NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION
NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2003 (Abridged version)
The Annual General Meeting of the Newton-le-Willows Gardeners' Association will take place on Thursday 30th January 2003. The meeting will be held at the Kirkfield Hotel, Church Street, Newton-le-Willows, and will commence at 7.30pm.
AGENDA
1. Apologies for absence.
2. To read and approve the minutes of the 2002 A.G.M.
3.To discuss any matters arising from the minutes.
4. Financial report.
5. Secretary's report.
6. Election of Officers, Committee, and Auditors for the year 2003.
7. To consider the proposed merger with the Rob Lane Allotments Association, and appropriate amendments to the Constitution.
8. Any other business.
Nominations for the positions of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, General Secretary, Sales Secretary, Show Secretary, and Membership Secretary should be submitted to the General secretary, Mrs. Norma Gilchrist, at 4 Headland Close, Lowton, Warrington WA3 1HH, telephone number 01942 672520, by 23rd January.
Our General Secretary Norma Gilchrist, and treasurer Bob Baynes are both standing down from office this time but have expressed a wish to stay on the committee. We must offer them our sincere thanks for their loyal service over the last two years. Due to other commitments Sandra Ferry is giving up the job of Show Secretary but is prepared to continue with her other job as Membership Secretary, while Jayne Marsh, Dorrie Wilson, and Ken Smith are all retiring from the committee at the AGM.
So you see there are a number of vacancies on the committee this time, and unless we can elect a new General Secretary, Treasurer, and Show Secretary, we will have a crisis on our hands which will make it very difficult for the Association to carry on. If any of you are interested in taking over any of these posts, and you would like more information,then please don't hesitate to ask. You can ring the General Secretary Norma Gilchrist, telephone number above, or the Chairman Richard Jeacock on 01925 225889, both of whom will be delighted to help. Please don't be afraid to attend the AGM as no one is going to be press-ganged into doing something they don't want! We would like to see as many members there as possible, as this is the time to air your views and tell the committee what you think. Remember the Gardeners' Association belongs to you, the members, and its future is in your hands, so please do your very best to attend!
A proposal to merge the Allotments Association with the Gardeners' Association was put to Allotment Holders at their Annual General Meeting on the 5th December. Whilst some allotment tenants had reservations about the proposal to merge, agreement was reached in principle and the Allotments Committee was authorised to proceed with the merger, with the proviso that the best interests of the allotment holders were borne in mind.
After a merger the Allotments Committee would continue the work of administering the Rob Lane site on behalf of St. Helens Council, as a sub-committee of the Gardeners' Association, instead of as a separate body. There has always been confusion having two Associations with such similar interests operating from the same site, and a merger would greatly simplify things.
SALES HUT
We need sufficient volunteers to maintain the opening times. This year, due to personal circumstances, we regrettably have fewer volunteers than ever before, and must recruit a lot more helpers if we are to carry on as normal.
All that we need from you is an hour and a half once every four weeks on a Saturday or Sunday morning, especially during March, April, and May, when it is really busy, and all you are required to do is to show people where to find things, help to move goods to members' cars, possibly collect membership fees, and generally assist. If you would like to help please ring our General Secretary Norma Gilchrist on 01942 672520, or leave your name and telephone number at the Hut.
JACK MEEKS
We are sorry to announce that Jack died on Friday 11th October last year. Although he had never been a member of the Gardeners' committee, Jack was one of our team of till operators at the Hut for many years, and was the Treasurer of the Rob lane Allotments Association from its inauguration in 1986 until last summer. As a professional gardener, he was always willing to share his vast practical gardening knowledge. He will
be very much missed by the members of the Gardeners' Association and the Allotment Holders at Rob lane, not just for his knowledge, but also as a good friend.
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THE GARDENER'S LAMENT
This poem, kindly submitted by Peter Dorman, who is Dorset born and bred, should ideally be recited with a Dorset dialect, but no doubt with a little imagination, a Lancashire accent can be substituted!
Oh why ain't I blessed wiv green fingers?
Why ain't me plants strong and tall?
How come all me neighbours
Reap fruit from their neighbours
While I never reaps b....r all?
Me beetroots is pale an' anaemic,
Me leeks grow no thicker than threads,
Me cues and tomarters
Is chronic non-starters
Cos me seeds never rise from their beds.
Me parsnips is parst all redemption,
Me peaches an' pears never crop,
Me broad beans an' marrers
Ain't fit for the sparrers
And I'm buying my spuds from the shop!
I've give 'em all kinds of pertection,
I treat 'em like fammerly pets,
Yet me bushes and trees is beset wiv diseases
Wot nobody else ever gets!
I works an' I waits an' I worries,
I never 'as time to relax
Me fingers is bleedin'
From forkin' and weedin'
While uvvers lie flat on their backs.
Me knuckles is covered in plarsters
Me neck 'as a permament crick
Me muscles is achin'
From hoein' and rakin'
And me back ain't arf giving me stick!
I've read ev'ry book in the lib'ry,
Consulted the experts by post
I've tried all the capers
Described in the papers
An' killed more plant life than most!
But I've never been known as a quitter,
An' one day I'm gonna perfect
By intensive research
Down the Angler an' Perch
A garden wot thrives on neglect!
Anon
FINALLY ...
Please accept the best wishes of the Chairman and Committee for a
Healthy and Happy New Year!
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MEMBERSHIP
The membership fee has remained unaltered since 1997 and will go up this time to £3, or £2 for the over 60s. Your membership fee is due for renewal on the 1st January and you can pay and obtain your new card at the Sales Hut or by post from Mrs. Sandra ferry at 26 Gorsey Brow, Billinge, Wigan, Lancs WN5 7NX. Or why not come along to the AGM and
renew your membership there!
We would very much like to increase the membership of the Association this year, and intend to distribute promotional leaflets door to door in as many areas as possible during the late winter, early spring. If any of you have a little time on your hands, and would like to help with this, please contact Sandra, or leave your name and phone number at the Hut.
ROB LANE ALLOTMENTS ASSOCIATION
Also it is felt that a larger and stronger organisation would be better able to obtain funding for not only the present project to replace the Sales Hut by a new building with much improved amenities, but also for oher improvements and better security etc. for the site in general. An allotment tenant would see no difference to his or her tenancy agreement and conditions - it would just be a change in name only.
