Take a look at this fascinating Allotment Agreement from 1885
Click here to find out about the Bonfire Ban
Refugees: Allotments will be offered rent-free to refugees hosted by families in the Parish. The reason for this motion was that allotments provide the the opportunity to grow healthy food locally – perhaps food from the refugee’s country of origin, the opportunity to meet many other members of the community in an ‘open’ space, and most importantly allotments (and indeed gardening) have proven, well researched benefits for mental and physical health:
Wildlife & Wildlife Survey: The Bugs Bees and Broccoli Survey set up by BugLife with the National Allotment Society is now available
Moths | Butterfly Conservation (butterfly-conservation.org)
Gloucestershire Organic Gardening Group Coach Trip to St Fagan’s National Museum of History (PDF)
Advice for Allotment holders from the National Allotment Society
Find out more here about what our Volunteer Allotment Wardens’ responsibilities are (PDF)
See here to look at a sample tenancy agreement
Bisley Allotments
Location: Bisley
Contact: Lesley Greene, Allotment Warden
e: lesleygreene2@googlemail.com
t: 01452 770018
For more details about the Bisley Allotments, Community Composting Scheme and Community Orchard see Revised Bisley Allotments
Chestergate Allotments & Teeds Rise are now on the Butterfly Conservations “wild space” website. The allotments can be found at https://wild-spaces.co.uk/wild-space/?wildSpace=21600568&wildSpaceType=community-space
And All Saints Churchyard and Teeds Rise find at https://wild-spaces.co.uk/wild-space/?wildSpace=21600874&wildSpaceType=community-space
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Eastcombe Allotments
Location: Eastcombe
Contact: Chris James is the allotment warden
There is high demand for plots on this village site with ample water troughs scattered throughout.
Here is an article from the National Allotment Society Magazine about Wildlife Development on the Eastcombe Allotments Autumn 2021 (PDF)
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Oakridge Allotments
Location: Oakridge
Contact: Dennis Robbins, Allotment Warden for Oakridge and Far Oakridge
e: d.robbins1945@btinternet.com
t: 01285 760375
Contact: Kim Barber allotment warden for Waterlane
With the increasing popularity of grow your own produce it is worth a reminder that there is still plenty of space for new allotments at the three Oakridge sites of Oakridge Lynch (adjacent to the Recreation Ground), Far Oakridge and Waterlane.
A full size allotment is roughly 250 sq yards which may seem daunting at first glance. Why not start with a half allotment to see how you go?
The rental payable at the beginning of September each year is £15
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Good news, this article from the University of Sussex explains how a harvest yield was achieved through insect pollination and limited pesticide use.
The Urban Pollinators Team at the Universities of Bristol, Reading and Edinburgh found that allotments can make a wonderful habitat for pollinators – vegetables, flowers, fruit trees and compost heaps – all can provide pollen over the seasons. Visit their lovely website blog showing how to encourage pollinators with stunning photograph
For some interesting background information about allotments, their history, heritage, and role in the community, see this research paper published by Lesley Acton, who is studying at UCL Institute of Archaeology.
This article in the Journal of Applied Ecology (PDF) about soil quality on allotments versus commercial agriculture has been flagged up by the NAS (National Allotment Association). The International Year of Soils serve as a platform for raising awareness on the importance of sustainable soil management as the basis for food systems, essential ecosystem functions and better adaptation to climate change for present and future generations.
Gardening is good for you – get an allotment!
Researchers from The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, used a cohort study of over 4,200 Stockholm residents aged 60 and over. The results of the study, which tracked participants’ cardiovascular health for around 12.5 years, were published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The findings show that keeping active through gardening or DIY projects can cut the risk of heart attack or stroke by up to 30%.
Daily Gardening Is As Good For Mental Wellbeing As Regular Vigorous Exercise (PDF)
The Fruit Exchange aims to save unwanted fruit around Stroud from being wasted.
Sheffield University MYHarvest (Measure Your Harvest) is an opportunity to participate in an exciting research project that will estimate the contribution people who grow their own fruit and vegetable crops are making to UK national food production. For more information on how to contribute see MYHarvest.
An interview with Isabel Oliver (PDF), Consultant Epidemioligist and Director of Field Epidemioligy for Public Health England, by Lesley Greene. This article was reproduced from Issue 1 2018 of the Allotment and Leisure Gardener magazine with kind permission of the National Allotment Society.