Offered Introductions and Explained the Process for the Evening

Minutes

-Welcome – Colin Hayward

Offered introductions and explained the process for the evening

-Minutes from previous AGM / Apologies

Agreed

Apologies from – Jim Barrett-Smith, Richard Codling, Gillian Ward, Terry and Maureen Sibley, Gillian Ward, John Burton, Mike and Francis Powell, Toni Barry, Tracey Heywood, Sarah Cully-Barber, Ann Butler.

-Chairman’s Report / Secretary’s Report / Allotment Development Report – Colin Hayward

Introduction

This is our third AGM and It has been a very busy and exciting second year for the Blofield Allotment Association (BAA) with the addition of 16 new allotments and completion of all the remaining car park and fencing infrasture work by volunteers.

Many thanks to the Parish Council for its support of the Blofield allotments which has seen the creation of a green space within the village, brought villagers together and provides great enjoyment to not only to those families that have allotments, but enables them to share the experience of growing and enjoying fresh food with their wider families and friends.

Particular thanks goes to Nicholas Crane our neigbouring farmer who very kindly paid for the allotments to be connected to the mains water supply and provided all the material and his teams time to build the connections between the mains and the allotment water tank. This was undoubtedly a costly piece of work.

Equally thanks goes to Anne Christie for all the work she does to manage our website and share photos and news with the wider community, we’ve had several people joing the waiting list year having found our website.

It’s been a real joy to particularly our children who would not have otherwise have access to expereincing community gardening and indeed the Blofield Cubs, Beavers and Scouts who are really enjoying the allotments on Thursday evenings – I never knew gardening was such a noisy past-time!

Funding and Rents

The Council provided c£12,500 from the 106 monies that enabled us to create this community space. We’ve now completed all the allotment development with remaining monies being for the Council meeting solicitors costs.

All 51 allotments are fully occupied with 15 on the waiting list, circa 5 wantiing an allotment ASAP and Council leases are in place.

Membership

The allotments are open to any family or friend to enjoy, but so as to provide us with access to the benefits and services of the National Allotment Association and make sure appropriate liability insurance is in place.

We have 54 paid up members who contribute £5 membership, around £4.50 of which meets the National Allotment Association and Insurance costs.

Housekeeping

We want to keep the allotments looking as good as they do today and with a strong waiting list there is no need to see negleted allotments so just a few reminder points.

Allotments as per our leases should be free from weeds, 25% cultivated after 3 months and 75% within a year.
Please keep the allotments clean and tiday, clearing away plastic and rubbish
Any hedges or paths adjoining your allotment please keep these cut back, free from weeds and trim the path edging (BAA Committee take responsibility for cutting the grass
If you use weed killer please consider your neighbours prize veg!
Vermin, doing our best to keep rabbits out equally with rates, if you do use rat killer on your own plot it must be used within a rat box to protect other wildlife.

We’ve a fantastic allotment site available for the whole community and as a community space it represents Blofield and Blofield Heath and therefore everyone who has an allotment or uses them has a duty to keeping them looking smart and well presented.

Plans for 2015/16

We’ve planted some of the mature apple trees from the Orchard at the top of the allotments and have seeded a small area for seating.

Also we hope to create a shelter, toolshed and composting toilet later this year from the limited funds we have, we may possibly seek some funding from the Parish to use some of the surplus funds they hold.

We’re likely to have a Autumn working party and given we’re likely to only need working parties once or twice a year everyone support for these would be great, as they say many hands make light work!

The Future of the Allotments

It’s fantatsic for the village that we’ve been able to create a small green space in an ever growing village. With the allotments being open to all between dawn and dusk every day, but we do need to consider how we may protect this long term.

We’re therefore encouraging the Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Plan to consider how they may protect this community space both now and for future generations.

And Finally

We’ve supported the Blofield Open Gardens this weekend and we’re our Summer BBQ on 23rd August so do please keep the date free and come along.

Thanks to all the committee members who help manage the allotments, please do join the committee if you’d like to get involved, it’s only 5 or 6 evening meetings per year.

Treasurer’s Report – Andrea Matthews

See separate BAA Profit and Loss Account 1/12/14 to 20/04/15.

Committee Stand down and Elections

-Chairperson

Trevor Duckham – Standing down

Nominations – None position remain vacant

-Vice Chairperson

Jim Barrett-Smith - Re-standing

Nominated Andrea Matthews

Seconded David Coldham

Unaminously agreed

-Secretary

Colin Hayward - Re-standing

Nominated Sally Butler

Seconded Ron Stanford

Unaminously agreed

-Treasurer

Andrea Matthews - Re-standing

Nominated Colin Hayward

Seconded Paul Culley-Barber

Unaminously agreed

Committee Members

Richard Codling - Re-standing

Nominated Lionel Power

Seconded Ron Stnford

Unaminously agreed

Gillian Stanfield - Re-standing

Nominated Patricia Gaisburgh-Watkyn

Seconded David Coldham

Unaminously agreed

David Coldham - Re-standing

Nominated Colin Hayward

Seconded Jo Madejczyk

Unaminously agreed

Beth Baverstock - Re-standing

Nominated Patricia Gaisburgh-Watkyn

Seconded Andrea Matthews

Unaminously agreed

Jolanta Madejczyk - Re-standing

Nominated Colin Hayward

Seconded Sally Butler

Unaminously agreed

Tracey Heywood - Re-standing

Nominated Patricia Gaisburgh-Watkyn

Seconded Colin Hayward

Unaminously agreed

Paul Culley-Barber – Resigning

New Committee Members

Committee Member 1 –

Anne Christie-

Nominated Patricia Gaisburgh-Watkyn

Seconded Andrea Matthews

Unaminously agreed

Chairperson – No Nominations, remains Vacant

Committee Member 2 – No nominations remains vacant

-Question and Answers

Patricia Gaisburgh-Watkyn asked if the council could support the cost of the BAA shelter/store/toilet – Advised this is something the Committee would consider and possibly present to the Parish Council once costings known.

Sue Power asked if a plot became abandon and weeds grew could this be cut back and plot covered until a new plot holder takes it on. Agreed this is something BAA Committee would have no objection to but would need to be co-ordinated with the committee.

Advised when new plot holders take a plot, the actual lease would be created annually the following April by the Parish Council

Confirmed a contact list would be placed on the notice board.

Asked if Jim could issue a updated temperature and rainfall report, agreed we’d arrange this.

Asked when the new hedging should be cut back, advised this should be left as is and the Committee will advise when they may be cut and to what height. The plastic collars may be left on as these will disintegrate naturally.

Paul Culley-Barber encouraged members to attend the Parish Council meetings so as to demonstrate the support for the allotments and remain engaged with the Parish Council.

-Next AGM To be agreed

-Meeting closed 8:30 for Coffees, cake