Two important updates have recently been added to our Advice Pages. The new pages deal with:
Plotters are asked to take note.
Sharp-eyed plotters will have noticed the Octagon is sporting a fresh coat of paint. Thanks go to the painters.
There were hopes early on that a colour scheme of alternating stripes of Meconopsis Blue and Primrose Yellow might be entertained, but apparently, some plotting convention requires all painting to be done in drab green or battleship grey.
From left to right: Mike, Norman, Gordon, Monet, George and Stuart
To be honest, the end-result still looks pretty stunning!
A big vote of thanks goes this week to George (Plot 40) and John (Plot 50) for their heroic efforts to repair the ride on mower.
John and George spent two long, hot days in the sun wrestling with a very worn and stuborn blade before they finally managed to get it free and a new blade installed.
Hats off to you boys and big thanks on behalf of the whole GFAA community for getting a really important and difficult job done.
Ms Fraser along with Mrs Grant brought their P3/4 class for their first visit to Garthdee field today and they made quite an impact. Their enthusiasm was very catching.
In groups, they enjoyed tattie planting, bean sowing and flower propagation and everyone was impressed with their knowledge gained in their classroom topic, Growing.
Thanks go to all and especially, Stuart, Gill, Jacqui, Phil, Graeme, Anja, Charlotte and Marion for their help on the day. I think we can safely say, a good time was had by all!
Our allotment site is looking good just now with the fruit trees in blossom, the grass cut and plots prepared with planting underway. Everyone does their best to keep their own plot and other parts of the site tidy and in good nick but just recently there have been occasions when clumps of weed and divots from some plot or other have been dumped at the bottom of the site and there have been several occasions when the overhead barrier at the site entrance has been left open overnight.
So this is a gentle reminder for all allotment holders and their helpers to observe the following good practice:-
a) Not dumping any unwanted material on site. If you don’t want it on your plot, take it away to the Council recycling depots or your domestic waste bins or ask a Committee member to help you dispose of material if you’re having difficulty.
b) If you open the overhead barrier, make sure you close it when you leave. It would also be helpful if you’re last out in the evening to put the chain across the entrance.
c) Make sure your plot is numbered and that the number is visible from the access tracks.
Thanks to all those anonymous plotters and volunteers who help out in their own quiet way, filling potholes, picking up litter and generally contributing to the upkeep of the site for the benefit of all us who use the allotments.
Here’s hoping we all have a rewarding growing season.
This week past, Phil (Plot 35) and Norman (Plot 81) had the pleasure of representing GFAA at a Reception in the Garden Room of The Scottish Parliament.
The event was hosted by Kenneth Gibson MSP to celebrate the success of the Tesco Bags of Help programme and the company’s long-standing commitment to community investment. Jane Lawrie (Group Communications Director at Tesco) and Julie Procter (Chief Executive at Greenspace Scotland) formed part of the welcome party.
After the welcoming speeches, there were many opportunities to mix with representatives from other community groups, charities and organisations from across Scotland that have benefited from Bags of Help. Ideas flowed thick and fast and the air was full of friendly, positive energy.
It was a particular pleasure to meet up again with Rita Callander, the Bags of Help Enabler for our winning Octagon Project.
The two youngsters you see in the picture are Joss and Kaylyn from Ullapool who were there representing their school’s anti-littering community project. They gave a brilliant account of themselves and the success of their initiative.
In many ways these two youngsters summed up the whole evening, helping as they did to fill the room with energy and enthusiasm and a very positive feeling of communities coming together to make their local areas just that little bit better. As someone says, Every Little Helps.