society wishes to thank Mick and Caroline , Gill and Sue, Barry and Rob  and all others who helped with the night.

 

AGM Report

Copies of the minutes of the AGM (together with a copy of the accounts) have been placed in the Brew Room.

 

Co-operative

 It was agreed to take no further action on the Co-operative (other than joining Co-operatives UK) until either the January Committee meeting or the receipt of a response from the Council to our proposals for self-management, whichever is the earlier. The Council has promised at least an interim response by the end of November 2012.

In January we shall commence setting up Bank Accounts and Member and Share Registers.

We should hold an open meeting of the co-operative in January / February.

 

Big-Dig Prestwich

The Society / Co-operative is a member of Feeding Manchester / FoodLink Manchester. As part of Feeding Manchester #10 – Gill and Margaret have been asked to present a session at the next meeting in Prestwich on November 10^th.

 

Food4Bolton

Alan Brown of the Bolton gathering of Organic Growers has asked to speak to the Society about an initiative called Food4Bolton – he will be at a meeting in the Brew Room on Novmeber 25^th at 1.00 p.m

 

Shop

David will check when Maher’s need the supplies order for the shop. If it can wait until after 8^th January it will be drawn up at the next Committee meeting, if not we will simply repeat this year’s order. Arrangements for re-opening the shop in 2013 will be agreed at the 8^th January meeting.  

 

NSALG

The Society has now rejoined the NSALG. Paperwork should be received by early December

In the meantime the Society remains a member of theAGC and is insured through their brokers until 31^st December 2012.

The Society has received a quotation for 2013 insurance from the NSALG’s appointed brokers.. This quotation is acceptable. The Treasurer will re-insure the Society with those insurers from Janaury 1^st 2013.

 

Equipment

The Society will purchase a strimmer / brushcutter in the Spring. Any other equipment owned by the Society will be professionally serviced for the 2013 season. All equipment etc. has been removed from the Amenities Building.

 

Site Maintenance

Alan Crook (Bolton MBC Allotments Officer) has visited the site and it is hoped that the following work can be arranged:-

 

1.       A field drain cut across between plots 1 and 2 to prevent the flooding of plots 2 and 3 in future years. The outlet for this drain needs to be ascertained.

2.       As part of the above the path between plots 1 and 2 will be re-aligned and relaid.

3.       Excavation of the communal compost bin area to determine and remedy the water collecting under the bins and flowing out onto the road.

4.       A survey by the Tree Section of trees etc. shading plots 1-4, with a view to cutting out dead growth and ‘crowning some of the larger trees.

 

Other work identified includes the prevention of the flooding of the brew room. Independent advice suggests that we need a cut across the front of the brew room, stone filled and draining out onto the roadway, and thence down into the drain system on the D-shaped area. Similarly it would help if the circulation road surface could be scraped and a guttering system installed to take road water down onto the D-shape.

 

The Committee is aware of the poor condition of the road around the site, particularly the bottom road. The Secretary is trying to find affordable sources of surfacing materials.

 

The Committee hopes that as part of the negotiations on self-management a budget can be established to cover site maintenance works, if not the Committee will have to prioritise the use of Society / Co-operative funds.

 

The next meeting (for Committee members only) will take place at the Finishers, at 7.30 p.m. on 8/01/2013. Any members wishing to have matters discussed at that meeting should contact a Committee member.  

 

AGM 14th October 2012

 

1.     The accounts for the Society were presented by the Treasurer (David Jackson) and certified by the Auditor (Christine Hargraves). Members determined that the accounts be accepted as a true and fair statement of the Society’s Finances. Copies of the audited accounts (and the Open Day returns) have been placed in the Brew Room.

2.     The Treasurer reported that the Council’s budgets seem very limited, and that we must expect to have to make and pay for all repairs, improvements, services on the site ourselves. The monies raised through the shop, Open Day etc. will become essential if we are to do this.

3.     The meeting was advised that in accordance with the decisions of the previous EGM, an Industrial and Provident Society (Harpers Lane Allotments Ltd.) has been registered as a co-operative with the Financial Services Authority.

3.1.                     Therefore a list will be drawn up of all those eligible to be members of that Industrial and Provident Society – i.e. all plot-holders and registered buddies on plots on the Harpers Lane site -  and posted in the Brew Room. Please check this list to ensure that husbands, wives, partners etc. who wish to be voting members of the Industrial and Provident Society have been included.  If not, get Margaret to register them as ‘buddies’.

3.2.                     The meeting decided that everyone on the above list be then invited to take up a £1 share in the co-operative (i.e. you pay £1 and you get a share).  This is a one-off payment, not an annual fee. It is holding the £1 share that gives you the right to vote in meetings of the co-operative. (Please note that by a decision of the previous EGM, in the event that the site becomes self-managing, voting on any motion that sets plot-rents etc. is restricted to one vote per tenancy).

       It should be noted that as an Industrial and Provident Society, we will be obliged to hold four meetings of the full membership (the AGM and three EGMs) each year. The next EGM will be in January 2013. 

4.     The meeting approved a previous EGM decision that a proposal be submitted to Bolton Council that Harpers Lane Allotment site become self-managing.

4.1.                     The Self-management Steering Group has proposed that this be done in two stages

4.1.1.  A two-year period in which the co-operative acts as a managing agent on the site and is paid a fee by the Council for so doing

4.1.2.  After that interim period, the co-operative would sign a 15-20 year Business Tenancy Agreement with the Council. Under that agreement the co-operative will lease the site from the Council at an agreed rent and on agreed terms

4.1.3.  The terms of both agreements will be negotiated between the Council and the Directors of the Co-operative and any contract would be subject to the approval of a meeting of the co-operative membership (an EGM).

4.1.4.  The Council has requested that the co-operative submit a detailed Business Plan for their consideration. This plan was submitted on behalf of the Directors on 23^rd October 2012.

4.1.5.  The Co-operative has no intention at present, or in the foreseeable future of taking on the management of the garage colony.

5.     The meeting elected the following members to act as the Committee of the Society (they will also form the initial Board of Directors of Harpers Lane Allotments Ltd.)

5.1.                     Chair:             Rob Hellyer

5.2.                     Site Secretary:         Margaret Jackson

5.3.                     Treasurer:                David Jackson – David will also initially act as           Company Secretary for the I&PS.

5.4.                     Committee:  Gill Chamberlain, Barry Savage, Stephen Duckworth, Glyn Platt

 

6.     The meeting decided that the Society / Co-operative should become a member of the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardens (thus severing its links to the Allotment Gardens Council)

 

7.     The meeting decided that Harpers Lane Allotments Ltd. should become a member of Co-operatives UK in order to benefit from the free legal services available to newly formed co-operatives. 

 

8.     The meeting decided that Harpers Lane Allotments Ltd. will establish new banking accounts in a format acceptable to grant-awarding and other funding bodies.

9.     The meeting decided that the residual assets of the Society be transferred to its successor, the Industrial and Provident Society (the ‘co-operative’) to be known as ‘Harpers Lane Allotments Limited’.

10.            Under the rules of the current Society, membership applies to a plot, rather than the individuals working it, hence the subscription is per plot. In order to meet the legal requirements of the I&PS, (in which ‘membership’ comes by possessing a single £1 share), it is preferable to rename such subscriptions as ‘membership fees’. In the light of the decisions made previously (particularly the decision to rejoin the NSALG) the meeting voted to set membership fees per plot for the year 2013 (Jan – Dec) at £9.00 for plots where the plot-holder is under 60, and £7.00 for plots where the plot-holder is 60 or over. We’re sorry if this sounds complicated but we’re trying to find our way through this transition period as best we can.

11.            The meeting decided that up to £500 of the Society’s current Reserves should be spent on a new strimmer / brush-cutter, subject to a suitably robust machine being available for that price.

12.            The meeting also felt that the Society’s current strimmer and generator should be professionally serviced in time for the 2013 growing season.

13.            The meeting instructed the Site Secretary to see whether, under schemes such as the Council’s Self-Help scheme, road mending materials could be obtained and a working party set up to resolve the problems with the bottom road.

14.            At the request of the Site Secretary a Working Party was formed to oversee the planning and implementation of the 2013 Open day event. The Working Party will consist of:- June Catterall, Susan Jones, Pauline Liptrott, and Doreen Wyatt. It is hoped that other sub-committees and working parties can be created during the year to help spread the load of managing the site.

15.            The meeting ended with the award of the Society’s Prizes as follows:-

Plot of the Year (Albert Parker Trophy)	Plot 15 – Susan and Tony Torkington
Half-plot of the Year (Hospital Saturday Trophy)	Plot 30 – June Catterall
Best Newcomer (Barron Trophy)	Plot 25 – Owen Jeffrey
Most Improved Plot (Brian Caswell Trophy)	Plot 8 – Christine and Mike Hargraves
Most Improved Half-Plot (Joan Caswell Trophy)	Plot 4 – Maureen and Mike Waite
Best Frontage (Walker Challenge Trophy)	Plot 39 – Maureen and Mick Riley
Tallest Sunflower (Jools Rigby Trophy)	Plot 15 – Susan and Tony Torkington
Outstanding Contribution to the Society (Jubilee Trophy)	Plot 9 – Tom and Pauline Liptrott

 

 

DEER ON THE SITE

There have recently been regular sightings of two deer on the site. Here is a picture of one of them, taken by Steve Christian.

THE PLAY

Please note that the TICKETS for the play 'Losing the Plot' on October 13th at 1.00 p.m. are now available.

Admission will be by ticket only. Tickets do not need to be paid for in advance (the theatre company will be taking up a collection at the end of the performance)

There are only 100 tickets, we're trying to ensure that plot-holders get priority, then the rest can go to others who've supported the society this year (local residents, the judges from the Show, our local councillors, etc.)

You can get yours from any Committee member or by calling Margaret on 01204 844727 or emailing us at harperslaneallotmentssociety@yahoo.co.uk

Don't miss out!

YET MORE OPEN DAY PHOTOS

Once again thanks to Mick Riley and Brian Shaw for these images

Frontages were decorated with either an Olympic theme or a Diamond Jubilee theme (or both)

Tom and Pauline's figures (Plot 9, above) were voted as the visitors' favourites

The Gnome Olympics (Jo and Gunther Plot 10)

KIng and Queen (Adam and Robin plot 24)

and finally Wiggo (Gill plot 56)

MORE OPEN DAY PHOTOS

Stalls on the top field ....

Foxy's Clogs Stall

Sue and Tony's Plant Stall

The Wishing Well and Wizard of Oz Figures (thanks to Tom and Pauline Liptrott)

Hospice Volunteers collecting for hospice funds

Face painting

Liz Riley's Play-dough stall

Yvonne's Jams, Chutneys and Pies Stall

OPEN DAY 2012

We'd like to thank Mick Riley and Brian Shaw for taking the photos of the Open Day


Judges at work......

Judge George Wild grading entries in the new marquee

We have two new marquees (bought with a grant from the Bolton Small Grants (CVS) scheme). This is the one used for the show, the one below was used for the band and dancing ...

Congratulations to Kathryn & Keith Worsley (plot 42) whose cabbage won the 'Best in Show'

Richard Isted took the Master Gardener Trophy .... here he is receiving the cup from Margaret

Congratulations too, to Tony and Sue Torkington (plot 15) who won the 'Best Newcomer Award' in Bolton MBC's Borough-wide competition....

We'd like to thank the Soya Band and the Appalachian Dancers (Leap to your Feet)

More photos to follow....

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Harpers Lane Allotments Society will take place in the marquee outside the Amenities Hut at the site on Sunday October 14th at 2.00 p.m.

A formal agenda will be put up in the Brew Room in the next couple of weeks but items will include:

• Secretary's Report
• Treasurer's Report (and presentation of Annual Accounts)
• Report by the Self-Management Steering Committee
• Election of Society Officers for 2012-2013 (it is anticipated that the committee elected at the meeting will also form the founding Board of Directors of the Harpers Lane Co-operative)
• Presentation of Society Prizes

Would any members wishing to stand for the Committee / Board in 2012/13 please contact the Secretary as soon as possible.

OPEN DAY

Despite the occasional downpour Open Day on August 12th was a great success.

We estimate that around 500 people came onto the site during the afternoon.

The two new marquees worked wonderfully - many thanks to Bolton CVS and the Big Bolton Small Grants Programme for the grant that enabled us to buy them.

We raised around £580 for Society funds - as usual the Tombolas were major contributors (£227) and this year the cafe raised more than £250 - plus the Hospice raised over £125 in collections

Many thanks to everyone who helped (and to Bolton Council, St Peters Church and Peter Williams for the loan of chairs and tables) and to all the people who had stalls or ran games etc. Special thanks to the dancers and the Soya Band, much enjoyed by everyone. Special thanks too, to the teams who erected and then dismantled the marquees.

We're hoping to publish a set of photos and the Show results in the next couple of weeks, but just now we all need a chance to recharge our batteries. Next stop the play!

Food Growing Courses

From Transition Town Bolton ..............

More veg growers needed: Come and learn from the experts!

Fancy a career change? Want a better quality of life? Why not help make our region more sustainable? We are looking for more farmers and new food growers for a proven market in and around Greater Manchester.

Make the most of an amazing training opportunity to learn how to set up an organic food growing business from the growers themselves this Autumn. We have a growing market for organic local food, an amazing network of support and training straight from the field – what's stopping you?!

We are in the unusual position in Greater Manchester, of having a market for local organic produce that actually pays the cost of production, not the volatile market prices! But we need more crops, and therefore more organic commercial growers local to Greater Manchester.

To try and address this, and grow more growers to supply the likes of Manchester Veg People, Unicorn Grocery and Dig Food, we are running a unique four and a half day course for people who are interested in starting up a market garden/veg growing business.

The course, is being organised as part of Kindling’s

Greater Manchester Land Army and Big Dig projects and is being taught by the experts themselves:

Jenny Griggs of Climate Friendly Food /Fir Tree Farm,

Glebelands City Growers and Moss Brook Growers.

The training will run on four consecutive Saturdays in September/October and will involve additional placement days at local organic farms (these will ideally be during the week in between the Saturday course days, but alternatives can be discussed if trainees need to fit them in around work). The idea of this is to put what you are learning into practice and to bring up questions while you are still on the course.

The course will run from September 22nd to the 20th October, on five consecutive Saturdays (with one of those a half day with an accountant, focused on finance and business, date tbc.).

It will be a mixture of practical work and theory and will be based at the different organic growing sites of the course tutors:

Glebelands City Growers , Climate Friendly Food's base at Fir Tree Farm and at Moss Brook Growers .

The course will cover the key areas for setting up and running an organic food growing enterprise, including:

· Introduction to setting up a commercial veg production enterprise e.g. legal, records, H&S, working with volunteers, seed sowing schedule.

· Understanding and maintaining soil fertility (a foundation of organic veg production)

· Commercial small scale market gardening – focusing on plant propagation and salad leaf production

· Field scale veg production

· Pests and diseases.

· Machinery maintenance

· Finances and running a small business.

Anyone interested in becoming an organic grower for Greater Manchester, who can commit to all the days of the course (including the placements – though days for this can be negotiated), can apply for a place on the course.

We need more growers, you want to grow, what's stopping you? Get in touch now!!

This course is free (Funded by Making Local Food Work), but a deposit will be required as way of making sure people take it seriously and turn up! (you will get it back when you've completed the course and placement days). Places on this training are limited so please get in touch now to avoid disappointment.

To book your place please contact

helen@kindling.org.uk or call 0161 226 2242

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Wigan Diggers Festival

 

8th September 2012

 

12.00 - 8.00 p.m. 

 

Town centre procession, symbolic digging re-enactment and tree planting ceremony from 11.00am until 12.00 noon. Assembly point to be confirmed.

The FREE Open Air Festival will celebrate, via the medium of poetry, songs, film and a range of other activities, the life and ideas of Wigan born and bred Gerrard Winstanley (1609-1676) and the 17th Century ‘Diggers’ movement he was the inspirational leader of.
Also known as the ‘True Levellers’, the Diggers were one of the first truly egalitarian political movements of the poor and propertyless anywhere in the World, and the first to argue for full equality of men and women. Winstanley and they famously asserted: “The World was made a common treasury for all!”
Festival organisers intend to pack the day with an array of activities, including audio visual presentations, an exhibition, stalls and live entertainment featuring a range of bands, acoustic artists, and radical
http://wigandiggersfestival.org/performers/
Map of location at: http://wigandiggersfestival.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/diggersfestsite1.jpg
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EVENTS

THE PLAY AND BONFIRE NIGHT

Some of you may know that originally we'd had letters from the Council prohibiting us from holding either the play or our bonfire night party on the site.

Thanks to the intervention of our Ward Councillors Cllrs Swarbrick and Radlett, (Cllr Hayes was on holiday but he's since sent a message of support) who contacted the Director of Environmental Services with great force and speed, these decisions have now been reversed, and the Play is going ahead on October 13th and the Bonfire Night Party can go ahead on November 3rd.

We've had some clarification from the Allotments / Horticultural Officer about Barbecues - it would appear that you can have an individual barbecue on your own plot (providing this is not during an event when the public have free access to the site). If we want communal barbecues then we have to apply for individual permission to hold each such event.

Cllr Radlett is trying to get similar clarification about fires on plots. He has pointed out to the Council that our tenancy agreements require us to 'burn or remove from the site' all waste. he's also pointed out that both we and Rawlyn Rd. have problems with Japanese Knotweed and that by law any such material MUST be burnt on site, it is illegal to transport it. We await the Council's response with interest.

OPEN DAY

Work on the Wishing Well and on the Wizard of Oz tableau is moving at pace - just a bit of work on the cowardly lion now

Here are some pictures

EGM July 8th 2012

At the EGM held on Sunday July 8th 2012, the meeting by a clear majority on a show of hands decided that:

Motion One:

The Self-Management Steering Group should work with the Co-operative Enterprise Hub to re-format the existing Harpers Lane Allotments Society (an unincorporated association) into an Industrial and Provident Society (IPS) - a co-operative

Motion Two:

The Self-Management Steering Group should press on with negotiations with Bolton MBC with a view to defining the terms of a suitable agreement for the devolution of the management of the site to the above co-operative.

Given successful negotiations the Steering Group will bring forward a set of proposals to the membership at a specially convened EGM for approval, before any agreement with the Council is ratified or signed.

Saturday June 24th 10:30-4:00pm - Community owned energy coops, Incredible Edible Todmorden, Cooperative farming and Landshare projects.

 

Free one day event, lunch and refreshments.

A thought provoking day of cooperative initiatives, helping local communities meet some of the social, economic and environmental challenges they are facing.
10.30am - 4:00pm
10.30 registration and refreshments
11:15 Community renewable energy generation coops, how they work and how to set them up.
12:30 Lunch break - free buffet lunch, tea coffee and refreshments
1:00pm : Incredible Edible Todmorden, how it started and how to get an incredible edible town going
2:15 Refreshments
2:30pm - Landshare, cooperative farming, gardening and other projects.
3:30pm A presentation by people who can help you establish some of the above.
St Georges Church
Water Street
Off Standish gate
Wigan
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SMITHILLS FARMERS' MARKET

It's been suggested (by those running the market) that the Society might operate a stall at the Smithills Farmers' Market which is held on the second Saturday of each month at Smithills School.

Stall rentals from the market go towards funding the Smithills School Senior Band.

Typical products that would be welcomed would be jams and chutneys and any surplus veg / fruit that plot-holders may wish to sell. Proceeds from sales would go to the plotholder supplying the produce, less a small commission from the Society to cover the stall rental. We may be able to start by sharing a stall with an existing stall-holder.

This stall would be in addition to the annual 'market' that we hold on Open Day.

If any plot-holders are interested then please contact either Margaret or David at harperslaneallotmentssociety@yahoo.co.uk

The 10^th FeedingManchester networking & training event,

Bringing together sustainable food projects in Greater Manchester will be held at:

The Yard, Work For Change, Hulme, M15 5RE

on Thurs 5^th July 3pm til 7pm

with a BBQ held over the road at Hulme Community Garden Centre afterwards.

We are very happy to announce that we shall have Jade Bashford from England Community Land Advisory Service (CLAS)

there to share her knowledge on accessing land for community use.

Concentrating on-

• Community gardener’s introduction to planning permission
• Communities buying land: how communities can buy land for food growing and community use, particularly as community land trusts.

There will be a 'Wanted and Offered' board available for individuals to share their needs and expertise.

Plus an update on ‘Manchester Food and Drink Festival’ 2012 and the chance to devise the 'Sustainable Fringe'.

Please book before 30th June 2012.

Please contact beth@feedingmanchester.org.uk

or call 07833 774775 for more info or to book your place asap.

£5 for individuals/community groups.

£30 for public sector organizations.

Don't forget the EGM - it's important

A REMINDER ABOUT THE

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

OF THE

HARPERS LANE ALLOTMENTS SOCIETY

Sunday July 8^th 2.00 p.m.

At the request of the Devolved Management Steering Group, there will be an EGM on the 8^th July 2012 at 2.00 p.m. at the Amenities Hut.

There are two motions for discussion:

Discussions with the Council about Self-management (Devolved management) of the site by the Society, have been on-going for nearly two years now. An action plan (covering the period April 2012 to October 2015) was submitted by the Society (at the Council’s request) at the end of January. There has been no response to that action plan. Some services formerly provided by the Council (e.g. provision of skips, management of the waiting list, minor site maintenance works) are already being carried out (and paid for) by the Society (i.e. from members’ funds).

1. Does the Membership wish the Steering Group to continue its negotiations with the Council with a view to clarifying the Society’s future role and gaining proper funding for it?

2. Does the membership support the Steering Group’s suggestion that the Society (currently an unincorporated association) becomes a legally constituted Industrial and Provident Society (a co-operative)?

It is expected that advisors from the Co-operative Enterprise Hub will attend the meeting to explain the benefits, costs and implications of such a move.

Allotments in June