Association - Penwortham Holme West Allotments

Penwortham Holme West has an allotment association. It's currently optional to join when you accept your tenancy. The association encourages all tenants to join. It costs £5 per year (price correct Jan 2010) to join. £3 of this is retained by the allotment association to enhance the allotment site to ensure an enjoyable and safe experience for everyone. The remaining money is sent to the National Society for Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG) to promote and maintain a national society.

The association has been fund-raising for the last couple of years and have already completed the new security fencing project. The first stages of the Heritage Orchard project are now complete and the installation of a new main gate has been completed. The community hut was also updated in the summer of 2010.

The association has a voluntary committee who devote some of their free time to ensuring that the allotments are maintained and plots are not allowed to go to ruin. There is also a community hut on site, again, run voluntarily, where you can meet up and chat to other gardeners. There is also a small, not for profit shop, selling onion sets, netting etc. See the Committee page for more details.

The benefits of being a member of the association are:

King's Seed catalogue, offering an array of seeds and potatoes. Deliveries are made direct to the community hit, so you can collect your order at your own convenience. The seed catalogue is available from late August/early September, and all orders have to be submitted by October.
On site social events: Plant Swop Day, Allotment Show, Apple Pressing Day.
Annual General Meeting: held in January each year, its a chance to meet fellow plot holders and put your opinions and suggestions on the site forward.
Insurance: insurance cover to protect you from potential claims from people injured on your plot (this is not personal accident cover or theft/damage insurance).

The allotment association recieves a percentage of sales from the seed catalogue, again, the money goes towards site maintenance.