2024 Annual Report
Welcome to the 2024 AGM of the Inverleith Allotments Association
As with every AGM for the last few years I start with a summary of numbers of plotholders and turn over here at Inverleith. Ian Woolard tells me we have 128 plots with 194 plotholders. This year we’ve had a turnover of just 5, possibly 6, plots. People arriving have waited around 14 years, welcome! I hope you enjoy the experience and value your plot as we all do.
First, a big thank you to everyone on the site committee for the time and effort you gave during the year. It’s usually jobs like clearing up overflowing bins or compost, running the chipper and basically trying to keep the site tidy and a pleasant place to be. Thanks to one and all.
So, what have we been up to?
An application was made to the Council’s Neighbourhood Partnership scheme for a grant to improve the communal area and create a gazebo shelter here. Thanks to Penny and helpers for a lot of work in designing, planning and submitting the application. Frustrating that it was turned down as it didn’t include the local community sufficiently. So, the question is; should we try again with promises to hold open days for non-plotholders? Let’s talk about it later.
We did suffer from those badger visits to plunder our sweetcorn. One entry point was blocked but we need a walkaround the site very soon to try to keep them out. The risk of them getting in is that they could decide to stay. If that happens, we can’t really stop them, they are protected by law and we aren’t allowed to block their access out of the site. Remember that a 30-metre buffer area must be left around the setts as their tunnels can extend far underground, we certainly don’t want to end up in that situation.
Please don’t encourage badgers by feeding them and if you do find a gap under the fence let us know. If they move in, you might be moving out!
We’re in good order, let’s keep it that way. Even better, let’s have some new blood and new ideas on the committee. All help is most welcome.
Thank You.
As with every AGM for the last few years I start with a summary of numbers of plotholders and turn over here at Inverleith. Ian Woolard tells me we have 128 plots with 194 plotholders. This year we’ve had a turnover of just 5, possibly 6, plots. People arriving have waited around 14 years, welcome! I hope you enjoy the experience and value your plot as we all do.
First, a big thank you to everyone on the site committee for the time and effort you gave during the year. It’s usually jobs like clearing up overflowing bins or compost, running the chipper and basically trying to keep the site tidy and a pleasant place to be. Thanks to one and all.
So, what have we been up to?
- We held an allotment show back in September, well done to Jan for winning the Drew Wilson cup and thanks to all involved in setting it up and clearing it away.
- We also held our Tattie Boiling at the end of July. Pete Urwin brought some of his excellent cider which helped the digestion a bit. Thanks very much Pam for all that boiling.
- The annual apple pressing took place again where Pete again collected record amounts of apple juice. Let’s hope for an excellent vintage. Thanks Pete, Felix, Oscar and too many plotholders to mention for all that chopping, scratting and pressing, it was an incredible effort making best use of barrowloads of apples. This year we have an extra set of kit now so we can be even more productive.
- Chipper Sundays have been arranged when we’ve been able to dodge the rain and will continue until winter. Thanks certainly go to Seona, Alan, Nigel and Gordon, our Chipper Team. We have struggled to get enough volunteers so please let Nigel know if you’ll like to help operate Jaws, our chipper. Good news though is we’ve had agreement that all the chippers around the city sites will be maintained from the Council maintenance budget.
- Our Communal Compost bins are well used. But, if you do want to use them you must follow the rules so we get best use from them. The rules are clearly posted on the side of the bins and if they are closed, they are closed. No sneaking weeds on top (as if you would?)! Remember, we have to deal with them, usually by adding it to our own compost heaps, but if we all follow the rules we won’t need to. There are now a couple of bays just about ready, we should be able to open them up soon.
- Thanks Sandy for your recent Health and Safety check of the top half of the site. Fortunately, no major issues but some paths do need to be maintained to ensure the edge is visible to prevent people falling off the path. Remember it is your responsibility to keep the grass cut around your plot. The Allotment Officer is expected to inspect the site very soon so please let’s all have a path tidy up and make sure there is access along all paths.
- Bulk purchases of compost again proved very popular, thanks go to Clare and helpers, particularly Sai who shifted literally tonnes of compost to plots.
- Our member’s orders with Kings Seeds and for FEDAGA potatoes and onions will bring a healthy commission into site funds. Many thanks to Stewart for all that collating and order sorting during the year and a big welcome to Alastair Bell for taking this on in 2024. I know the lack of leeks this year was both unexpected and problematical. Sadly, outside our control but it does demonstrate what a good deal they are.
- We’ve had ongoing problems getting our waste bins emptied for a couple of years. Absolutely not helped at all by people dumping more and more rubbish around already over flowing bins. The Waste Department now has a key to the gate and should empty the bins on Thursday every week. It seems to be working but please don’t dump stuff if the bins are full, just remember that another plotholder has to clear it up.
- Thank you, Seona, for arranging the skip this weekend. It was filled by lunchtime yesterday. Any donations in the white box gratefully received.
- We’ve rejoined the It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme run by the Royal Horticultural Society. We were scored as Outstanding last year as with most previous years. We use the scheme primarily to buy insurance for the site and the chipper but the assessment is always very welcome and positive about the site.
- We’ve bought a set of ladders and a tree lopper with the support of the Gilbert Clark Memorial Fund from FEDAGA. If you want to use them please contact a committee member to arrange access.
An application was made to the Council’s Neighbourhood Partnership scheme for a grant to improve the communal area and create a gazebo shelter here. Thanks to Penny and helpers for a lot of work in designing, planning and submitting the application. Frustrating that it was turned down as it didn’t include the local community sufficiently. So, the question is; should we try again with promises to hold open days for non-plotholders? Let’s talk about it later.
We did suffer from those badger visits to plunder our sweetcorn. One entry point was blocked but we need a walkaround the site very soon to try to keep them out. The risk of them getting in is that they could decide to stay. If that happens, we can’t really stop them, they are protected by law and we aren’t allowed to block their access out of the site. Remember that a 30-metre buffer area must be left around the setts as their tunnels can extend far underground, we certainly don’t want to end up in that situation.
Please don’t encourage badgers by feeding them and if you do find a gap under the fence let us know. If they move in, you might be moving out!
We’re in good order, let’s keep it that way. Even better, let’s have some new blood and new ideas on the committee. All help is most welcome.
Thank You.
Stuart McKenzie