BEVERLEY PARK ALLOTMENTS

25 YEARS OF VOLUNTARY MANAGEMENT

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1981

Following months of informal discussions the Council wrote to all plotholders in the Borough putting forward their proposals for Voluntary Management. Allotment gardening was in a serious decline, many sites were underused and rapidly becoming overgrown. The Council saw V.M. as a way of cutting the cost of running the allotment sites, which far outweighed the income from them, in particular the administration costs. For the plotholders V.M. was the opportunity to become independent and, hopefully, to secure the future of their site. Some sites had been closed in the Borough during the seventies and released for other purposes, this was a real fear for many plotholders.

6^TH SEPTEMBER 1981.

The Beverley Park Allotment Association Steering Committee was formed, Chairman - Len Burrett.

FEBRUARY 1982.

All plotholders voted on the proposals and it was decided to go ahead with Voluntary Management at Beverley Park.

(See ‘What is Voluntary Management’)

SEPTEMBER 1982.

The Beverley Park Allotment Association signed the first 12 year lease and became the first site in the Borough to become Voluntary Managed. Len Burrett continued as Chairman.

There were 24 plotholders. Rent for a half plot was £6 per year.

The first 10 years passed fairly uneventfully, interest in allotments continued to decline, numbers dwindled and several let plots were no longer worked. Gradually some plots became overgrown with head-high brambles, merged together and became impenetrable. The worked plots were mainly on the bottom third of the site and around the perimeter with isolated cultivated plots amongst the wilderness in the middle. Although a lovely place, it was becoming less of an allotment site and more of a nature reserve. The future looked bleak.

APRIL 1992.

Len Burrett retired and David Wallis became Chairman of the Association.

There were 16 plotholders and at least half of the site was unused, much of it under bramble. Long-term plans were made to reclaim overgrown plots, clearing and covering them with plastic sheeting and (sshhhh) carpet. Vacancies were advertised and several plots were cleared in the following year. The long haul to recovery began, kick started along the way by the ‘Driveway Saga’.

August 1993.

The ‘Driveway Saga’ began ...

Following unexpected renovations to the Rose Garden our right to vehicle access, across the park and down to the allotment site gates, was further limited. We became effectively marooned down in the corner of the park. This was not satisfactory and posed a further threat to the future for the site. A campaign was begun to get a permanent driveway built.

Looking back, this was a turning point. It united the plotholders and we were strongly supported by local residents and Councillors. A difficult year followed.

Guy Fawkes bonfire party held.

SUMMER 1994.

Driveway built, at last.

Lease overdue for renewal(January 1994). There were further negotiations and the driveway was included in our new lease.

Bonfire party held in November.

FEBRUARY 1995.

New 12 year lease, backdated to 1994, agreed and signed. 26 plotholders. Continued to clear and cover plots.

First allotment ‘Spring Clean’. Council provided a free skip. An amazing amount of rubbish and junk cleared from site.

Bonfire party held in November.

NOVEMBER 1996.

Bonfire and firework party held.

SEPTEMBER 1997.

‘Plant a Thousand Daffodils’, the border along the driveway planted up by plotholders. A sponsored event, plotholders raised over £500 for Marie Curie Cancer. The bulbs were provided by RBK’s Environment department. Shrubs and plants bought with grant from New Malden Rotary club.

The Millenium Orchard was planted.

Bonfire party held in November.

SEPTEMBER 1998.

Remaining area of driveway border cleared and planted with further 500 daffodils.

Padlocks changed by BPAA from Council P1 type. New keys issued to all plotholders. Grant received from RBK for lawnmower, hedge trimmer and new keys and padlocks.

APRIL 2000.

All land cleared and all plots let, 30 plotholders. A waiting list for the first time in the history of BPAA.

2003.

Quarter plots let for the first time. Grassed turning area at the top of the site completed. Council replaced short section of perimeter fence on park side of site. BPAA carried out further repairs.

Considerably increased interest locally and nationally in allotment gardening. Allotments are news, we are becoming trendy!

2004.

Received grant from RBK for new doors for stable, renovated by plotholders.

SUMMER 2005.

Two benches for the site acquired from Council, surplus following New Malden High Street renovations.

Summer barbecue held on the orchard.

JANUARY 2006.

Third 12 year lease signed. BPAA repaired further stretch of long fence.

SPRING 2007.

Renovations to stable completed. BPAA website set up. Council replaces posts and renovates gates at lower end of driveway.

SEPTEMBER 2007.

25^th Anniversary Tea Party on site.

2 composting workshops held on site.

SITE FULL WITH WAITING LIST FOR 7^TH YEAR

41 PLOTHOLDERS.

2007 - 25 YEARS ON

25 years, from 1982 to 2007 and how our allotment site has changed. The widespread interest in the environment, organic food and healthy lifestyles has no doubt encouraged the growth of allotment gardening. The appearance of the site has improved tremendously and although it is full with more plotholders than ever before it is still a quiet and peaceful place.

In the list of highlights of the past 25 years there is no mention of the day to day routine maintenance work, the mowing of the orchard, the main paths, the communal areas and the driveway and the hedge trimming and all the other jobs which get done for everybody’s benefit, day after day, year after year. Always done by a small group of committed plotholders who just get on with the job and are probably taken for granted by most of us.

However the site could not function without these people, and we all owe them our thanks.

They enable us to get on with our gardening and that is the contribution that we can all make to our allotment site, to care for our plots, to grow our crops and value the little piece of land that we are lucky enough to call “my allotment”.