Welcome to the July issue of the National Allotment Society newsletter, we hope that you enjoy reading these updates but if you are no longer interested please unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the page.
Complete Rewards
The link for the last edition of the digital, retail benefits booklet is now in the members section of the website and can be accessed by clicking here the booklet can also be downloaded as a pdf. Once again the booklet contains lots of exciting offers from leading horticultural and leisure retailers.
National Allotments Week 4-10 August 2014
Are you holding an event for National Allotments week? If you would like a digital publicity guide and some NAW posters mailed out to you please email mark...@nsalg.org.uk; we will also publicise your event on our website - check out the NAW page on the NAS website for a list of local events.
This year we have also teamed up with chef, Tim Bilton from the Spiced Pear restaurant in Hepworth, West Yorkshire- winner of the Good Food Guide UK, North East Restaurant of the Year Award 2015, who will be holding a NAS Allotment Week party on Tuesday 5 August at his restaurant.Tim is asking allotmenteers from the 100 local sites in Kirklees to donate some of their delicious home grown produce to a special feast which he will cook up for gardeners and locals. Whether it be runner beans, radishes or roses, any home grown goodies will be gratefully received, email in...@thespicedpearhepworth.co.uk for details.
AGM 2014
The Annual General meeting was held in Blackpool on the 7 June 2014, the Report and Proceedings of the AGM will be contained within Issue 3 of the ALG magazine; below is a short summary of nominations, elections and motions passed.
Election of President - Karen Kenny
Regional Representatives :
North West: Andy Percival
East Midlands:Rodney Weston
Eastern: Jeff Barber
Local Authority: Cllr Clyde Oakes, Waltham Forest
Standing Orders Committee
S.A. Merrill, 2 years
Motions
Proposer, Maurice Lander West Midlands Regional Representative; accepted
Rule Change 10(6) When a regional representative is unable to attend a management meeting, a deputy named by his or her region is entitled to attend the meeting with all the voting rights and privileges of the regional representative.
Honorary Life Vice President Appointment- Mr Brian Gogerty
Jim Tandy Award - Inkershall A Allotments from Chesterfield in Derbyshire
Speakers
After lunch, Paul Millard Technical Manager from the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) gave an informative presentation about water regulations and how they apply to allotments and Steven Lowe from Radio Lancashire gave an entertaining and inspiring talk about what allotments mean to him.
At a short board meeting after the AGM, Andy Percival was elected Chair and Tony Heeson Vice-chair of the Management Committee.
Standing Orders Committee - Calling members to help
This is the committee of the National Allotments Society that deals with AGM procedures and protocol, and members' proposals for changes to the way the Society is administered. When a member’s proposal [motion to the AGM] is submitted for consideration to the Management Committee, the chair of the Standing Orders Committee will be asked to determine whether the promoters of the proposal have complied with the rules of the Society.
The Standing Orders Committee are made up of five members, four from the society’s general membership each to serve for two years, two members retiring each year. There are two vacancies to be filled from the Society’s general membership. The fifth member is nominated by a Local Authority.
The Standing Orders Committee have the power to fill any vacancy, on the committee until the next AGM in 2015. The Committee meet approximately three times per year and the evening prior to the AGM.
If after reading this brief summary you are willing and able to help the society conduct its business then please contact Liz Bunting nat...@nsalg.org.uk
NAS Rules Review 2014/15
A Sub–Committee has been set up and undertaken the first meeting to start a full review of the National Allotment Society Rule Book; an important area of work for the Society.This is excellent timing as the legislation for Industrial Provident Societies changes later in the year, so we will be able to implement these important updates for 2015. If you would like to contribute or feel that there is a particular rule you would like to make comments on, please ensure that these are sent to Head Office by post or by email to nat...@nsalg.org.uk by the 29th August 2014.
New contacts and new roles
NW R. Rep and Chair of the NAS Management Committee
Andy Percival - northw...@gmail.com
Y&H R. Rep and Vice-chair, NAS Management Committee
Tony Heeson - tonyh...@msn.com
East Midlands Representative, Rod Weston - thewe...@ntlworld.com
Southern Region Representative, Ms Kay Powell - kayvp...@hotmail.co.uk
South West Regional Representative, Neil Dixon - neil...@blueyonder.co.uk
South West Allotment Mentor, Allan Cavill - acavi...@gmail.com
Local Authority representative, Cllr Clyde Oakes, Waltham Forest - nat...@nsalg.org.uk
President, Karen Kenny - karen...@homecall.co.uk
Mentor Vacancy
We have a vacancy in the West Midlands Region for an Allotment Mentor, our Mentors give help and support to anyone managing or creating allotments; they are all people who have direct experience of supporting the development of allotment sites and associations at a local level. If this sounds like something you would be interested in doing please contact the Mentor Co-ordinator di...@nsalg.org.uk for further details.
Articles for ALG4 2014
We had a great response to our call for articles for ALG 3, due on your doormats in early August full of your stories about chicken keeping and working your plots. For ALG 4 we are interested in hearing about your cost saving and recycling tips and any experiences of keeping bees on the site or special projects to attract bees and pollinators; the deadline for ALG 4 is the 9 September. Please keep sending in the "Me and my allotment articles" - this will be a regular feature.
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