Donation towards seeds and plants

Many thanks to Mr Ian Brindle of Illingworth's Insurance Brokers for his donation of money towards seeds and plants for the special needs plot. This project has seen much generosity that has helped in the creation from a scruffy corner at the entrance to Glen Allotments into what we hope is going to be a wonderful resource that will give much pleasure for years to come.

Final Meeting Before Open Day & Table Top

Just a little reminder to all volunteers for 9 April, that there will be a meeting in the Heworth Conservative Club, East Parade at 8.00 p.m. next Wednesday 30 March for final planning and allocation of tasks.

Further Tidying

 

 Levelling off roadway next to plot 46 for the special needs children. The mini digger was kindly loaned by Elvington Plant Hire.

Martin's Skip Hire come up trumps again with a free load of topsoil to be used in levelling out the roadway next to plot 46.

 

Reg with another barrowload (just one of several loads) for the levelling job.

Untidy area by the Scrope plots cleaned up and levelled, possibly for creation of some starter beds for new plot holders whilst they wait for a larger plot.

So once again it is many thanks to Elvington Plant Hire, Martin's Skips and Mitchell Landscapes for their generosity in donating equipment, materials and time.

Welcome Board

Monday morning follow on from Saturday's tidy up was the erection of the "Welcome To Glen Allotments" signboard created for us in the Remploy workshop. Here is Mac wielding the spirit level whilst Reg tightens up the screws fixing the board to the posts.

Finish touch of two small conifers planted in front of the support posts, job well done.

Tidy Up Day Saturday 12 February

Partly in preparation for the Plot 46 open day on 9 April and partly to get the hedge back cleared for planting Beech whips where the hedge is a bit open we had a clearing up day. Nev Lowes borrowed a tractor and bucket from Moor Lane Construction which once the leaking hydraulic hose had been replaced was used to gather up accumulated mounds of rubbish along the hedge back and soggy water-laden pieces of carpet on plots that had been given up. By shortly after lunch we had completely filled a large skip from Martin's skip hire.

 Barry looks like he might be playing cricket here as he sends a piece of rubbish bouncing to the boundary for a four!

Three bonfires were on the go getting rid of rotten wood, one on Mac's plot, one on Phil's plot and one on Reg's plot. Reg almost had a disaster when the boarding on his raised bed started to smoulder. It was soon sorted and coolled with a garden hose.

Phil stacking his fire with a bit more rotten wood.

More Sponsorship For Plot 46 for Youngsters With Special Needs

Ongoing sponsorship and fund raising is going to be an important part of keeping this project going after the opening on 9 April. Mr and Mrs I Parker of Parker Developments, Malton Road and Mitchell landscapes have funded and opened a bank account for the purpose of ongoing maintenance of the plot.

So, a big thank you to the Parkers for their generosity and kindness. As Mac says "without these kind friends I would be nowhere near to finishing the plot for 9th April opening".

Keep your eyes open Mac's new welcome sign which will be appearing at the entrance soon.

Have you seen the York Press article on the project? Mac (as opposed to Matt), and Barry want to clarify that other members of the Glen Allotment association have been involved with the work in various capacities. I'll list a few here but I am bound to miss someone, so I'll apologise now for any ommisions, feel free to let me know of any tasks I have missed or people I have missed and I'll amend the post.

Bulb Planting

• Norah
• Audrey
• Ann
• Sian
• John
• Phil and his friends

Weeding

• Ann

Clearing Up Wind Demolished Greenhouse

• Dwayne
• John

Erection of new greenhouse and shed

• Mac
• Barry
• Nev
• Reg

Keeping tight control on the purse strings and writing cheques when needed!

• Norah

Rallying the troops for Table Top Sale

• Joanne

Table Top Sale and Grand Opening of Plot 46 For Youngsters With Special Needs

Why Have I not Been at The Allotment the Last Two Weeks?

 

Here is the first clue!

No don't be silly, I know it has been wet the last few weeks but I don't think there are any crocodiles on Glen Allotments! 

So here is the next clue, and no Mac it isn't a garden for people with Scottish accents!

Ann and I have been in Singapore for the last two weeks and visited several interesting gardens and wildlife reserves. I addition we also did the obligatory shopping in Orchard Road and visited a couple of museums including the Changi Prison Chapel museum which relates the story of the fall of Singapore and the story of the allied prisoners of war. I was pleased to see that one of the displays included information on a wonderful lady Mary Seah. I had met Mary when I was a child in Singapore, she pedalled a tricycle around RAF Changi and the army base at Selarang selling fruit. At the time of the fall her son went missing and she had gone to Changi Jail to search for him. Here she found POWs needing medicines which she smuggled to them. Mary never found her son and he was probably a victim of the Sook Ching massacres in which large numbers of Chinese in Singapore were rounded up and slaughtered at various sites including Changi beach, Tanah Merah, Punggol Beach and Blakang Mati.

As ever, Singapore is a bustling ever changing place that is wonderful to visit. As new gardens are planned and under construction in the Marina Bay area probably opening in June next year I am sure it will not be long before Ann and I make a return visit and go missing from the plot again.

Just to round off a picture from the wonderful National Orchid Garden which is located in the Botanic Gardens. There is an admission charge for the Orchid Garden which is currently $5 (about £2.50) or $1 if you are entitled to a concession rate. It is well worth the admission price.