Dear allotment colleagues,

Good news that our wonderful volunteers continue to upgrade our taps and water supplies. This means from time to time the water will be switched off so please make sure you keep your water butts, baths, cans and containers filled up. Certainly between Sunday 27 and Tuesday 29 the water will be off occasionally for two hour sessions. Keep an eye please on the notice board, or Facebook group or the volunteer WhatsApp for more updates.

Everyone’s welcome to post on Facebook or in the WhatsApp group and please keep subjects relevant to the allotments: we’ve had a couple of issues where the chat has strayed off topic so we’ve had to delete. Appreciated.

Also, it’s almost four months after the flood, so we are back to normal business. See the Green book as a reminder. Basically, please don’t wander over or forage from other peoples’ plots, don’t flytip, do cultivate and fertilise your plot and don’t block paths or roads.

We’re also asking on Bradley Fold that you pay heed to future flood risks by labelling your possessions, securing your sheds and equipment, keeping verges free of structures so that large machinery can more around, that no more glass is brought on site and that everyone has their own compost heap. Thanks everyone for helping us manage life on the floodplain. 

Our regular inspections have restarted so some people will have received letters about plots if you are behind schedule with your cultivation. Do let us know privately if you have challenges, our volunteers can potentially help or we might be able to match you with a temporary helper. 

Thanks also to everyone who donated plants and time to Lancasterian special school. They are doing a risk assessment later this week to see if the children can make regular visits , particularly to appreciate our burgeoning wildlife. More information soon on next stages of development there. 

Now some dates for your diary.

On Sunday May 11 at 3pm we are buying some well deserved refreshments for the shed shifters and wheelbarrow warriors across at the sports ground. All welcome to say thanks, and if you can’t make it, you can drop off a donation to the refreshment fund in a clearly marked envelope through the shop letterbox. Thanks. 

Please save the date on Sunday June 22 at 2pm for our summer bbq and shared spread of delicious contributions. Catch up with old friends and meet new fellow gardeners.

You can donate excess crops to our produce days on July 27 and September 7 where we deliver them to charity, food banks and other good causes.

Looking further ahead, we will hold a Christmas social on Sunday December 14 at 2pm and the 2026 AGM will be on Sunday April 26 at 2pm.

Enjoy your gardening everyone and thanks again to all the volunteers who keep our community strong and resilient.

Best regards from all the committee,

Janine Cottingham.

Chair, Bradley Fold Allotments