Tuesday 29 November 2016

NWCAA NEWSLETTER DECEMBER

For those of our members who don't get the NWCAA Newsletter we're providing this edited version

NWCAA December 

Newsletter
The Newsletter is an important way for us to keep everyone updated with what’s happening on NW allotments throughout the year. We would encourage the recipient of the newsletter to share it with as many of their association members as possible.
Our aim in 2017 is to increase NAS membership in the NW. We can only do this with your help, support and knowledge of your local area. Please join with us to spread the NAS message to protect, promote and preserve allotments for future generations.
We would like to update those members who have kindly passed on get well messages to our Chairman Alan Hull. Thankfully his heart surgery has gone well and he is feeling much better and well on the way to making a full recovery. Our best wishes go to both Alan and Ellen Get well soon Alan!

Our last forum meeting was held on the 23rd October hosted by Salford Federation, where various allotment issues were discussed. For those of you who don’t know, these meetings are made up of all NW NAS association and affiliated Federation representatives and held four times a year in locations around the region. If you have any issues you would like to be taken to the next meeting in January, please contact our secretary nwcsecandrea@gmail.com

Despite the fact that allotments have been in use for a very long time, these last couple of years have seen a rebirth of interest in allotments, brought about by a whole range of factors, GM food, the use of pesticides and additives, the exposure of the population to gardening programmes on TV, making it all look dead easy! and now a threat to rising food prices. As a result every allotment up and down the country is teeming with life and has a waiting list. Unfortunately we also have austerity measures being imposed by local authorities who are scratching their heads trying to find locations for new house building. As a consequence allotment sites in many areas could now be at risk. As members of NAS in 2017 we all now more than ever have a responsibility to support each other and fight these threats and in so doing help save a valuable and productive resource for our local communities
Your chance to speak

Let's talk Allotments in 2017
Dear members
Well we're into Winter with the first frosts hitting us in Nov and even the threat of snow when writing this message. We are coming to the end of another eventful year across the region and its great to see the increase of activities on our sites including plant sales , open days, produce and flower shows,  community bbq's and social events. Right across the region we have sites with long waiting lists. Allotments have now become a great family hobby , long gone the old style of allotments and we welcome the changes. More families with young children and more community groups which in some cases can bring you funding , while I mention funding dont forget to apply for Tesco's Bags of Help , only last week I was told that this is an ongoing monthly application. Providing its for a different project you can apply as many times as you wish regardless of successful previous applications and in some areas the number of applications are low, so get yours in for your site and you could get up to £5k.
I personally want to send my thanks to the NWC team who work hard behind the scenes supporting allotments on your behalf,sometimes we hit brick walls or dont give people the answer they like but we try our best to offer the correct advice at the time. This Year has had its ups and downs and I'm so pleased that our Chairman has had his heart surgery and is now home and on the road to recovery. Your  patience and understanding this year has helped the team to continue and we hope during 2017 to see more of you at our forum meetings.
I would again like to ask for your support to secure me as your next President in the forthcoming election in 2017, please watch out for details and a voting paper. Never before, since the sad news of the loss of the Farm Terrace plotholders battle to preserve their historic allotment site, is it more important that we unite and stay strong for the battles that may come our way locally and nationally if and when allotment sites start to be forced to close for development. These sites are our heritage, they were our food survival during and after the war and have remained at the heart of communities ever since and we need to fight to ensure they remain as such.
So please, VOTE Andy Percival for President.

On a lighter and festive note as 2016 comes to an end may Alan , myself and the rest of the team wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas , Festive Cheer , Happiness and a Great Growing Season for 2017 and we look forward to seeing you all next year.
Merry Christmas & A Peaceful New Year  Andy Percival 2

Thank you to our sponsor for 2016

At J Maher Limited we pride ourselves on the service we offer, with our friendly helpful staff willing to assist our customers with their needs. Our delivery service includes putting product into garages, sheds or back gardens as we appreciate products can be heavy or awkward to carry.
If you are fed up with the poor service and lack of knowledge provided by the bigger stores, why not give us a try. After all we are probably cheaper on most items anyway. jmaher.co.uk

Greater Manchester Spatial Framework
Draft Salford Local Plan
A bold plan to establish new homes, jobs and green space across Greater Manchester over the next 20 years is being considered by council leaders. The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) is a joint plan between the ten local authorities to manage growth and land allocation sustainably. It has been created to make sure that new homes, jobs and transport links are in the right places leaving space for economic and cultural growth as the city-region continues to grow over the next few decades. Without the plan the allocation of land would not be controlled and developments would happen in places that would not benefit local communities. And to account for the population increase the plan is to make sure there is enough amenities and social provision within the city. It is estimated that Salford needs 34,000 extra homes to cope with future demand based on national and economic forecasts – with 193,000 homes needed across the rest of Greater Manchester. Salford City Council already has plans for where most of those homes will be built. Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Greater Manchester is growing fast so we need to manage the supply of land. In Salford we have identified brownfield sites that would be best for development to save our most valuable green spaces. Salford Allotment Federation The Federation is recommending that within the development of the dwellings, the planning will include 15 allotments per 1000 dwellings as per the 1968 Thorpe report or preferred 20 allotments per 1000 dwellings as recommended by the National Allotment Society this due to the fact that the dwellings will consist of apartments with no gardens whatsoever. We would point out that the 34,000 extra homes for Salford are made up of 30% houses and 70% apartments. Don Booth Chair Salford Allotment Federation

Farm Terrace loses battle
“We the farm terrace allotment holders are bitterly disappointed that the Judge did not find for our case against the government and Watford Borough Council. This has been a very long, very emotional battle for us. We feel that at every stage where we have won the rules have been changed to make it increasingly difficult for us. This judgement is in our view, a developers charter for development on any allotment site and in particular threaten urban allotments that have become targets for redevelopment which makes us extremely worried about the ramifications of this case for all allotments. We still believe that the remits of ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ have still not been fully clarified nor explained and that there is no clear bench mark for what is actually exceptional. We feel the term can and will be applied to close other allotment sites throughout the country and we are being made aware almost every week that a new allotment site is under threat of closure for development. Most recently Northfields Allotments in Ealing, London's oldest surviving allotment is facing the same threat of being built on thanks to plans by its landlord to construct a new housing development on part of the allotment site. We are particularly concerned about the future of urban allotments which mirrors our own case in that allotments can now be offered as a ‘blank cheque’ to cash hungry developers and councils. As we have said many times, Watford Council have stated that Farm Terrace allotments are not surplus to requirements. Unfortunately, the council have now been given the opportunity to do whatever they want with this land, be it a car park, expensive housing or yet more flats. After consulting with our loyal legal team, we have come to the very difficult decision not to appeal against this decision. This is the end of the road for us and many tenants will be handing their keys back to the council by Friday this week, some of whom have worked this land for decades. Unfortunately the council had portrayed the allotment tenants as being selfish when all we wanted was to preserve the site not just for us but for future tenants of West Watford. Needless to say it is heart breaking, especially as Farm Terrace has been in existence since 1882.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters near and far and our prestigious legal team at Deighton Pierce Glynn and team of Barristers who could not have worked harder for us or for the protection of all allotments. We now leave the defence and protection on England’s Allotment sites to the National Allotment Society to take forward who we hope will work hard to safeguard other sites. In our view our case would have remained strong if it had not been for the revising of the allotment disposal guidance in January 2014 that weakened allotment protection. A number of tenants will also ask the council that those wishing to relocate to other local sites be relocated together as much as possible to ensure a sense of community is retained. We would hope that this message is considered especially as the Council ‘claims’ to place great importance to how it values community spirit and cohesion within Watford. We could not be prouder of ourselves and our supporters who have battled so tirelessly against this immoral and illogical act. We feel we have done ourselves proud but this is still a very hard day for everyone involved.
The last meeting of the Farm Terrace Association finished with 'one for the road'. We are so proud of what we stood for and we thank you all for all your support!

Grow For Giving -
Rooted in Community
Humble Beginnings Growing Stronger Everyday!
Grow for Giving project is a non profit community organisation
and was established on plot number 118 'The Patchwork Plot'
in 2013 by Eunan Jones, a keen multi-skilled allotment
gardener and Committee member of Tyldesley allotment
association.  Eunan realised that many of the 144 plot tenants
had surplus food left over after each growing season, fresh food
that would end up on the compost heap. Eunan asked
the tenants to consider donating it rather than waste it. From a
wheel barrow full of donated produce to the varied horticultural
project we are today!   Since our humble beginning the project
is now coordinated and being developed  by Pamela Jones
Brown, Eunan Jones & Cal McKenna, who make up Secretary,
Chairperson & Treasurer.  All are Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS  formerly CRB) cleared and are committed to
safeguarding our vulnerable adults, children and young people.
All 3 have personal experience of dementia and/or learning
disabilities. Cal & Pamela come from a long background of
working direct with people and managing projects giving Grow
for Giving the strong foundation from which to grow.
Check our website pages for what we offer and planned events. growingforgiving.org

Eden Gardens. Whitefields. Manchester.
Eden Gardens allotment in collaboration with I Will if You Will, Hillock Garden Club and St Michael's Parish Hall organised bulb planting sessions on the green outside the allotments to improve  the environment on a large social housing estate. The hundreds of bulbs were, with permission, collected earlier  this year  from a Local Authority Depot and which would otherwise have been composted. Approximately 30 people turned up on two dates in October to improve the environment and their own health through gardening.The Mayor of Bury and his Consort joined us at one of the sessions and genuinely mucked in despite the regalia. Everyone was rewarded with tea and biscuits in our comunal cabin afterwards. To complete the series of events there will be a trip to a local park on 13 Dec, where we will collect greenery under the supervision of a park warden, followed by mulled wine a hot lunch and  Christmas wreath and table decoration making with the collected greenery. This so popular that there are already nearly 50 people on the list.

Grants of up to £1,000 for schools and communities
One Stop, the chain of convenience stores, is offering ‘Carriers for Causes’ grants to help support projects that benefit local communities and to help improve lives and local places.
Carriers for Causes grants are funded through the money raised from the 5p bag charge in England, Wales and Scotland and are available for causes within two miles of a One Stop shop.
The scheme is being administered by environmental charity Groundwork, who are encouraging communities to come together and create something special in their local area, making it a better place to live.
The types of projects funded will be very broad and will cover the direct costs needed to deliver the project. This could be buying plants, gravel, benches, grass seed, spades and forks to plant up a new

Just Act
£50,000 of extra funding for community projects
Crowdfunder is making great things happen in communities
across England and Wales. Just Act, the trusted online community that helps people who
want to make a difference in their local area, has now become
part of the Crowdfunder family.
Like us it believes in communities working together and
provides all the tools and know-how to bring ideas to life.
Because we've taken over the day-to-day running of the
website we've created the Just Act Community Fund,
distributing £50,000 to community projects across England
and Wales.
We'll be adding up to 50% of the funding target to a maximum
of £1,000 to volunteer-led community projects that will
change lives for the better.
We anticipate high demand and the funds are available on a
first-come, first-served basis - so apply now.
There’s never been a better time to crowdfund.

Apply for funding for community projects
Contact your council for information about community-based funding and grants for projects like activities for young people, volunteer programmes and development of communal facilities.

Apply for Funding Viridor Credits runs three funding schemes in England and Wales, and one in Scotland. Small Grants Scheme
The Small Grants Scheme is for Community, Heritage and Biodiversity projects that require up to £20,000 from Viridor Credits. Main Grants Scheme
The Main Grants Scheme is for Community, Heritage or Biodiversity projects that require £20,001-50,000 from Viridor Credits. Large Grants Scheme
The Large Grants Scheme is Viridor Credits' biggest funding band and the most competitive. This scheme is for Community, Heritage or Biodiversity projects that require £50,001-100,000 from Viridor Credits.
http://www.viridor-credits.co.uk/apply-for-funding/
Check out Funding advice http://www.nwcallotmentassociation.com/lets-look-forfunding.html

Eden Gardens. Whitefields. We are delighted to have received an Outstanding Award from the RHS at a recent Britain in Bloom NW presentation in Southport.
Diggle Lane Allotments certificate for the RHS sponsored 2016 Britain in Bloom NW Neighbourhood Awards category

We are looking to help small, local community projects and groups through our GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund.
From November 7th 2016 until February 26th 2017, we are seeking to award a total of seventy, £300 donations to help community groups and people across UK and Ireland.
Five donations will be awarded each week, four by our panel of judges and one through the People’s Choice award to the organisation with the most weekly votes.
Galaxyhotchocolate.com
GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund 2016/17

Supporting warm-hearted people and projects
Three local community projects will be voted on in Tesco stores each month across Tesco regions throughout England, Scotland and Wales. In each region, the project that received the most votes from all stores in their region will receive a grant of up to £5,000. The second placed project receives up to £2,000 and third placed up to £1000. Every year, over 7000 projects will receive funding through this scheme. Groundworks.org.uk

Happy Christmas & Best Wishes For 2017 From the NWCAA TEAM To All NAS Members & Supporters nwcallotmentassociation.com

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