Allotment Competition Meeting 17 November 2014

LSMAA - Denny Senner, John Denton, Ron Melluish, Katy Delaney

Agreed that there is interest and a need for an allotment gathering to engage and re-connect committees & plotholders.

Judging

Criteria to be revised and agreed

Suggested 2 judges per area as a minimum. Need to gauge sooner rather than later whether there will be enough willing volunteers.

Meetings in advance of judging period to ensure all judges are clear on criteria

Judges will need to ensure availability within a 2 week period – suggested first two weeks of July

Each committee to put forward three suggested plots for judging

K.D. to select and forward for judging 3 each for the Lewisham Managed sites

Top winners overall to be judged by K.D. for final winners

Possible grouping of allotment sites for judging, assuming all enter; this would require 12 judges but can be less if any volunteers are willing to do more –

Bellingham New Cross & Deptford

Barmeston Road Windlass Place

Knapmill Way Blackhorse Road

Broadmead Edward Street

Leslie Silk Royal Naval Place Stage 1 & 2

Jim Hurren Stanley Street

Firhill Rd South Deloraine Street

Firhill Rd North

Sydenham & Forest Hill

Sydenham Park Exford Road

Meadow Close St Mildreds

Sedgehill

Blythe Hill

Blackheath & Lewisham Central

Dacre Park

Clarendon Rise

Slaithwaite Road

Romborough Gardens

Grove Park & Lee

Taylors Lane

Chinbrook Meadows

Longton Nursery Ballamore

Trewsbury Road Lee & District Land Club

Hurstbourne Road Kendale Road

Priestfield Road Oldstead Road

Castillon Road

Weavers Estate

Downham & Catford

Hazelbank Road

Need to consider Plan B if not enough people come forward. Do we just retain it as an allotment social more than competition type event?

Competition Admin

Best Plot (site and overall borough winner) and Best Site should remain as main categories

Provisional date of Saturday 3 rd October in the afternoon for allotment event

K.D. to check capacity and facilities at Beckenham Place Park

D.S. to check on alternative (Bowls Club?) should BPP not be feasible

Certificates awarded plus possible rent free year for each winner – only for plots entered.

Lewisham to provide certificates

K.D. to send out reminder of event to go out with rent letters in Feb/March

Would need confirmed acceptance of invites to event to be sure of sufficient attendance and to know no’s for catering - teas/coffees etc

Suggestion that it was not necessary to invite council members – please note that it is their support that keeps allotments on the agenda and ensures they are given a high profile so would be good practice to at least invite the Cabinet Member

Funding

Whilst the near future aim is for a much lower key, less costly event there is potential in future for sites/plotholders to contribute a small annual sum to any forthcoming events.

Sponsors could perhaps still be approached to contribute smaller amounts if needed – Phoebes/Glendale.

Engaging Members

LSMAA to liaise with members in advance to gauge –

Any other competition categories that they may be interested in having

Check that timing of event is suitable for most

Who may be interested in joining a panel of judges

LSMAA & KD to meet again at end of Feb