Garthdee Allotments

Grow Greener with Garthdee Field Allotments Association

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Community Allotment Association Update: AGM, Volunteers, and More

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On September 29, 2024

In Events, General Meeting, Minutes, News

Dear members of the GFAA Allotment Plotting Community, we are inviting you to participate in several upcoming events and have some important updates for you:

AGM/GM
Date: Saturday, 2nd November 2024
Time: 11:00 – 13:00
Location: Cults Bowling Club, 293 North Deeside Road, Cults, Aberdeen, AB15 9PA
Members are encouraged to attend both the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the General Meeting (GM). Agendas will be shared soon. Nominations for committee positions and suggestions for discussion topics can be submitted to the Secretary.

Chair Vacancy
The GFAA is in need of a Chairperson. The role requires approximately two hours a month. Members who can volunteer are urged to step forward.

Volunteers Leader for Sundays
Norman (Plot 81), long-serving Sunday Volunteers Leader, is stepping down. A replacement is needed to oversee the Sunday sessions. Anyone interested in taking on the role is asked to come forward.

Community Sundays
The third Sunday of each month is Community Sunday, where all members are encouraged to join for community tasks. It’s a fun way to get involved and help maintain the site.

New Website and Webmaster
Marin (Plot 96B) has taken on the role of the new webmaster. Members are encouraged to send him any updates or news for the website.

Car Safety on Site
Members are reminded that cars parked on the allotment site are at their own risk, as it is not covered under the Road Traffic Act of 1988. A speed limit of 10 mph is advised, with potential speed control measures being considered due to frequent speeding concerns.

Rubbish Disposal and Bonfire 2025
Members are asked to avoid leaving rubbish around the site, particularly near The Bothy and North Car Park. Instead, rubbish should be taken to the Hazlehead recycling facility.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact the GFAA Secretary.

A Tale of Two Sheds

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On May 13, 2024

In Equipment, News

It’s been the best of times, it’s been the worst of times, and certainly a monumental struggle, but finally we have positive news to report on two new assets on site.

The Wee Shed Community Tool Store

The Wee Shed is the repurposed small toilet now sited next to the Micro Plots and the Bothy Noticeboard.

After being blown over in one of the Autumnal gales, the Wee Shed has needed quite a bit of TLC before being repurposed.

It has been kitted out with a set of tools for the use of any plotter, but especially new plotters who may not yet have their own tools. We will be adding to the tool set as we can over the weeks ahead.

Please clean and return tools immediately after use.

The Wee Shed is secured with a combination padlock which uses the usual GFAA code. If you are not sure what that is, please ask.

The Big Shed Storage Facility

The Big Shed was kindly donated to GFAA by Barry and Kay when they decided to relinquish their plot. It needed quite a bit of restoration to be wind and water proof again. Thanks to all plotters, volunteers and friends of GFAA who helped with this work and the rebuild.

It’s amazing what a bit of joinery and a coat or two of paint can do!

The shed now has a new floor, doors and a re-felted roof and is fit for many more years of useful life. It will serve as a much needed storage space for community equipment and materials and so take the pressure off the Bothy, Octagon and Cabin allowing them to better serve their intended purposes.

Getting these community assets in place has certainly been a stretch and a struggle, but huge thanks go to all who have helped out getting this final stage of the project completed.

Shed Shifters Supreme

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On February 22, 2024

In Events, News

Our recent Community Sunday activities included moving a very heavy shed base. It took some effort, but we got it done and the team were quick to celebrate their triumph.

Photo Credit: Anna Fulop

Thanks go to all of the committee, plotters and volunteers who came along and apologies to those who missed out on the photo opps.

Photo Credit: Anna Fulop

Community Sunday Call

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On February 12, 2024

In Dates, Events

Our first Community Sunday of the year is scheduled for this coming Sunday, February 18 2024.

Community Sundays are a great way to get to know our fellow plotters and volunteers while getting some much needed repairs, maintenance and improvements done in good company around our site.

If you can spare an hour or so on Sunday 18 February at 11.00am it would be great to have your help. We end with a coffee and cake session at 12.30.

Season’s end 2023

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On December 21, 2023

In Events, News

Well, let’s be honest, 2023 has been a trying year as the weather this last few months has proved. Windy, wild and wet rather sums it up.

We think this was the worst flooding we had ever seen on site, but at least it was relatively short lived.

However, we have ended on a high note. Firstly, the volunteers enjoyed a good end of term bash. They have all put in a fantastic shift this year and our celebration was just a wee thank you for the 22 who have done us proud all season long. Sorry goes to those who missed out on the photo opportunity.

Special thanks go to Irene for overseeing a fantastic spread of party food and to Jordi for his Captain Morgan Mocktails. Very special!

It was a great pleasure to be invited to Aberdeen Council’s Celebration of It’s Your Neighbourhood successes. Phil 57, our Association Secretary, attended and accepted our Outstanding rating with a Certificate of Distinction award.

Our season has ended with success therefore, but the work goes on around the site. Thank go to Jordi and Danny, our most recent recruit to the volunteers, who have come in specially this week to help finish off an overdue planter build for a lone suffering and very patient plotter who placed an order some little time ago. (No name, no pack drill, but you know who you are!)

As Jordi often proves, working hard does not mean you can’t have a good laugh. Here we see him showing off his new skills with the Block Plane.

As the Season ends, we wish every plotter, volunteer and friend of Garthdee Allotments a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday and successful growing in 2024. Cheers!

Our Pothole Saga

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On November 27, 2023

In News

A wee bit of background. ACC used to be able to provide us with free road planings for repairing our potholes. Unfortunately, a change in the Council’s contracts for road repairs meant they have not been able to supply any for a year or so now. Over which time, you will be aware our potholes became deeper and wider by the week.

So, it is especially pleasing to report that after some excellent sourcing and bargaining by Secretary Phil (Plot 57) we recently took delivery of 20 tonnes of very fine planings.

Tuesday and Sunday of this week, after an appeal to plotters for help (Thanks to the two Graemes, David (Plot 57) Sophie (Plot 25) for coming forward), the Volunteers and Committee members added their efforts to the task and we have been able to break the back of the work.

Photo Credit: Anna Fulop
Photo Credit: Anna Fulop

The only downside was some damage to the fence, and Gate on Plot 94B caused by the lorry trying to reach the top planings bin at the top of the site.

Apologies to those who missed out on the photo opportunities.

We apologise for the damage and the Volunteer Squad set to on Sunday to fix it. Obviously we cannot allow big lorries to try to reach the top of the site in future.

However, on another positive note the Council have agreed to find a contractor to undertake the more extensive work needed to deal with the problem of cars grounding as they reach the top of the main path leading to the North of the site. Discussions are ongoing between ACC and GFAA to find a satisfactory solution to this problem.

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