Ally Pally Allotments Association

AGM 6 July 2014

Chair's report

This meeting

The Committee has held 3 meetings since our 2013 AGM. These and this AGM are the financial and legal basis of managing these allotments on behalf of plot holders and the Council. AGMs are always the time at which the officers and committee report to members what they've done over the year. However, this year, we would all like our reports to be very brief. They will all be put onto our website by tomorrow, indeed, a couple already have been or have been emailed to everyone. What I'd like to give time for is for you to give the committee your comments and views, questions or issues. I hope some new people will join the committee to help with everyday tasks and/or to take good ideas forward, That discussion is scheduled after the committee reports and before the election of the new committee.

Thanks

These thanks are recorded on behalf of everyone who has a plot here. Colin again gets the first mention, for doing so many of the necessary tasks – from plumbing to repairing our community sheds and to doing a lot of smaller things too such as fitting out our simple kitchen area in our 'Top Shed'.

Peter Campbell runs the Trading Shed, organised our apple pressing days last year. Peter and Sally, ran a 'Soil and compost' workshop earlier this year. Peter also helps Alison with plot inspections.

Our 'coffee' club started shortly after last year's AGM, and has become a monthly must-attend event. For that, we are very grateful to Annie Evans, and her team who include Sally, Pamela, Evelyn and others. Everything is done with a style and panache which have made it a fabulous success.

Our plant sale this year achieved what seemed impossible, to do better than last year! This was almost entirely down to the huge effort of planning and rearing – not just sowing but potting on and nurturing - thousands of plants by Colin and Angela. Others also contributed plants, and on the day, very many people helped run the sale. It simply would not have happened without all those helpers. The monies raised give us the opportunity of doing other things to benefit plot-holders.

The biggest of the outcomes from the plant sale was our investment in a high quality polytunnel. The building of this on part of Colin's plot was itself a large task, with many people helping both during and at the last stage of weighing down and making the poly cover taut.

Now, following the plant sale, Colin and Angela are gearing up to produce plants for sale at the Chadahs Show in September. At the same time, Angela has been producing plants for sale at good value to plot-holders. Allotment vegetable growing is greatly assisted by having a good range of young plants at reasonable prices ready to put into your ground. It has been Angela's initiative to sell plants outside the Trading Shed on Sundays.

Alison, as site secretary, carries by far the greatest part of the everyday tasks of – well – everything to do with the site - and does it very efficiently.

Alison also keeps an eye on our composting loo and John keeps an eye on the compost it produces. Tommy is always willing to help with jobs. Neal fitted beautiful new handles to the shovels we use for wood chip. I've been repairing old wheelbarrows. On the 'Bee Plot' (Haringey Teaching Apiary), Fred Clark and Sara Leviten continue to run the introduction to bee-keeping course, and to manage their hives. They have reported separately.

So, you can see that a lot of people are involved in things both large and small for our site– and I will have missed names, for which I apologise.

Last but not least, I want to thank on your behalf all members of the past year’s Committee – Alison (Site Secretary), Sally (Minutes), Peter (Treasurer), Arthur, Jill, Evelyn, Jessica. Evelyn has also been our representative on the Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee – AP is our landlord, and the APPCC is the main means by which it hears from its users.

Compost We have now had 3 deliveries of compost to our car park. This has required the help of the Alexandra Park contractor and his heavy equipment – digger, tractor, trailer, and at least two park staff. We have willingly made 3 substantial donations to the Gardeners' Benevolent Fund on behalf of the contractor, John O'Connor Ltd, and again, I'd like to record our thanks to them in this report. I'd also like to thank Angela for over-seeing the last delivery when I was away, and collecting money regularly from the box. We hope to be able to resume deliveries from autumn to early spring.

Events

Weekly – CHADAHS Trading Shed (11am – 1pm Sundays)
Weekly – Peter's Art Group (2.30pm Fridays)
Weekly - Polytunnel plants sale (11am – 1pm Sundays) 
Monthly – Teas, coffees & home-made cakes (11am – 1pm on 1st Sundays of month) 
Sunday 13 July – next weekend - CHADAHS Trip
Saturday 13 September – CHADAHS Annual Show at Moravian Church Hall
Other Shows – will try to put into our calendar on our website.
Open gardens locally – there's quite a lot, but if someone is interested in helping, they could also be put into our calendar 

Presentations

In recognition of huge efforts towards the plant sale, certificates designed and produced by Peter, and specially-designed mugs will be presented to Colin, Angela and Annie.

Bob Hare
6 July 2014