1 @SKGAS The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter Spring/Summer 2014 From the chairman It never rains but it pours, or so it seems of late. But we can’t complain too much, as we’ve not had such a bad year of it so far. OK, so it was wet enough for bog snorkelling on some plots at Goodmayes and the clay on some parts of Wards Road South was so wet it was only fit for making bricks. But it has been a mild winter and our plots are benefiting from that gentle start now. It doesn’t feel like it as I write this, but summer will soon be upon us and from June 1st, all fires are prohibited to protect the sites which can get very dry, very quickly. We’ve had a few problems with fires again this year, because some members refuse to use common sense when lighting them. So, think about it before you light a fire. Do you need to burn – can you compost it? In most cases, the answer will be yes. If you can’t compost it, take it with you as the council collects green waste from your door each week. If you haven’t got a green bag, they’re easily had by calling the council and asking for one. A number of us have also had people asking about rubbish clearance. The council no longer supports us with skips, so they will be very infrequently ordered. And we will not tolerate people filling them with rubbish that could or should have been removed to the dump. It’s a different matter if it’s discovered on a plot you’ve just taken on, but if you brought it onto the site, it’s up to you to take it off. Please help your stewards to keep the place tidy, because the tidier a site, the less likely are the incidences of robbery and vandalism. The plot competition will be held in the second week of July and if you’d like to enter please fill in an entry form (available from huts or website, see p. 7 for further details). You need a number on your plot, and if you don’t have one clearly visible, you should, so please sort one out yourself in your own style, or see if the stewards have anything suitable for you to make one up. Go on, it can’t hurt and it is a requirement, in any case. We have a new category this year in memory of our president, Alan Hooker, who we lost this year. The category is less prescriptive, with no need to fill in an entry form, and encourages members with attractive plots. As a great lover of flowers – indeed Alan was a specialist in some areas – the only stipulations are that any tidy plot may be judged as long as it features flowers, and not just the ones on top of your spuds. Unfortunately our festival will not be running this year due to other commitments for our lead organiser and some key members of the team. We hope to hold another in 2015, and thank everybody who has worked hard to make the festival happen for each of the last seven years, especially Sue Cunningham. However, the society will be represented at the Redbridge Green Fair on Sunday May 25th, and the Area 5 Community Festival on Sunday 13th July. Further information and contact details can be found on p.5, for volunteers to help or donate produce and plants for sale. I look forward to seeing you there. Pádraig Floyd Chair, Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society
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The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
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@SKGASThe Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
Spring/Summer 2014
From the chairmanIt never rains but it pours, or so it seems of late. But we can’t complain too much, as we’ve not had such a bad year of it so far.
OK, so it was wet enough for bog snorkelling on some plots at Goodmayes and the clay on some parts of Wards Road South was so wet it was only fit for making bricks. But it has been a mild winter and our plots are benefiting from that gentle start now.
It doesn’t feel like it as I write this, but summer will soon be upon us and from June 1st, all fires are prohibited to protect the sites which can get very dry, very quickly.
We’ve had a few problems with fires again this year, because some members refuse to use common sense when lighting them.
So, think about it before you light a fire. Do you need to burn – can you compost it? In most cases, the answer will be yes.
If you can’t compost it, take it with you as the council collects green waste from your door each week. If you haven’t got a green bag, they’re easily had by calling the council and asking for one.
A number of us have also had people asking about rubbish clearance. The council no longer supports us with skips, so they will be very infrequently ordered. And we will not tolerate people filling them with rubbish that could or should have been removed to the dump. It’s a different matter if it’s discovered on a plot you’ve just taken on, but if you brought it onto the site, it’s up to you to take it off.
Please help your stewards to keep the place tidy, because the tidier a site, the less likely are the incidences of robbery and vandalism.
The plot competition will be held in the second week of July and if you’d like to enter please fill in an entry form (available from huts or website, see p. 7 for further details). You need a number on your plot, and if you don’t have one clearly visible, you should, so please sort one out yourself in your own style, or see if the stewards have anything suitable for you to make one up. Go on, it can’t hurt and it is a requirement, in any case.
We have a new category this year in memory of our president, Alan Hooker, who we lost this year. The category is less prescriptive, with no need to fill in an entry form, and encourages members with attractive plots. As a great lover of flowers – indeed Alan was a specialist in some areas – the only stipulations are that any tidy plot may be judged as long as it features flowers, and not just the ones on top of your spuds.
Unfortunately our festival will not be running this year due to other commitments for our lead organiser and some key members of the team. We hope to hold another in 2015, and thank everybody who has worked hard to make the festival happen for each of the last seven years, especially Sue Cunningham.
However, the society will be represented at the Redbridge Green Fair on Sunday May 25th, and the Area 5 Community Festival on Sunday 13th July. Further information and contact details can be found on p.5, for volunteers to help or donate produce and plants for sale.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Pádraig Floyd Chair,
Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society
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New water supply at Vicarage Lane SouthYour Society has now put in a new water supply at Vicarage Lane South, finished in late February 2014. Eleven large new tanks and new pipes replaced a system over 50 years old that was leaky and inadequate.
With a 32mm ring main now in place the former problems of dry tanks at the end of the system should be reduced, helping members cope with the demands of Essex’s usual dry summers.
The water supply programme began in 2006 with Benton Road, followed by Wards Road South, Vicarage Lane North, Wards Road North and then Goodmayes in 2013. Previous installations involved extensive trenching works with a mini digger, pipe laying by a contracted member of the Society and then back filling. This disrupted plots and paths.
For the first time at Vicarage Lane South the Society used a moling firm, EPS, who dug holes at intervals and sent a compressed
air powered “mole” through the earth, then using the mole to pull pipes through. This dramatically reduced disruption to member’s plots.
To save money society members volunteered to install tanks supplied by Farm and Country Supplies of Epping. This project was co-ordinated by site steward Peter Trimby, helped by Laurie Croll, Joe Boylan, Brian Jeffries, a member who wishes to remain anonymous plus some help from Roger Backhouse.
Learning from previous installations the Society put in larger tanks holding 150 gallons (enough for 75 standard watering cans) placed on concrete gravel boards to reduce sinking. The total cost was around £9,300, one of the lowest cost installations undertaken by the Society, thanks to members who helped free of charge to install tanks and bases.
The Society contributed about half this cost from its own funds, with other money coming
Laurie Croll and Peter Trimby planning works with Darren and John from EPS.
Joe Boylan, Brian Jeffries and Peter Trimby unload new tanks.
Moles - powered by compressed air these hammer through the soil. Later they drag the new pipe through the hole. No trenching is needed, just holes dug at approx 20 yard intervals.
Putting gravel boards in place ready for new tanks.
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from Redbridge Council’s Area 5 and Area 7 committees thanks to applications prepared by Roger Backhouse and Mike Fitzmaurice.
The Society is grateful to the Area Committees for this help – they have also helped fund other society water supplies, the Goodmayes Allotment Garden Festival and the Wards Road South hut.
Nationally and even in Redbridge some sites lack any water supply making the Society’s achievement of installing six new supplies all the more remarkable.
New path at Vicarage Lane North
The next plan is to install a new path down the bank into Vicarage Lane North site. This site has more plots let than at any time in the last 15 years and the path is becoming worn. It will be replaced with a concrete path. Again, Area Committees 5 and 7 have helped with funding, to be matched by Society funds and volunteer help.
Mole enters hole, pipe to follow.
Stop tap assembled and connected to new ring main. All tanks now have stop taps, a lesson learned from earlier installations to make future repairs easier.
Fixing pipework and levelling tank.
Making connection to toilets.
First tank installed and tested.
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AGM ReportThe 86th Annual General Meeting of the Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society was held on Tuesday 8th April 2014, 7.30pm at the Goodmayes Community Centre, 616c Green Lane, Ilford. Close to fifty members and friends attended, welcomed by Society Chairman Padraig Floyd.
Cups and certificates were awarded, and society officers made their annual reports. Minutes of the meeting are available from the society website (www.skgas.org) or from [email protected].
A new trophy, donated by Cherry Hooker, was announced in memory of former society president Alan Hooker. This will be awarded for the most attractive plot including flowers and will be judged on a subjective basis.
Updates were given on some new projects. A new water system has been installed at Vicarage Lane south, funding has been awarded by the Olympic Legacy Committee to install raised beds at Goodmayes for older or disabled members and there will be a polytunnel letting pilot scheme at Benton Road. All this has been achieved thanks to
members who made the effort to make things happen.
After his election as the new Society President, Paul Dye noted that we must maintain our good relations with Redbridge council, and also remain vigilant in keeping our sites as green spaces for allotmenting.
Existing committee members stood for re-election as follows:
Chairman: Padraig Floyd; Secretary: Ed Oliver; Treasurer: Mike Fitzmaurice; Membership Secretaries: Marian Hogg, Pete Southern; Trading Secretary: Paul Dye; Committee Member: Sue Cunningham; Ground Stewards: Marshall Lambert, Sheila Nisbet (Goodmayes), Chris Goreham, Padraig Floyd, Peter Trimby (Vicarage Lane South) Rowland Lyons (Vicarage Lane North). All were elected nem. con., proposed and seconded from the floor by various members.
John Lang (Goodmayes) and Richard Maidwell (Wards Road south) volunteered to stand as site steward for their respective sites, and were duly elected nem. con.
Roger Backhouse was Highly Commended in the 2013 Alderman Clark Cup competition. Avtar Heer, winner of the Chatting Cup, 2013.
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Important dates for your diary - volunteers needed!
Redbridge Green Fair, Melbourne Field, Valentines Park The society will be represented at the Green Fair this on Sunday 25th May, 11.00am–7.00pm. We will be running paper pot-making and seedling planting for children, as well as selling shop stock and plants. This event also raises our profile in the community, helping to ensure a steady supply of new plot holders. If you can spare an hour or two to help, or can donate any plants for sale, please contact Mike Fitzmaurice on [email protected] or 0208 590 2409.
Area 5 ‘Our Community’ FestivalBarley Lane recreation groundThe society will also be represented at the Area 5 festival on Sunday 13th July 12.00–4.00pm. Area 5 Committee has generously supported the allotment society over the past few years. As at the Green Fair, we will be handing out leaflets and selling plants etc. Anyone willing to help out, please contact Ed Oliver on 07902 486629 or [email protected]
Annual Macmillan Coffee & Cake Morning & Produce Sale Sunday 28th September 2014, 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 pm, at Goodmayes Lane. This fund-raising event for Macmillan has been popular over the last two years and provides an enjoyable social occasion for a worthy cause. All members are welcome to attend. Once again, Marian Hogg will be co-ordinating this.
Save Farm Terrace allotmentsMembers may be aware of a high-profile case where Watford council have tried to sell off allotment land. Since 2010 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has disposed of 59 of the 61 allotments he has been asked to review. Farm Terrace, a 118-year-old Statutory Allotment in Watford is one of the sites that could be concreted over, but the plotholders are fighting back by taking Pickles to the High Court. The outcome of the case will set a legal precedent for all allotments, but legal action is expensive. Help Farm Terrace and protect your own plot by donating whatever you can to the @SaveFarmTerrace fighting fund at www.gofundme.com/save-farm-terrace.
Important - new plot rental payment date
In January 2014 members were charged only three-quarters of the normal rental payment and membership fee, to cover the period
until the end of September 2014. From 1st October 2014 the Society will permanently switch to an annual rental period that runs from 1st October to 30th September, so please be ready to pay for a full
year’s allotmenting this October.
The future of Goodmayes Park ExtensionFollowing the collapse of the plan to lease the area to a football club, Redbridge Council will be asking local residents and respondents to a previous consultation how they would like the space to be used. Our society has an interest as we are adjacent to the site. Goodmayes Residents’ Association and the Friends of Goodmayes Park have some ideas which the committee will be discussing in due course. Individual members should also look out for a new consultation, to which they may contribute.
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Society businessBonfire banPlease note that bonfires are banned on all our sites between 1st June and 30th September. There seems to be a misconception that during the period of the bonfire ban it is acceptable to have a bonfire in a metal container. Such fires are not allowed due to the risk of grass fires, complaints of smoke from neighbouring houses, and the constraints of our insurance policy.
Viewing the newsletter onlineThis newsletter, along with the previous six editions, is available to view on-screen in colour at www.issuu.com/skgas
We would like as many members as possible to view future newsletters online to save printing and postage costs which have again increased recently. If we do not have your email, or if you have recently changed your email address, please send your details to [email protected]
Wards Road north site steward neededThe Wards Road north site has been without a steward for some time. If anyone who has a plot there would like to volunteer for the job please get in touch with Padraig Floyd ([email protected]) or Ed Oliver ([email protected]). It needn’t be an onerous task, which can range from keeping an eye on things and reporting problems to the committee, to getting hands-on with site development projects if you have time and inclination to be further involved.
CondolencesWe are sad to report the passing of the following members: Mohammed Razzaque, Daphne Greig and Jim McDonnell.
Change of payment date for plot rentalsAt the 2013 Annual General Meeting it was agreed that the payment date for plots should change from January to October. This will allow empty plots to be let during the autumn, giving new members much longer to dig, in readiness for spring planting. With the current system, plots are not often available until March. As re-let plots are often grassy and overgrown it can be a struggle for new starters to clear enough space to grow anything, leading to disillusionment. Many other allotment societies already use this payment date. In January 2014 members were charged only three-quarters of the normal rental payment and membership fee, to cover the period until the end of September 2014. From 1st October 2014 the Society will permanently switch to an annual rental period that runs from 1st October to 30th September, so please be ready to pay for a full year’s allotmenting this October.
Use of our sitesPlease note that our lease from the council allows for quiet enjoyment of plots and we are restricted to using the facility during the hours of daylight.
Flat tyre on your barrow?Martin Hughes reports that he took a wheelbarrow wheel to be repaired at the bike shop in Green Lane. The owner now holds wheelbarrow inner tubes in stock, unfortunately, they are pretty dear at approx £14 but it’s worth knowing that there is a place we can get them: The Cycle Store, 613 Green Lane, Goodmayes. Tel: 0208 597 0266.
ThanksMany thanks to all the Goodmayes members who helped on the working groups at the Goodmayes site on Sunday 8th December and Sunday 9th March. A large quantity of woodchip was shifted and
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Society business (continued)some vacant plots were given a ‘starter’ patch of digging before re-letting.
Thank you to Roger Backhouse and Padraig Floyd for kindly donating raffle prizes at the AGM.
The society is also indebted to the members at Vicarage Lane South who worked hard installing the new water supply, saving the society a considerable amount of money. Special thanks to Roger Backhouse and Peter Trimby for organising this and successfully steering the project from conception to completion.
Japanese KnotweedOutcrops of this invasive weed at our Wards Road sites were sprayed on 3rd May. We are keeping an eye on the problem and hope that further spraying will kill it off. Many thanks to Matthew Oliver for carrying out the work.
New fence at Wards Road NorthA rickety wire mesh fence has been replaced with metal palings and the gates have been upgraded with palings at Wards Road North. This improves security at the site following a spate of burglaries in the neighbouring houses where access may have been gained from our site.
Entry forms for plot judgingJudging for the Alderman Clark Cup 2014 (best plot), will take place in the second week of July, see noticeboards for further information. Competition entry forms and judging criteria are now available from the trading huts, or by download from the society website (www.skgas.org), or by email from [email protected]. Please note that there is a limit to the number of plots that can be judged in one day. A preliminary sift may be necessary if there are lots of entries.
Seasonal eating from the plot: Rhubarb & Orange Compote
I had a few sticks of rhubarb left from jam making last week so put this together.I had it chilled with plain yoghurt for breakfast, but think it would work well warm withrice pudding or with ice cream or custard. I hope you find it Rhubarb-licious!
400g of rhubarb trimmed, sliced into roughly 2 inch/5cm lengths40g of caster sugar2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice or unsweetened from a carton will do1 star anise or a cinnamon stick – optional
Put the rhubarb in to a large saucepan (not Aluminium as the metal reacts with rhubarb juices and will taste horrid).
Add the sugar, orange juice and star anise or cinnamon stick if using (or both if you are feeling adventuresome!)
Heat gently until the juices run from the rhubarb, give it a stir and cover with a lid or foil and gently cook moving the rhubarb pieces around a couple of times without breaking them up too much.
Test for their tenderness with the point of a knife, remove from the heat.
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http://www.westdean.org.uk/gardens
Saturday 21st June 2014, leaving the Goodmayes Lane site at 9.00am and returning at about 7.30pm.
"West Dean must be the greatest kitchen garden open to the public in the world, with immaculate glasshouses, ferneries, cutting gardens, peach-houses and, all in all,
everything you would expect of a High Victorian set-up in tiptop condition. And the pergola (Harold Peto) is for my money also the best in England"
Tim Richardson, Garden Design Journal, October 2013
£22.50 per person including travel and garden entry
There is a picnic area for those who wish to bring their own lunch, and a restaurant. Also a Garden shop.
West Dean Design and Craft Fair - workshops, demonstrations covering creative crafts, cookery and gardening will be running on the day of our visit.
A 48 seat coach has been provisionally booked but we will need to have 40 confirmed places taken by 21st May for the event to go ahead. Once a ticket has been paid for, should the ticket-holder wish to cancel for any reason, it will be their responsibility to find someone to replace them.
Anyone interested in this day out should contact John Barber on 020 8590 6792 before
