Dear fellow gardeners,
The Community Access Plot
Good news …. we are now ready to take applications for the range of raised beds available in our new Community Access Plot, beside the polytunnel. If you are struggling with your current plot in any way and feel that you would like to downsize, we have 17 positions available with a variety of heights and accessibility. You are very welcome to put your name down on the request list for a raised bed. More information from committee members Liz Kolbeck lizkolbeck12@gmail.com and Julie Heydon Julie.a.heydon@manchester.ac.uk who will help you manage your move. There will be a small charge for the raised beds, but much less than your current plot. You’ll be able to stay part of our Bradley Fold community, grow your own crops and not be overwhelmed by weeds. We have currently 300 applicants on our waiting list to get an allotment on Bradley Fold and it takes more than four years to get a plot , so we hope this helps offer better access to the most appropriate gardening opportunities for everyone in our community.
As part of the Community Access Plot, we are developing a turning point for cars on the former site 87, which was always prone to flooding and excess water despite the best efforts of gardeners there. The turning point can be used for drop-offs and for cars which wisely avoid the high road. It will have a small slope to ensure water run-off to the ponds and golf course. Any questions on the project please contact me jcottingham@hotmail.co.uk or message me on 07468612684 or talk to a committee member.
We are also improving community access to the polytunnel, paving it and installing a raised bed. The rest of the polytunnel will be used as always for crops for food banks and community kitchens. If you’d like to be involved please talk to a committee member or register in the shop to volunteer.
The Community Access Plot will also be a place where people can meet socially, with a picnic bench and other seating.
The Community Access Plot has been developed thanks to hard work from organisers and volunteers who have applied successfully for a range of grants , financial contributions, physical labour and plants . We offer them a huge thankyou and their work to date will be inspected by the Lord Mayor of Manchester who is visiting the project on Sunday June 16.
Dates for your diary
Sunday June 16 we will be open as part of Didsbury Open Gardens. Programmes are available from the Cheese Hamlet and other local shops. Visitors will be offered tours of the site and if you have any spare seedlings, or you’d like to bake a cake , please offer them up. We’ll put a table near the shop.
Sunday June 23 at 1pm is the summer barbecue…please bring your chairs to the barbecue area where volunteers will be grilling burgers and sausages…we appreciate donations of salads, desserts and cash to help cover costs. It’s a great afternoon to chat and socialise with neighbours, and catch up on allotment news
July 28 and September 1 are produce days when your excess fruit and veg will be distributed to local charities. Please leave produce in boxes on plot 41F. Thanks to Linda Fildes, Godfrey Wilson and Christine Clarke for organising this. If anyone would like to help,please contact Linda on ljfildes@gmail.com
How can you help?
We welcome all sorts of help to run our communal areas. If you are shopping at local Tescos , please use the blue tokens to vote for Bradley Fold…we could win up to £1500.
You can volunteer in the shop…pop in on Sundays at 11. It’s only for an hour and we want to encourage all plots to participate. And there are working parties on the first Sunday of every month…meet outside the shop at 11.30 to do your bit to help improve gardening for everyone.
We’d also like volunteers to help run our wildlife and security cameras. You’ll need a laptop and some basic technical knowledge. More information from Julie Heydon julie.a.heydon@manchester.ac.uk
Manchester City Council
The council as you know is responsible for our roads, fences and tree safety. We’re currently in discussion for work on the potholes, security and the Monterey Pines. In particular I am concerned about the viability of the high road so I’d advise drivers please to not use it, and to turn by the community access plot instead. The short stretch of road between the ponds and the middle road will therefore return to two way traffic. Please be courteous to other drivers.
Debris
We are encouraging scrub nesters and other wildlife in the brash on the former bonfire site so please don’t put any more debris there. The new signs are on order for the debris compound so we can all tidy up our plots. A further inspection will take place later this month.
Events
Looking ahead there are more opportunities for celebration when we reach our 70th anniversary in September. More information to follow. And our Christmas event will be held in St Cath’s community hall on Sunday December 15.
Best regards, Janine Cottingham Chair
On behalf on Bradley Fold Allotment Society