Low Moor Allotments Association

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Archives

This is the archive section of the LMAA website. It contains previous years' news items and the secretary's end of year report.

End of Year Reports - These contain site plans showing take up of plots at the start and end of the year and a reminder of any notable events or achievements for that year.

Treasurer's End of Year Reports - These contain details of all money raised from grants applications and donations and all outgoings. The reports contain all major transactions on the LMAA account. A statement of the accounts for the LMAA is published in April of each year.


 

 

2012 Update

Over the last four years there have been some changes that are worth recording as part of the updating of the website.
The site now has two site secretaries. Simon manages the waiting list and Penny contacts all new tenants and manages the email groups for both tenants and the association so that information can be sent out promptly and problems reported quickly. We have trialled a Facebook group for tenants to be reviewed at the next AGM. And we are pleased that the website is now being updated.
The site secretaries liaise with the allotments officer at the Council to help improve the site and overcome problems. They help with site inspections and can put tenants in touch with sources of help and advice if needed. They are co-opted members of the Association Committee.
Over the last few years they have continued to seek improvements for safety and security on the site, including the possible re-routing of access for cycles. They liaised with the council and specialists so that asbestos waste has been cleared from plots and have identified trees that needed removal or attention. They have attended meetings with the local police to make better use of resources to combat vandalism.
The demographic of tenants has significantly changed as older tenants who cultivated whole plots (and often more than one) well into their retirement years have given up their tenancies and plots have been divided into smaller more manageable areas that appeal to busy workers and families as well as those who are retired and are seeking to help those who want to garden but experience some impairment. We still have a proportion of tenants who work or study at the university nearby and have offered plots to a variety of charities which use gardening as therapy for their clients. The number of children who come to the site with their parents varies but we are aware of their needs when planning for the future and when considering safety and security issues. The Children’s Plot which is run by Angela Johnson has won awards for its success in introducing children to the skills of cultivating and the site has been visited by judges for the ‘in Bloom’ awards, who have noted improvements.

Four years ago, there were some plots that were neglected and barely cultivated, often used as places for the occasional barbecue or picnic or play area. Some had become overgrown with brambles that seemed impenetrable or were littered with rubbish that could not be recycled.
Thanks to an increase in the public interest in allotments, new tenants have taken on the daunting task of clearing and cultivating these plots and made them some of the most attractive on site. The Council has re-instated its annual ‘best plot’ completion to show recognition for the efforts that so many tenants make and the site secretaries at Low Moor offer rewards for ‘the most improved plot’ to new tenants.

Treasurer's End of Year Report 2005

2005 has continued the previous year's success raising funds for a new shop. This project is moving along nicely, though we remain around £20K short of our target. The LMAA account however has remained at a very healthy £14-15K for most of the year. Other funding successes were the petanque pitch, sponsored by numerous local companies (York Community Pride, York Common Good Trust, Patricia and Donald Shepherd Charitable Trust, York Friends' Central Adult School Trust and donations from York Brewery, Dean's Garden Centre and Marks & Spencer). The Kids Allotment project, run by Angela, applied for a Duke of York Community Initiative Award (no word on this going to press), while £170 was raised by produce from Low Moor being sold at the covered market at the York Food Festival from 21st - 25th September. Many thanks to Kristina for organising that and to all those who have helped raise funds for LMAA during 2005. The full details of major transactions on the LMAA account are here.

End of Year Report 2005

2005 will be remembered as the year of the petanque pitch in the bottom corner of the site, a great project by Rebecca Horner to make use of a plot that had become the site rubbish tip. We're always keen for people to take on new projects such as this - don't be shy! Ask your secretary Al Oswald for more details about raising funds for your idea.

The minutes of the AGM for 2006 that detail last year's successes and disasters are here.

Please see our archived news for 2005 for more information.

Treasurer's End of Year Report 2004

2004 was another highly successful year for funding. Site improvements grants from York Pride and Ward Committee funding towards rebuilding the LMAA shop were the main sources of income for the LMAA account. Full details to follow.

End of Year Report 2004

2004 was the second year of our Association's existence, and it's been another great, hectic year. We've had great success with our funding efforts to improve the site and LMAA continues to go from strength to strength. Of particular note this year was the setting up of the kid's allotment which has been a fantastic effort - check out our pictures to see the conversion work in action!.

Please see our archived news for 2004 for more information.
March 2004 site plan

March 2004: almost full site occupancy.
Click on image for full-size version (110k pdf).

2004 site plan

March 2005: still very high rates of occupancy.
Click on image for full-size version (140k pdf).

Treasurer's End of Year Report 2003

These are available on a separate page here.

End of Year Report 2003

2003 was the first year of our Association's existence, and what a difference we have made! Tenancy has almost doubled and the condition of the site has improved dramatically. We have noticeboards, a functioning shop, and our own website! Through lots of hard work by lots of Low Moor plotholders, generous funding by Yorkshire Water, the Co-operative Bank and City of York Council, and support from the local community, there is every prospect that things will continue to improve in 2004. The fantastic success in our first year of turning overgrown, abandoned plots (shown red) into green, occupied plots can be seen by comparing these plans, made in January 2003 and just one year later, in January 2004. What cannot be seen on paper is how much closer we have become as a community.

Please see our archived news for 2003 for more information.
2003 site plan

Half the plots are empty and in poor states. Click on image for full-size version (140k pdf).

2004 site plan

Over 90% occupancy - in a single year, incredible!
Click on image for full-size version (140k pdf).

The news items for 2006 and 2007 are given below. A warm thanks to all those who contributed.

8th September 2007

HELP YOUR ALLOTMENTS SHOP
As you may have noticed, work on our lovely new shop began a couple of weeks ago with a concrete base. Now bricklaying was supposed to be done by professional builders but they have let us down. This means that we need to do all the work ourselves as we can't afford to waste time. Frank and five quick-learning volunteers had a fun time laying the first layers of blocks on Saturday but there are lots more to be laid, and then there's the roof and doors and...a lot more work to do.

If you can help at all, please contact Frank (franksmith888@yahoo.com) or simply come to the building site next weekend. If you have building skills, that's great but don't worry if you don't because under Frank's watchful eye you will be a skilled builder in no time!

03rd June 2007

 Kester has now handed this web site over to Ivana, who will try not to mess it up too much. More importantly, please see the Minutes page for the latest newsletter.

6th Feb 2007

 IMPORTANT NEWS!!

We have a new site secretary! Al Oswald has handed over his duties as site secretary to Susan Hughes. I'm sure everyone will wish Al all the best for the future and say a big thank you for turning Low Moor Allotments into the success it has been recently.

Kester Clegg is also standing down as Treasurer. This post will be taken on by Angela Johnson, who we wish well. The accounts are in an embarrassingly good state of health, but the new shop is yet to be built and needs yet more funds...

Is there anyone out there who would be willing to take on the running of the website? Please let me (kester@cs.york.ac.uk) know.

One final note - the seed potatoes are a week or so late this year. They'll be there next week for sure.

29th October 2006

 Low Moor Allotments of course had one of the very earliest blogs. Almost too cutting edge for anyone to know what it was. But the rest of the world has now caught up, only several years late. Sarah Walters has written to Al asking if there is anyone interested in writing a blog for the Yorkshire Post? If so, please get in touch with her direct (contact details below). She asked:
I was wondering if you had any allotment holders at Low Moor who you think might be willing to write a regular blog for us. We have two at the moment but we're looking for someone for others. (see other blogs) We would set everything up and then they would just login and write. We just want someone who's got the time and is quite chatty. They don't need to be the best gardener in the world, in fact, beginners would probably be better.
Her phone number is: 0113 238 8459

27h September 2006

 Newsletter from Al:
Please read our summer(-ish) Newsletter, together with a seed order form for the year ahead. Our trusty Storekeeper Frank has excelled himself, extending the range of seeds and still managing to offer 100 spinach seeds for a measly 5p. Please print out the form for yourself, which will save time, paper and postage costs. There will also be copies available in the Shop for collection. If I haven't heard from you by the end of this month, I will assume you can't print out the form and haven't picked one up from the Shop, so you will then receive a copy by post. In short, there's no way of escaping this seed order.
Please note that you need to return your order by Monday November 6th at the absolute latest!

25th September 2006

 Minutes of the committee meeting held on the 11th September are here for your pleasure and enjoyment. They include notice of Kester giving up the position of treasurer and Al stepping down as secretary, and some suggestions on their replacements.

4th September 2006

 York Allotments Soil Tests. The BBC is reporting that the council is monitoring the levels of arsenic and lead at nearby Fulford Cross and other sites. You can read the report here.

9th August 2006

 Special pleas from the Kids Allotments! One for a visit and one for more people to get involved! Thanks to Angela for organising this.

Saturday 22nd July
between 2 and 4pm

 OPEN DAY - Low Moor Allotments' Community Kids' Allotment
Please come and visit us on the plot and find out what the Saturday and Tuesday groups do.
Enjoy some of our home-grown produce! All welcome.

June 2006

 A compendium of news for June from Al

First, now that the suns actually shining occasionally, a gentle reminder that there is open play of Petanque (French boules) every Tuesday between 5.30pm and 7.30pm on the pitch that occupies the plot nearest the University. Bring your boules (cheap at Barnitts, but plenty of people have boules), a bottle and a bite to eat or barbeque ... or just turn up!

Second, does anyone have a van, and if so would that someone be willing to pick up 8 water tubs from Wheldrake garden centre? They still owe us for exchange of noxious chemicals evicted from our shop last year. Incidentally, this may already be having a beneficial affect on the wildlife: more song thrushes have been recorded on the allotments and the Stray than for several years previously. If you can help, please give Frank a ring on 448409 or email frank.

Lastly, with warmth as well as moisture, the grass will be shooting up. It is your responsibility to keep both your plot and your boundary in a state of reasonable tidiness, so that weeds do not seed onto other peoples plots. If you dont have access to a strimmer or shears of your own, the association has a heavy-duty strimmer you can rent: contact Sarah on 612301. My protective leggings and helmet used to be kept in a bag that accompanied the strimmer, but they seem to have vanished: if anyone knows their whereabouts, Id be very grateful, coz, theres chain-sawing to be done!

10th May 2006

 The minutes of the AGM are here. The treasurer's reports are also available here. All these are usually safely stored away for prosperity in our Archives section. Enjoy!

April 2006

 AGM. Remember that the AGM will be held on Sunday 30th April at 12 noon in the car park. Apart from elections, the thorny issue of bonfires is on the agenda, and there will be Low Moor's glitzy equivalent of the Oscars: the Best Plots and Most Improved Plots Awards.

Low Moor Petanque Club. The French boules playing season starts on Tuesday 2nd May from 5.30pm. The pitch is on the corner plot (no. 150) as you leave the Allotments to head towards the University across the Stray. There will be open petanque sessions every Tuesday from then onwards between 5.30- 7.30pm - all welcome. After the 2nd May, you can play any other time by just turning up. There is no booking system. Sets of steel and plastic boules are available to borrow from the Shop when it is open at weekends. At other times, you'll need to bring your own (you can get them from Barnitt's for about 7 per set). Enjoy yourselves and look forward to seeing you on Tuesdays!

Donations for Ayse and Chris. In the wake of the arson attack on Chris & Ayse's shed/greenhouse, 240 in donations was raised; plot-neighbours also helped with the clearing up operation. Chris and Ayse have asked me to pass on their thanks for everyone's generosity. It has restored their faith in human nature and Ayse is determined to use the money to create a set of permanent raised beds for use by other people with mobility problems.

Petty theft. Spring is here (perhaps), and with it car boot sales, which unfortunately bring with them an annual wave of petty theft. We have already had two minor but irritating thefts of gardening bits and bobs. If you suffer any thefts, please don't suffer in silence: report it to the Police on 0845 60 60 24 7. The higher the figures of reported crime, the more attention we can reasonably demand. If anyone wants to mark their tools with the Low Moor double band of red paint and stamp them with the Low Moor postcode, the equipment is available in the Shop.

Apologies... to anyone who came to the Shop and found it closed on Easter Sunday. Acting Shopkeeper Ernie's wife passed out on her plot and Ernie understandably abandoned his post to take her to hospital. On behalf of everyone at Low Moor, get well soon, Jenny!

Fence mending. If anyone can spare a couple of hours before the AGM - ie 10am till 12 noon on 30th April - there will be a rapid working party to repair the fence along the bottom edge of the Stray, re-using materials left over from the Council's recent repair of the stretch behind the petanque pitch. Expert carpenters and joiners should stand well back.

Rotivator. Remember that as long as you've paid your 2 at the Shop to join the Association, you can hire the Low Moor rotavator for 10 per day. Phone Sarah O'Grady on 612301 to book.

And if you haven't protected your Purple Sprouting Broccoli from those pesky pigeons by now, it's doomed.

March 2006

 We have the new dates for skips (these might include soil improver loads as well - check in the shop for more details!). Skips will be on Low Moor:
7-10 April
2-5 June
21-24 July
15-18 September.

March 2006

 Frank has asked me to let everyone know that he has stocked up again with lots of wood and posts. Best of all he has acquired some galvanised corrugated steel sheets, for sale at only 9 each for 8ft x 44" (2.4m x 1.0m) and only 10 each for 10ft x 44" (3.0m x 1.0m). These are ideal for constructing arson-proof sheds as well as for creating rabbit-proof fencing that doesn't get bound up with weeds, so get'em while they're hot!

Feb 27th 2006

 Im sad to have to report that last night (Monday 27th - Tuesday 28th), we suffered our first serious arson attack in several years, which has destroyed a large shed/greenhouse on Plot 168, near the gate facing towards Hesligton Road. The attack is particularly sad because the shed was badly damaged in an arson attack on the adjacent shed several years ago, and had been lovingly restored by the current tenants, Ayse and Chris, with materials and practical help supplied by many of their neighbours. Ayse has serious spinal injuries and was only able to garden easily using table-top beds which she had created inside the greenhouse. She has also suffered several thefts of fruit bushes in recent years, but has always remained inspiringly positive. It would be an even greater disaster if Ayse was forced to give up her gardening by this latest incident. If anyone would like to make a donation of a few pounds to help her recreate the raised beds and start again, please send a cheque payable to 'Low Moor Allotments Association to me, or make a donation in the tin which will be in the Allotment Store over the coming weekends. Obviously, if anyone saw anything suspicious on Monday evening, please phone the police on 0845 60 60 247.

12 noon on Sunday 30th April 2006

 Annual General Meeting of Low Moor Allotments Association. If you haven't yet paid your 2 annual joining fee there's still plenty of time to visit the Store (on Saturday 12-2pm or Sunday 10am- 12) and join. The agenda will be displayed in due course; please send any additional agenda items to me by the end of March. Places at the meeting will be limited to around 2,500 due to the small size of the car park, so please turn up on time to avoid disappointment.

16th Feb. 2006

 The LMAA Management Committee met last week to discuss how things had progress over the winter months, the AGM and many other fascinating topics. The full gory details are available here.

Friday 3rd March 2006

 For those of you with growing piles of rubbish, the next skip will be arriving, usually at around lunchtime. PLEASE don't use it for weeds - even perennial ones - or anything that can be composted. Though the skip will be there all weekend, it will fill up quickly, so dump early to avoid disappointment.

Thursday 23rd Feb 2006

 Aldi, opposite the barracks on Fulford Road, is having a fruit tree promotion. In the past they've sold a range of cherries, apples, plums and pears, and even Frank can't compete with their low, low prices. Buy early to avoid disappointment.

1st Feb 2006

 A reminder that the Allotment Store re-opens this weekend (4th-5th February), opening times as ever are 12 till 2pm on Saturday and 10 till 12 noon on Sunday. Those who have ordered potatoes and onion sets will find them ready and waiting - please collect them this weekend or next. If you have not ordered spuds and onions, there are some spare, as well as various seeds: first come first served! And I'm told there's a fantastic view from the top of the manure heap. Frank has single-handedly done a huge amount of work stocking the Store and preparing the orders, so please shower him with gifts and praise.

January, 2006

 Happy New Year everybody! May we welcome back our secretary, Al, after his months away looking at rock paintings in Libya (yes, he did it last year as well!). Our news items for 2005 have been archived.

The news items for 2005, our third year, are given below. A warm thanks to all those who contributed.

22nd Nov 2005

 Rose Perkins from Sheffield Hallam University has asked if allotment members would help fill out a dissertation questionnaire she has produced about how people re-cycle objects for use on allotments. It's very short and should be emailed back to spaceclanger@hotmail.com on completion. She gives her thanks.

Saturday 5th November
10am - 1pm

 Kids' Plot Work Session
A session to tidy things up and dig out pathways and beds on the second half of the plot. Jobs the kids would not be able to manage. If any Plotholder is able to help, please pop down (we're just behind the shop). Your help will be greatly appreciated.

October 2005

 In October, everyone will receive a seed order form. If you want to take advantage of the incredibly cheap prices Frank has found, you will need to return that form to Frank by the end of October, so that your order can be delivered in November (onion sets and seed potatoes in the Spring). Update: Please note that Frank needs to receive completed order forms and payment by Monday 7th November at the latest.

23rd September 2005

 Kids' Plot Apply For Community Award.
Community Kids' Allotment have applied for a Duke of York Community Initiative Award.
Our application outlines the history of the allotment and our activities during the past 2 years. We have focussed particularly on our links with the local community - of Low Moor Allotments, nearby schools, children in organised holiday activities and the wider York community with our participation in Fulford Show and the York Food Festival. We have also highlighted our commitment to gardening organically and promoting biodiversity, hopefully introducing the gardeners and consumers of tomorrow to the advantages of organic produce and the wider environmental benefits that accrue. More information about how to get involved is here.

21st - 25th September 2005

 Have you got surplus produce? Don't waste it - sell it and make the association extra funds! There will be a stall in the covered market at the York Food Festival from 21st - 25th September for you to sell surplus produce: this could be vegetables, fruit, pot plants, herb bunches, seedlings or seeds. The stall is being organised by Sustainable York to encourage more sustainable lifestyles. Your help is vital to making this a success and all profits go straight back to the Allotment Associations involved.
For more information contact Kristina.peat@york.gov.uk

10th September 2005

 The Community Kids' Allotment invites you to visit to Helmsley Walled Garden

Details: depart time - 11.30am from the Fulford Arms, Fulford Rd. Please be there for a prompt departure. Arrival Back - 5.30pm at top of Kilburn Rd, Fulford Rd. Other details as previous trip, including how to book a place on the coach!

2nd-4th September 2005

 A skip will be in the car park between Friday 2nd and Sunday 4th September - as ever, dump early to avoid disappointment, but no compostable waste or asbestos!

25th August 2005

 Thursday (25th), from 5pm onwards, there'll be another sophisticated evening of petanque and BBQ on the newly constructed pitch. Bring your own food, drink, friends, etc..

16th August 2005

 The new "tiller" has arrived and is available for hire at 5 per half day (includes fuel). This is a trial period and we are keen to see what LMAA members think of the equipment. Initial tests suggest it can't deal with a totally wild plot unless it has been strimmed and raked beforehand. However, it is much lighter than previous rotivators we've had and women should have no difficulty carrying and using it, particularly on previously dug soil. Please see Frank in the shop for more details.

August 2005

 Membership to the LMAA and the shop has been combined and raised to 2 (as voted for at the last AGM). If you are ordering seeds this autumn, membership can be paid with your order, otherwise it must be paid at the shop separately. Seeds are again available at rock bottom prices (e.g. lettuce seeds at 5p a packet!), your orders should be given to Frank before the end of October, as they are sent out in November to be delivered in Feb.

3rd August 2005

 News from the committee meeting this evening. We have a strimmer for hire at 5 a day and hope to have tiller to hire at 10 per day soon (both pieces of equipment are provided with fuel). There is even a combined pH, moisture and light meter available for 50p an hour! Contact Al or Frank for more details. Manure has been delivered to the shop. Please take only during shop hours. It is available for 1 a barrow load.

late July 2005

 We have received further Ward Committee funding of 8000 towards a new shop for the allotments. More details will follow on a new page for the project, which will show plans of the shop and detail its progress.

30th July 2005

 The LMAA cordially invites you to the Grand Opening of the brand new French boules (petanque) pitch, from 2pm till dusk on Saturday 30th July, in the very south-east corner of the allotments (nearest the University). Come and try your hand - no previous experience is positively a benefit! There will be a set of plastic boules available for kids. Barbeques will happen throughout the afternoon, so bring a bit of food and drink to add to what M&S and York brewery have generously provided! Thanks to grants from York Pride and our other sponsors, not to mention a lot of hard work by local petanque enthusiasts, what was once an overgrown tip has already been transformed.

23rd July 2005

 The Community Kids' Allotment invites you to an open session on the plot - call in between 2.30 and 4pm and be taken on a tour of the plot by one of our regular gardeners. Look at our new wild life pond. Hear and see what the children who "Walk on the Wild Side" each Wednesday evening have discovered. Feed the worms! Join us for light refreshments on the plot. Young and old welcome

16th July 2005

 The Community Kids' Allotment invites you to a visit to Burton Agnes Hall & Gardens. Spare seats on the coach are available (free) to any Plot Holders and families who would be interested to come along. Coach costs are paid for within the Local Network Grant, but other adults and families will need to pay their own entry to the Gardens. Plot holders and families will be free to "do their own thing" at the Gardens or join the Kids' Group. A leaflet describing what is on offer at both places is available for you to look at in the Gardeners' Store.

Details of the visit to Burton Agnes Hall & Gardens Date - Saturday 16th July Depart Time - 11.30am from the Fulford Arms, Fulford Rd. Please be there for a prompt departure. Arrival Back - 5.30pm at top of Kilburn Rd, Fulford Rd.

How to Book a place on the Coach: See Angela or June on Saturday in the Store (12 - 2pm) or Telephone Angela (654357 );
e-mail address : angelajohnson17@hotmail.com or see Angela, Angie, June, or Tegan down on the Kids' Plot on Saturdays (2-4pm) and Wednesdays (6 - 7.30pm) Places will be limited so please book early!

Sat 11, Sun 12,
Sat 18, Sun 19 June

As some of you know, we have got the full funding for the petanque pitch and Bec (whose project it is) would like to get cracking with the pitch over the next two weekends. She is going to hire a mini digger, ordering some crushed quarry stone and hiring a compactor. We are able to put the top soil from the plot (we will dig about 5inches) close to the plot to de-bog a path, so no need for a skip and much wheelbarrowing. However, to get the 25 odd tonnes of quarry stone in she needs your help! The petanque pitch is in the bottom right hand corner of the allotments, nearest to the university. Please volunteer if you can on the following days: Sat 11, Sun 12, Sat 18, Sun 19 June. They are all day events, so help at anytime is welcome. Thanks! Thanks also to those who gave funding for the project from: York Community Pride, York Common Good Trust, Patricia and Donald Shepherd Charitable Trust, York Friends' Central Adult School Trust and donations from York Brewery, Dean's Garden Centre and Marks & Spencer. Many thanks again. Stop press! - The first pictures are here!

5th May 2005

 Just a brief update to let you all know that the Low Moor Store is now stuffed to the brim with 100s of fenceposts and enough timber to edge raised beds, construct fruit cages and build compost bins stretching to Pluto and back. Please buy some quick so that there's room to move around!

10am till 4pm
Saturday 30th April
and Sunday 1st May

 The Council and the Police have been discussing an initiative to reduce thefts of tools and make it possible to recognise stolen tools at car boot sales. I'm glad to say that our local PC Ian Alderson has now offered to organise a tool-marking event for Low Moor and Fulford Cross allotments. Hopefully other allotment sites will soon be able to follow suit, so that allotment crime is reduced throughout York. PC Alderson will provide the tools and materials: it will be up to you to bring your tools along and mark them at whatever time suits you best.

AGM, 11am April 24th 2005

 The Annual General Meeting will take place at 11am on April 24th in the car park: there are important issues to discuss, including the architect's draft plans for the new Gardeners' Store. So please come along if you can; it'll all be over in time for a picnic lunch, sitting in the sun on your plot.

16th April 2005

 Charcoal burning, under the expert eye of Dave Couttie, will take place on Plot 53 (next to the corner of the Cemetery Wall) on Saturday 16th April. Everyone's welcome to come along, take part and find out how it's done. Most BBQ charcoal used in Britain comes from unsustainable sources in the Developing World, so it would be good to revive this lost art. Those who missed Dave's hazel hurdle making training missed a fascinating day.

Saturday 12th March 2005

 A quick reminder that Dave Couttie will be demonstrating techniques for managing and using hazel coppice in the Cemetery from 10am onwards. This is one of the very rare occasions when Felicity's Gate, which connects the Allotments to the Cemetery, will be unlocked: a good opportunity for anyone who hasn't visited the Cemetery to have a wander round and experience its delights.

February 2005

 We have a new guide on what to do each month on your allotment! It's available here, while the old one that used to be on the greenboard is here.

February 2005

 The Store was broken into on Monday night: a professional job. Two of our finest rotavators (both in need of mending) were taken, but all the stock is intact, thankfully. This perhaps strengthens the case for constructing a new building, with improved security at the top of the agenda.

Saturday 19th February 2005

 On Saturday 19th, from 10am onwards, Chris Teesdale (Plot 162) and others will be offering training in planting a wildlife hedge and 'laying' it using traditional techniques (in other words, a thinly disguised way of getting other people to help cut her hedge). Normally, a day's training like this would cost a fortune, but to you, it's absolutely free!

Friday 18th February 2005

 Another skip, Friday 18th - Monday 21st. Please try not to use it for any organic material: you can compost almost anything! The Gardeners' Store will be open at the same times, 12 - 3 on Saturday and 10 - 12 on Sunday, selling: *six varieties of potatoes (also supposed to arrive last week!) * Foss Islands Compost by the barrow-load * a lot of 50m rolls of anti-rabbit wire * fruit bushes at just 1 each (yes, really) * small quantities of seeds, beans etc * organic fertiliser and chicken manure. All at the normal ridiculously cheap prices.

12/13th Feb 2005

 A big skip will be in the car park over the weekend of 12th and 13th. Come early to avoid disappointment and please do not use it to dispose of anything that could be composted instead. And, as ever, absolutely no asbestos: please stack it by the shed in the car park.

Saturday 12th Feb 2005

 The Low Moor Gardeners' Store will re-open on Saturday 12th Feb 12 noon - 3pm; open again Sunday 13th10am - 12 noon. Revamped and stocked to the brim with 6 varieties of potatoes, onion sets, broad beans, peas, leeks, green manure and other seeds I can't remember. New for this year: black plastic (better and easier to use than carpet) and horticultural fleece, as well as all the usual canes, watering cans, chicken wire, organic fertiliser etc etc etc. No wonder our fame has spread as far as Fulford Cross! Also: "green waste compost" produced at Foss Islands tip - an excellent mulch - will be available by the wheelbarrow-load from the car park at a laughably cheap price. Membership of the Store will cost 1 (free to those who joined the National Society of Allotment Gardeners).

January 29th, 2005

 Just a quick reminder that Angela Poole, the Council's energetic, helpful and generally wonderful Allotments Officer will be giving a FREE introductory tour and talk ('An Introduction To Allotment Gardening') this coming Saturday at Low Moor. Angela won't just be covering vegetable gardening, and will be touring the site pointing out examples of best practice, so it will be an ideal event for anyone who has recently started allotmenting, or for old-timers who haven't had a wander round the site in the last few months to get new ideas. This is also your chance to meet Angela and discuss any questions you may have. Meet In The Car Park On Saturday 29th January At 2pm.

The news items for 2004, our second year, are given below. A warm thanks to all those who contributed.

December, 2004

 More success on the funding front: our application for further funds from the Ward Committee to help with rebuilding the shop has met with approval. Full details to follow later.

December, 2004

 I'm glad to say we now have a good tally of 36 Low Moor Allotmenteers who have asked to join the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners. Frank Smith, of Plot 54, has kindly volunteered to take responsibility for getting us all signed up, circulating the seed catalogue etc and the tricky bit - collecting the fees from everone in due course!

Saturday 9 October 2004

 Apple Day 1 - 5pm at St Nicholas Fields. St. Nicks are to celebrate the wonderful apple in a day of fun and food to mark National Apple Day (Apple Day is an annual celebration of apple, orchards and local distinctiveness, initiated by Common Ground in 1990). For more information call (01904) 411821 or email: st_nicks@btconnect.com. More information on Apple Days locally can be found on our Fruit Tree Register page.

September, 2004

 The LMAA has received a generous grant from York Community Pride Challenge Fund 2004 of 950 for site improvement. Where possible the LMAA recycles any funding it receives directly back into the community by paying local people for the materials and services we need. For more details on our proposed work, please contact the secretary (see above).

Saturday 11th September, 2004

 Visit To RHS Harlow Carr Gardens - The Community Kids' Allotment are arranging a visit to RHS Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate. Spare seats on the coach are available (free) to any Plot Holders and families who would be interested to come along. Further details have been posted on the Greenboard.

Sunday 19th September, 2004

 Bring and buy and barter event - from 11am till 1pm, in the car park, there will be space reserved in the car park for everyone to sell, buy, swap or even gasp! give away items of potential use to other allotmenteers!

August, 2004

 The summer Newsletter is now available online.

Sunday 22nd August, 2004

 LMAA Meeting: 3pm in car park. Agenda to include problems with the shop, funding bids, Kids Allotment update and more! Please show your support.

Saturday 17th July, 2004

 The Official Opening of the Community Kids Allotment, by the Lord Mayor of York takes place on Saturday 17th July at 2.30pm. All plotholders are welcome to attend this event and if anyone would like a conducted tour around the plot afterwards I'm sure the kids will be delighted to show off. Congratulations to Angela for making the scheme a success.

July, 2004

 LMAA has received 2000 funding from the Ward Committee towards our site improvements plans, including the eventual rebuilding of the shop (although we are very far from having the funds to do that yet!). All donations willingly received, please contact the treasurer at kester@cs.york.ac.uk for our bank details.

May, 2004

 We seem to have the return of petty crime and vandalism to the site this month, with two shed burnings and various plants being stolen. But the police have taken a little more interest this time, and hopefully we'll have some positive news to report from them soon.

April, 2004

 The Treasurer's Report, as given at the AGM for 2003/2004, is now available online.

April, 2004

 Kids R Us! - Angela Johnson has succeeded in her grant application to start a Kids' Community Garden and the first sessions are being planned as we speak. Please ask Angela or Al for more details.

Sunday 18th April, 2004

 Annual General Meeting for LMAA members to be held in the carpark at 3pm.

March, 2004

 Our spring newsletter is out - get it now while the print is still wet!

February, 2004

 A big thanks to all those who turned out to help the Kids' Community Garden scheme get off to a flying start - a couple of pictures to mark the day have been added to the Picture gallery.

February 1st, 2004

 This year, Angela Johnson will be turning Plot 108 (immediately behind the Shop) into a Kids' Community Garden, where we can begin to train the next generation of Allotmenteers. Angela will need as much as support as we can give, so please come to 2004's first Working Party, on Sunday 1st February, from 10am till 1pm. We'll be trying to clear the plot and tidy the car park. There'll be a skip for you to dispose of unwanted glass, metal, carpet etc (but NOT asbestos!)

January 18th, 2004

 Instead of a formal General Meeting, there'll be a get-together in the Lighthorseman pub (Fishergate) on the evening of Sunday 18th January at 8pm. No agenda, just come to meet other plotholders and discuss new ideas.

January, 2004

 Happy new year! The time has come to archive all the previous year's news items and put them together with an end of year report. Please check out our archive page for all the details - of particular interest are some images that show how dramatically the site occupancy has changed over the last year!

The news items for our first year are given below. A warm thanks to all those who contributed.

December, 2003

 Here are the minutes of the last General Meeting in October (a little later than intended!), a Newsletter which is just about on time (although it's starting to feel more like Winter than Autumn now), and a letter from Angela Johnson about her excellent scheme to start a Community Kids' Allotment at Low Moor. Please take note of this even if you don't want to get directly involved: it will probably affect us all in one way or another! NB. All of these were Word documents, so they might look a bit odd.

December, 2003

 We have two seperate funding successes to report: Yorkshire Water have pledged around 5000 to help with on-site facilities (more details to follow), while the Co-Op Bank have given us 700 towards a tool library scheme (again, more details will follow). We're waiting on the outcome of some other bids - hopefully, major changes for the allotments are on the way. Well done to all of those who helped with the bids so far!

November, 2003

 Sunday 9th November (Remembrance Sunday) Training session/bonfire party/archaeological tour Staring at 2pm, there will be a skills-sharing session designed primarily for those of you who are new to allotment gardening or feel in need of a few additional top-tips from the experts. At dusk, we will have an Allotment bonfire party (plot to be confirmed). If anyone wants to bring along cheap red wine, we will provide all that's necessary to turn it into delicious hot mulled wine. Bring your own fireworks, sparklers etc etc.

October, 2003

 Apple Day is 21st October - there are lots of events this year organised by Common Ground, including local ones at Yorkshire Orchards at Wilberfoss, York, Rodgers at Pickering and others. If you can, take your own apples along to get them identified and report the results back to our Apple Tree Register of the site!

October, 2003

 LMAA meeting on site - 3pm 5th October - don't forget!

September, 2003

 Harvest time is well and truly on us. This year, we'd like to have an apple / pear tree survey of the site. If you have a fruit tree, please email us the variety and your plot number. If you don't know what type of apples or pears they are, please get in touch with us and keep an example fruit for us in good condition. We'll be taking a whole batch to Rodgers Nursery's Apple Open Day, hopefully getting all of our strange and unruly fruit on site identified! Email Al or Kester with your fruit tree details. There are some new pictures showing Plot 22's apple harvest and a page has been created for the register here.

August, 2003

 Free bush strimmer has been hired again by Al, available for use on Saturday 16th. Please ring Al (number above) if you'd like to use it. It has a metal blade and can deal with substantial undergrowth.

August, 2003

 A Really Rapid Ragwort Reaction Force (RRRRF) on 7th August dealt with the most serious outbreaks on our site by pulling up plants by the roots and burning them. Thanks to Lynette for prompting this. If you don't know what Ragwort is, you should visit our Greenboard immediately!

July, 2003

 Al has typed up the minutes of our meeting in June. They are available here.

July, 2003

 Meeting of Shop Committee - Shop committee (Tom, Marjorie, Tim, Kester, Trevor (? - from Fulford Cross)) met to change the shop bank account signatories. All the committee members were added as co-signatories and old names no longer part of the running of the shop were removed. Next meeting of the shop will be held in October and will decide what to order. Please pass on your suggestions to Marjorie who runs the shop on Sunday mornings!

June, 2003

 Meeting and barbecue were a success, as was the Big Dig, which was followed up by a visit from the City Archaeologist, John Oxley, who explained what the various fragments of pottery were that had been dug up and their ages. It was an interesting and worthwhile end to the day. The meeting elected a shop committee and agreed perimeter hedge planting. Al was given the go ahead to pursue the Right of Way path diversion to improve site security. The full details will be available in the Minutes from Al.

June, 2003

 Meeting - 3pm Sunday 29th June - Followed by barbecue! Agenda items will include running of shop and other news. Don't forget the Big Dig - happening both on the Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend! Please ring Al if you'd like to volunteer for the dig. NB. Al will be doing demo digs at 10am Sat and 11am Sun on plot 40.

May, 2003

 New gate replaced at the Heslington Rd entrance to Walmgate Stray. Things almost seem to be getting back to normal! We have also (finally) received our Ward Committee Funding check of 2350 and an additional check from our secretary, Al Oswald, for 70 which he has donated to the LMAA. Al raised this money by giving talks at archaeological sites. A big thanks to Al and a round of applause!

May, 2003

 Second Working Party! - Again, a big thanks to those who turned out to help, especially Steve (from the Council) who Angela cunningly enlisted in her absence to provide us with insurance. We cleared two plots (65 & 80) on the main path from Kilburn Road. Well done everybody!

May, 2003

 First Working Party! - A massive thanks to those who turned up to help with our first working party. We achieved everything we hoped for, including clearing up the broken glass and rubbish on plots 19 and 22. A truly Herculean effort also saw four brave men pick up and move a shed to Majorie's plot, as a reward for her efforts with the shop! Many thanks once again to all who volunteered to try and make the allotments a better place for everybody.

April, 2003

 The first of our anti-vandal signs has gone up near the Heslington Rd entrance. A big thanks to Al for pushing on with this and a Mr. Carl Camp, the chap who did the work for us. The new signs feature a blackboard so that folk can write up news and info for others. We'll see how this experimental feature survives over the coming weeks.

April, 2003

 Lots of new pictures - including the meeting and a particularly fine one of Harold on plot 16! Also added a new section to the web site - Surrounding Area - with historical information about the land and buildings adjoining the allotments.

April, 2003

 Our bank account has been set up and the grant form application is almost complete. We should be getting our funds in a matter of weeks. Look out for the Ward Committee funded vandal-proof signposts appearing at entrances of the site!

April, 2003

 The Yorkshire Water funded skip is now here. As always, please go to Greenboard for further information.

March, 2003

 The working party dates have been finalised as Sunday 4th May and Sunday 11th May. You should have got a letter from Angela Poole with this information and relating the minutes the last meeting. More information on the working parties is on the Greenboard.

March, 2003

 The shop has been resurrected! Please go to the Greenboard for more information.

March, 2003

 Thanks to all those who turned up at our on-site meeting on Sunday 2nd. We made some real progress. Please see the minutes of the meeting!

February, 2003

 Al had a meeting with Gwen Thompson, who works for Yortime and advises clubs and societies on how to go about fund-raising. The good news: there's lots of money out there to be had for specific projects, especially artistic and/or working with young people. Do you have any ideas?

February, 2003

 Kester and Al met with Tom (from Fulford Cross Allotments) to discuss re-opening the shop. The shed that houses the shop is in need of repair and a good clean. But the good news is that there is still some stock (bamboo canes and organic fertiliser) and there is some money left in the shop account to start buying in more stock again. We will be seeking volunteers to help run the shop!

February, 2003

 Bank account set up for receipt of Ward Committee funding. Signatories are Al Oswald and Kester Clegg.

February, 2003

 Low Moor Allotment Committee Meeting held for people interested in serving on a committee. Those interested were Humphrey Terry, Joyce Donkin, Marjorie Stephenson, Mark Whyte & Hazel Gallogly, Mark Windmill, Paul Wynter, Philip Nicholson, Sue Garnett, Tom Ellise, Ccile De Cat. Al Oswald was nominated sole secretary and Kester Clegg as Treasurer.

January, 2003

 Awarded Ward Committee funding of 2350 to help with the problem of site security.

January, 2003

 First meeting of allotment holders under the new Allotments Officer, Angela Poole. Many issues discussed and feelings raised! It was noted that site security and vandalism (especially arson) are continuing to blight the lives of many allotment holders. A particularly welcome attendee was Nick Bailey, our local police officer who has been charged with taking calls relating to allotment incidents.

December, 2002

 Proposed part of new community security patrols should include the Low Moor Allotments site at the Ward Committee Meeting. This was agreed, and the company involved, Mayfair Security,has erected signs at the entrances warning people that the site is patrolled.
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