Allotments 

 Mike Shaw, Kendal Town Council Handyman
Mike's working week is Monday to Friday and can be contacted via the office.  The Town Handyman's work is split mainly between Allotments, Kendal in Bloom and Christmas Lights. Mike will visit the allotment sites on a regular basis to update the office administrator of any plots not being worked, any repairs that need carying out, strimming grass pathways and showing new tenats vacant plots.  

NEWS AND NOTICES
Annual General Meeting - Thursday 23 February Tenants and those on the waiting list are invited to attend the Annual Allotments Meeting, taking place in the Assembly Room at Kendal Town Hall.  Refreshments will be served from 6:30pm and the meeting will start at 7pm.  Tenants will hear from Mrs Margaret Northcott, representative from Lakeland Flower Show, who will talk to tenants about entering fruit and vegetables classes at the show. Staff from Growing Well will be answering any gardening questions and giving a talk on their horticultural training courses.  Also attending is Dave Morris from the Allotments Association who will give a talk on the services provided by the Association.  Please return your slips to reserve a seat or contact Helen on 01539 797597 for further details.

Allotment Rent 2012  Rent invoices have been sent out to all tenants in early December along with the Annual Allotments Newsletter, and an invitation to the Annual Meeting taking place in February.
All on the waiting list will also receive the newsletter and invitation.

Allotment rent received from tennants is used towards the cost of administration, the services of the handyman, water bills, repairs and renewing of fencing and boundary walls, pest control and tree cutting.   The Income received in 2011 was £19,000 and the best estimate of expenditure to run the Allotments was £26,000.  The projected expenditure for 2012/2013 is not anticipated to be vastly different.

Rent has been calculated at 0.32 p per m2 which is an increase of 5% in line with inflation for 2012 with the introduction of a minimum charge of £26 per plot per annum in order to cover administration costs. 

New Allotment Tenancy Agreement - All existing allotment tenants were sent a sample of the new Allotment Tenancy Agreement with their invoice and newsletter in December.  Council have now approved this following a couple of clarifications, and will be put into effect from 1st February 2012 for new tenants.  Existing tenants will be asked to sign the amended agreement in December 2012 and will be put into effect from 1st January  2013.  

Allotment tenants may be interested in attending a Gardeners Question Time which is being recorded at the Victoria Hall, Grange over Sands on Tuesday 31 January.  Tickets cost £2.50  (inc tea/coffee & biscuits) and will go on sale from January 3rd. Phone Judith Shapland on 015395 33706 or from the Grange Now Office 9:30 am - 12 noon.  Event timetable:  doors open 5:30 pm, close 6:15pm, recording starts 6:30 pm, finishing 7:30 pm.  There will be 13 questions selected for the panel to answer.  Gardeners Question Time is broadcast at 3pm every Friday on Radio 4 and repeated at 2pm the following Sunday.

Opportunity to grow your own in a private domestic garden in Kendal. I have been contacted by a lady who would like to offer someone the chance to grow fruit and vegetables in her large garden in Kendal.  There is a water supply and garden tools available.  Please contact the office for further information on the location and how to contact the land owner.

Volunteers required for Community Garden in Kendal

Best Allotment Newcomer 2011
Highly Commended Mrs Kelly and Miss Kelly, Plot 8 Castle Drive
3rd Mr Bryan Williams, Plot 20 Underley Hill
2nd Mrs Michelle Waller, Plot 18 Crow Tree
1st Mrs A Bell, Plot 37 Wattsfield  

Best Allotment Site 2011
NATLAND ROAD

 

 

 

All winners were presented with certificates and gift vouchers by Mayor of Kendal, Cllr Jonathan Brook.

NEWS AND NOTICES
For any tenant experiencing problems with rabbits, there is an effective solution available from garden centres and hardware stores.  GRAZERS Animal Deterrent is a spray on animal deterrent.  It's perfect for use on your allotment or vegetable patch if your plants regularly come under attack from rabbits and pigeons.  It works by making the foliage unpalatable to most grazing animals. Harmless to humans and pets, it also contains trace elements that will actually help heal damaged plants.           A 250 ml bottle costs around £13.95.

Does any allotment tenants have seedlings, plants, fruit canes and bushes to spare? The Lads and Girls Club on Beezon Fields, Sandes Avenue, Kendal have been busy planning, designing and creating a community garden where the young people can learn how to grow vegtables, herbs and fruit and produce jams, chutneys and fruit pies to sell and raise funds for the club.  The juniors have set up a rota to water and look after the garden and have learned so much. Kendal Town Council are making a donation to the club so they can buy extra garden tools, tree guards and increase their plant stock with more established trees and shrubs.  If any allotment tenant has any spare plants they could donate and/or is willing to give some time and advice on growing fruit and vegtables then please contact Lynn Richardson from Young Cumbria on  07709795276 or 07890657327 for more information or to arrange to visit their garden.

PLEASE NOTE THE FARMER WHO HAS DELIVERED HORSE MANURE TO OUR ALLOTMENT SITES FOR MANY YEARS HAS UNFORTUNATELY FINISHED.  THE SERVICE OF FREE DELIVERY TO THE SITES WILL BE GREATLY MISSED AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR & MRS HARRISON FOR THEIR SERVICES OVER THE YEARS. 

IF ANY TENANT KNOWS OF AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE AND WHO COULD DELIVER TO THE SITES, PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE WITH DETAILS.

FREE WELL-ROTTED HORSE MANURE IS AVAILABLE FROM LOCAL FARM AT LAMBRIGG CONTACT SIMONE KNOWLES FOR FURTHER DETAILS.  07990 975 010   

PLEASE NOTE THAT UNATTENDED WATERING USING SPRINKLERS ON ALLOTMENT SITES IS NOT PERMITTED.  THE WATER TAPS ARE THERE FOR ALL TENANTS TO USE. KENDAL TOWN COUNCIL ASKS THAT WATER IS USED SPARINGLY AND TO INVEST IN A WATER CONTAINER TO CATCH FREE RAINFALL.  TRY CROPPERS AT BURNESIDE WHO MAY STILL HAVE SOME WATER BUTTS AVAILABLE.

Allotment Plots
The Town Council is responsible for managing 445 allotment plots across 17 sties within Kendal. The sites are named
                          

Past Meetings

Annual General Workshop Meeting 2010
The meeting was held on 9th February 2010 and was well attended by allotment tenants.  For a copy of the minutes and workshop please click here.

Transition South Lakes Allotments Working Group met to explore ideas on obtaining more allotment land in and around the Kendal area. Click here to read the minutes of the meeting, held on 1 October 2009.

For people wanting alloments outside Kendal, contact your local Parish or Town Council.

Grange over Sands Town Council 015395 32375 Mr R N Cass  This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council 01539 821596 Rev K M Price  This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Ulverston - South Lakeland District Council 01539 733333