We got very lucky with today’s BBQ and the weather stayed fine for the duration. GFAA was pleased to welcome friends from TAMS and The Macmillan Charity on the day. The raffle and donations on the day raised £210 for Macmillan funds. Special thanks go to Gill for all her hard work organising things.
We were blessed with a glorious day today for the latest of our Kaimhill Primary 2 visits.
Stuart, Jacqui, Gill and Norman led a full team of 26 pupils, two teachers and two parent helpers in activities including: tattle planting, seed sowing, compost barrowing and daffodil dead-heading. I think we can safely say a power of work got done and a good time was had by all.
2016 marks GFAA’s third year in the It’s Your Neighbourhood Scheme. We achieved a Thriving assessment at our first go and now we have an Outstanding ranking to defend in 2016 after our success last year. Outstanding is the highest award possible. Taking part in IYN has been a source of good advice on growing, the environment and building a better community, but just as importantly, it has helped us open doors to getting more external funding for our site and facilities.
This last month Norman and I took part in a workshop to help us prepare for this year’s assessment. It’s an important year as 2016 marks the 50th Anniversary of Britain in Bloom. The workshop was hosted jointly by IYN, The Royal Horticultural Society and Aberdeen City Council.
Juliette Camburn hosting and appearing for IYN
Stephen Shaw for Aberdeen City Council
Liz Stewart for RHS
Karen Allan for Aberdeen City Council
Some of the key messages for our preparation included:
So, we have lots to get on with then! I and any of the committee members will welcome all suggestions and discussions about our key developments and plans for the future – and of course help to prepare our site for the upcoming IYN Assessment visit.
Carole Baxter from the Beechgrove Garden will revisit us to meet with plotters and record another segment for her Radio Scotland show on Wednesday 18 May from about 10.30 onwards.
If you can be on site then and would like to meet with Carole please let Stuart know in advance of the date. Carole is happy to take on any and all gardening questions.
Thanks to the Magnificent Seven who helped with the bonfire today. We started in snow at 10.00, but finished in sunshine at 12.30 – largely due to the above and beyond efforts of our helpers. No names, no pack drill, but thanks to all who were able to find the time to help.
It was very satisfying to see our site get a good clear up as tonnes of old wood, rasp canes and the like went up in smoke. It’s amazing how much rubbish we seem to gather over the course of a plotting year.
It was less satisfying to have to wade though the piles of cut grass, weeds, plastic, old metal and other non-combustible debris that were left to be dealt with. Please remember that there is NO facility for the collection of waste from our site and plotters should remove such materials from the site and use their domestic brown or black bins for their disposal – assuming they cannot be composted on individual plots. Remember that most annual green waste is compostable and provides an excellent soil improver – this being the greenest possible form of treatment. Plotters without cars can approach any committee member who will be pleased to help with alternative methods of removal where it is possible.
We are suffering a spate of fly tipping. If you do see anyone dropping off waste on site, please challenge them and take a note of their car numbers, or better still photograph them. Get in touch with a committee member and we will inform the appropriate authorities to take action where and when we can.
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