Roehampton Garden Society

Roehampton Garden Society AGM 2020

Welcome to our first online AGM


Please find here all the reports that will tell you about this rather different allotment year.
When you read them, if you have any comments or questions for the AGM, email to rgs.sw15@gmail.com or use our AGM members forum, where you will be able to see what others think, too.

RGS Annual Reports 2020

Chair’s report

It is particularly a shame we are unable to have a real AGM as it would have been wonderful to welcome our new President, Fleur Anderson to our meeting. However, she has visited us on the day we were supposed to have the Autumn show. She made it clear that she would be willing to help us should we need support from her. Hopefully Fleur will be able to attend our AGM next year and meet us all.

At the AGM last year on examining the accounts it was apparent that the RGS had some funds that could be used for projects. A request came from the floor for some sort of tea hut and communal area on site 3. Subsequently, a sub-committee was formed from members of the main committee and various projects were identified and given a priority rating……..
Read the full report..

Waiting List report

The RGS waiting lists continue to grow – as at end of October this year there were 260 names on the Primary List, of whom 20 are existing tenants waiting for more land. There are also 115 people on the Secondary List. New applications for a plot increased by 20% on the previous year. This surely must be attributed to the pandemic and promotion of the desirability to “grow your own” in the media……..
Read the full report..

Store report

This has been a challenging year. The Store closed at the beginning of the first lockdown in March. However we introduced an online seed purchase and delivery service at this crucial time for seed sowing. Seeds were dispatched either by post or delivered to home addresses. We thank Jackie Savage, Charles Gillbe and Richard Huntrods for making this happen.
We reopened the Store on 17 May but within the Covid guidelines………
Read the full report

Shows and Bulletins report

Shows
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic we have been unable to hold our popular Summer and Autumn Shows this year. This has been a big disappointment to many members as they are both an opportunity to see fabulous produce grown on our plots and a chance to spend social time with fellow plot holders over a cup of tea and home-made cake……
Bulletins
I have produced the bulletin now for 2 years. There never seems to be a shortage of things to report and members are keen to share stories and things they have seen on the plots, such as wildlife. Our regular items: The chair’s report and store report keep members up to date with what is going on over both sites and what is available in the store on a seasonal basis. We welcome new members in every bulletin……..
Read the full report

Site 2 Secretary’s report

I confess I find it difficult to comprehend that a whole year has passed since I first meandered amongst the plots of Site 2 in my capacity as secretary. My initial ineptitude at knowing what were the requirements of the post was only surpassed by my enthusiasm at rising to the challenge. Indeed, I owe much to the good offices and mentoring of our extremely patient and competent chair, Helen Finch, who has coped with my many enquiries, steering me through the brambles to the clearing beyond.
Plot maintenance
It has been my great pleasure to observe the beauty and creativity of many of the allotments which I hesitate to describe as plots, preferring to picture them more accurately as vegetable gardens.
Herb garden
I have noted that the herb garden which has been lovingly created and maintained by members of site 2 is thriving…………
Read the full report

Site 3 Secretaries’ report

Site 3 Inner Area, Plots 100 – 127
What an extraordinary year we have had, who would have imagined we would live through a pandemic! A huge thank you to our chairman Helen Finch she has worked tirelessly to ensure the plots remained open and consequently a huge asset to the community. Several measures were taken to make the Sites Covid secure and plot holders complied with them on the whole.

Two plots had to be re-let owing to locking down in Europe and safeguarding issues.

Lettings:

During the year 8 plots have changed hands last year it was 14 plots.

Improvements and repairs:

Everyone is aware of the new water system which was installed in the summer. In spite of the temporary inconvenience it means that there are now 11 tanks and we hope it will be easier for everyone to access a tap closer to their plot………….

Ali Linton

Site 3 Outer Area, Plots 50A – 100B
The year generally
All was going well until the Covid virus arrived in March. We were very fortunate in being able to work on our plots from the outset and as a result most plots were cultivated to an extremely high standard over the Spring and Summer.
Others who had to isolate or shield were not so lucky and some plots were left unattended. However, great kindness was shown by many plot holders who helped maintain plots where this had happened.
Lettings
Over the year 7 plots have been let (one twice). Plot 68 was reduced in area to create space for the new tea hut……
Vivien Fowler

Read the Full Report

Treasurer’s report

Financial year 1st October 2019 to 30th September 2020
Please note the financial year runs from 1st October to 30th September, whereas the Rental year is from 1st April to 31st March.
There are detailed finance reports available to look at on the website produced from the financial system, below is a summary of some highlights from the year…

Read the full report