This is Mark Rothwell, aka Taffy, the allotment rep for the bottom half of Pickards Field. Since starting on his plots last year, he and his family have brought a huge amount of enthusiasm and innovation to the site. I think it was they who introduced the first chickens to the allotments (he has three in the ark in the picture), and their surveillance has transformed the bottom end from the no-go area it once was to a thriving community. Now, with the Allotment Officer's consent, they have started a communal plot (Plot 45), on which they have started to install flowers, a seating area and a barbeque area. The idea is for people to sit around and have a beer and a chat after work is done. Taffy's our very dedicated allotment rep, and because of him I've just decided to carry on as rep for my end, having thrown in the towel a few months ago.
Showing posts with label Allotment rep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allotment rep. Show all posts
Saturday, 24 July 2010
Taffy, Plots 24 & 25
This is Mark Rothwell, aka Taffy, the allotment rep for the bottom half of Pickards Field. Since starting on his plots last year, he and his family have brought a huge amount of enthusiasm and innovation to the site. I think it was they who introduced the first chickens to the allotments (he has three in the ark in the picture), and their surveillance has transformed the bottom end from the no-go area it once was to a thriving community. Now, with the Allotment Officer's consent, they have started a communal plot (Plot 45), on which they have started to install flowers, a seating area and a barbeque area. The idea is for people to sit around and have a beer and a chat after work is done. Taffy's our very dedicated allotment rep, and because of him I've just decided to carry on as rep for my end, having thrown in the towel a few months ago.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Allotment representative
I've been accepted as the allotment rep for the top half of Pickards Field. In the newsletter on the back of the last bill, Emma was asking for volunteers, and I volunteered largely in order to be able to get in touch with her occasionally, because normally Joe Public finds this impossible.
One of my duties is to keep an eye on who is and who isn't cultivating their plot. So I had a look today, and will send my report to Emma later today.
We had our first meeting a few weeks ago. It was a shambles. More on it later.
One of my duties is to keep an eye on who is and who isn't cultivating their plot. So I had a look today, and will send my report to Emma later today.
We had our first meeting a few weeks ago. It was a shambles. More on it later.
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
The Allotment Officer's visit
Just after Manger had left, I looked up and saw two women walking along the track. I guessed immediately who one of them must be, and I was right - it was Emma, the Allotment Officer. Hah! I thought, now's my chance to bring up all my"issues" with her.
She is very nice, Emma, but she is trying to do a full-time job on a part-time basis, and is also having to contend with sluggardly contractors. She told me the number of allotmenteers she had to deal with - I forget the figure - but even so, that's no excuse for ignoring the majority of my emails and phone-calls. I did get my new allotment eventually, after bombarding her with communications, but it took me months, and was very frustrating.
It was interesting to hear her tell it from her side though - of the difficulties she's having trying to do her job. I believe she is sincere, but as she admitted herself, maybe too nice - maybe she isn't being forceful enough.
She said the Cat allotment was definitely mine now, but that she would send me a copy of the form I filled in, plus a copy of the regulations (at the moment, I don't have a contract or a copy of the rules). Her companion, whose name I forget, said she was the Allotment rep, but I've never seen her before. She has an allotment way down on the other side. She tried to tell me how to clear my allotment, assuming of course that I was a raw beginner, and she was sooooo experienced after three years on the site (I bet she's got raised beds - she looked the type). So anyway, I had to show them my other allotment, and as I did, I took the opportunity to complain about the Salvation Army's neglect and ask Emma if anything could be done about it.
Emma said there might be - she would try. They are dividing all the vacant plots in half to deal with the waiting list, and she said she could divide this plot in half, and then maybe I could have the half I'm working at the moment, and she could threaten them with eviction for non-cultivation. It was all very vague, and left me hoping for something I'd given up hoping for - that one day that plot would be mine, and I wouldn't have to start all over again on another plot from scratch. When I told John, though, he said, "We've heard it all before though." And although Emma hasn't offered to do anything before, because she's relatively new in the job, and didn't really know about the situation till I told her about it in one of my innumerable emails a month or two ago, I find it hard to hope that she will find the time to sort out the situation. But she had noticed the state of the top half of the plot before I showed her it, so there is hope that it's registered with her and something may come of this meeting. I know what she's up against, though - not just the Salvation Army Enterprise Officer refusing to admit defeat, but other Salvationists wanting to turn it into raised beds (aaargh, not the dreaded raised beds! Lord preserve my allotment from raised beds!)
She is very nice, Emma, but she is trying to do a full-time job on a part-time basis, and is also having to contend with sluggardly contractors. She told me the number of allotmenteers she had to deal with - I forget the figure - but even so, that's no excuse for ignoring the majority of my emails and phone-calls. I did get my new allotment eventually, after bombarding her with communications, but it took me months, and was very frustrating.
It was interesting to hear her tell it from her side though - of the difficulties she's having trying to do her job. I believe she is sincere, but as she admitted herself, maybe too nice - maybe she isn't being forceful enough.
She said the Cat allotment was definitely mine now, but that she would send me a copy of the form I filled in, plus a copy of the regulations (at the moment, I don't have a contract or a copy of the rules). Her companion, whose name I forget, said she was the Allotment rep, but I've never seen her before. She has an allotment way down on the other side. She tried to tell me how to clear my allotment, assuming of course that I was a raw beginner, and she was sooooo experienced after three years on the site (I bet she's got raised beds - she looked the type). So anyway, I had to show them my other allotment, and as I did, I took the opportunity to complain about the Salvation Army's neglect and ask Emma if anything could be done about it.
Emma said there might be - she would try. They are dividing all the vacant plots in half to deal with the waiting list, and she said she could divide this plot in half, and then maybe I could have the half I'm working at the moment, and she could threaten them with eviction for non-cultivation. It was all very vague, and left me hoping for something I'd given up hoping for - that one day that plot would be mine, and I wouldn't have to start all over again on another plot from scratch. When I told John, though, he said, "We've heard it all before though." And although Emma hasn't offered to do anything before, because she's relatively new in the job, and didn't really know about the situation till I told her about it in one of my innumerable emails a month or two ago, I find it hard to hope that she will find the time to sort out the situation. But she had noticed the state of the top half of the plot before I showed her it, so there is hope that it's registered with her and something may come of this meeting. I know what she's up against, though - not just the Salvation Army Enterprise Officer refusing to admit defeat, but other Salvationists wanting to turn it into raised beds (aaargh, not the dreaded raised beds! Lord preserve my allotment from raised beds!)
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