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Aden Allotments

Paula's Newsletter 22nd May 2019

Hi Everyone 🌞

Crikey can you believe its May already! We’ve had some cracking weather just perfect for getting all our seeds & plants in, Basil, Runner Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, Carrot, Cabbage …..the list is endless!

Please remember if your struggling & need help don’t be afraid to give us a shout, we can always get someone to help, its really important as just a few weeks of neglect the weeds take over & goes into your neighbouring plots & we do really want to keep our plots a happy tidy site 👍If you have a help o weeds put them in a corner of yer plot & cover with tarpaulin & then u have a fine smelly pile o muck 😷

ONE REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THAT SOIL DOESN'T GET REMOVED FROM ALLOTMENT SITE KNOCK IT AFF YER COUCH GRASS & DOKENS ETC ….PRETTY PLEASE

Anyway guys the committee have been really busy funding various projects, Vattenfall was rejected but we got a grant for £1500 for tools & rotavator so its all good & we got funding from Apache to purchase our cabin for disabled access & flushable toilets which is absolutely fantastic!!

We have been nominated & are down to the finalist in TWO awards which is pretty amazing stuff, 2nd Scottish cafe Awards & Inspiring Aberdeenshire, let you know the outcome in my next “Newsy”

Thanks to all who came to our Open Day Meeting & to all that are supporting our Open day, Sat 27th July 11-3pm Its our main event of the year to show what our allotments are all about so if you would like to volunteerjust give us a shout, it would be great if everyone could dontate raffles, bottles or cake & candy? Absolutely anything infact would be greatly appreciated 😬

Next meeting is Wednesday 12th June 7pm

We have a judge who will be visiting the plots between now & the Open Day, if you wish to withdraw please let a member of the committee know, Prizes are; Jack Grant Sheild (overall winner) 2nd, 3rd Also Ugly Veg/Fruit & Best Jam/Pickle Competition so it would be intriguing to have a heap o entries 😁

One of our Defibrillators is up & running at “The Cottage” garage New Leeds just waiting for permission for others to be up & running.

Lastly …..

Can abody check there boiler suits for holes in their pooches cos we keep finding screws & nails on the road & carpark? I thought our site manager wis joking but he assures me he’s nae 🤨 Theres also a lot o loose stones if you come across any can you put it to the side o the road, Thanku.

Please remember our site is totally run by unpaid volunteers who give up a heep o their time to make it the wonderful place that it is, (THANKU VERY MUCH TO ALL INVOLVED)if you would like to volunteer your services give Gordon a shout but please help by making sure children can only use the cabin & compostable toilet if accompanied by an adult as fit a mess the toilet has been in frequently ie sawdust everywhere & blocking the funnel & believe me its nae a nice thing to clean🤢

Anyway hope your all happy & enjoy yer next couple o months experimenting & if yer nae happy give me a shout 👍

Ps “TEA IN THE CABIN” THIS SATURDAY

THANK YOU

VERY KIND REGARDS 👩‍🌾

Paula

(Chair)

Paula's Newsletter 10th January 2019

“Happy New Year Everyone!”

What a great start to the season cos we’ve actually had fine days & nae sna!

I thought I’d send you all a “Hello” wee letter especially for our new plot holders & introduce myself Paula Cordiner onto my second delightful year as Chair.

The Committee are going to be in the cabin this Saturday 12th Jan 10-12 collecting rent payments & there to answer any questions you might have so pop along for a cup o T.

There will be no “Tea in the Cabin” this month but will be back in force Saturday 23rd February 10-3pm.

Some ideas what to do this month;

“The first chilli sowing” signals the start of the growing season.

Keep taking hardwood cuttings of fruit bush’s such as gooseberries, to renew your stock.

Prune elders back hard to benefit from fresh foliage in spring.

Open cold frames on the warmer days.

Clean up plant labels by scouring off last years writing to re-use them.

Plant garlic sets if you missed it in the autumn & put them in a frame or greenhouse.

Prune back older growth on apple & pear trees.

Potato chitting, sow radishes, onions, sweet peas, carrots under fleece, you could cover bare soil with clear polythene to prepare the ground for early sowing.

Make a plan of where you will grow your vegetables this year.

We are going to get some classes up & running this year in the cabin to aid us in being magnificent gardeners! We will keep you posted.

Meanwhile keep yourself busy this month getting your plot all tickety boo & work off all that pies over Christmas!

Take Care

Paula

Chair

Paula's Newsletter 3rd November 2018

Hi Everyone

Well has this year flown by or what! Our AGM is this Tuesday night (6th November) at 7pm in the cabin. Aden Allotments has a lot to be proud of what we have achieved this year.

It’s been a very busy year, we’ve had a great growing season especially fruit & everything is really starting to establish.

Getting involved with Seedy Sunday was a great start to our year, not only supporting Aden Park but also a great start to get info on what to plant & when & to get a few different varieties of seeds without the cost & it put a few £s in our kitty.

Robbie (Ann-Marie’s uncle) came one day & gave us info & also demonstrations on pruning our fruit tree’s which has been so beneficial to many of us. (Next year we are looking at setting up more talks & demos on gardening tips as this is a great asset for any budding enthusiasts at the plots so if you have any suggestions on anyone who could give us some great tips let us know).

“Meet, Meet & Eat” was the first to kick off the use of our cabin. It was great to see everyone attending & supporting our cabin. It took a lot of organising getting the cabin kitted out. Shell very kindly donated furniture & paint. We got a grant for our electric & roof. Lots of you who donated equipment, your time & efforts painting, sealing, connecting electrical points & even putting up shelves & worktops all contributed to money saving & making our cabin what it is today, “a wonderful refuge to get oot o the rain”. A really HUGE thank you goes out to all involved “you know who you are!” Very much appreciated.

Tea in the cabin has been a great asset to our funds & proving to be very popular. If anyone would like to volunteer the last Saturday of the month for a couple of hours we have a rota set up so give us a shout. It’s really important to use the cabin & especially involve the community as this is what Aden Allotments is all about. If you would like to use the cabin for example a family get together it’s absolutely no problem just let the committee know & clear up after yourselves. When we do have an event on & there is limited parking plot holders are more than welcome to park at the top end 

We hosted Turriff Gardening Club, they came for a walk around the allotments & finished off with tea & a scone. They thoroughly enjoyed their visit, and we would like to encourage more visits of clubs in the following years.

A great asset to us this year is becoming a “SCIO”. A lot of work was put into setting this up in particular the advice we got from Buchan Development Partnership was invaluable, it has also provided great protection for us.

We invited Verity from the Scotland Garden Scheme to our plots & she was absolutely in awe of our plots & would love us to feature in the Scotland Garden scheme. I would like to set up a subcommittee group with the idea of making this achievable so again your input is very important.

Our Open Day? Well I was totally gobsmacked with the popularity of it. It’s all learning & certainly has given us lots to get on with for next year & to be much better organised, but it is fantastic how the community are supporting our allotments so we can only get better & better! A subcommittee group will be set up early next year & much needed volunteers needed  It is our main event of the year to show what our allotments is all about & not to mention the huge boost to our funds so come on folks show your support & share your ideas to make next year the place that everyone wants to be!

Our “Cosy Jumper BBQ” was a great time for us all to get together & have a chat & free burgers! This will be yearly & free to all plot holders & their family I think it’s also a really nice way to say “THANKS” to everyone 

Our “Defibrillator Appeal” has been a huge success as we are delighted to say we have 6! Again HUGE thanks go out to all who contributed. This means one of the defibrillators will be on site in our cabin beside the first aid bag. On Saturday the 10th November 11-4pm we are hosting a “Restart A Heart” day. Fire & Ambulance Crews are attending with medics & all day showing everyone what to do in an emergency & how to use the defibrillators. This is for everyone, children included so please, please support this event as it really does give you piece of mind of what to do in an emergency.

The upkeep of our allotment site is an ongoing day to day job. That’s jobs such as growing vegetables to sell at The Open Day, looking after the plants in the public areas, cutting grass, digging water tracks, providing transport for moving stuff about and all the many other jobs I’ve forgotten. There are a few of you that go that extra mile, you know who you are.  You are such an asset to our allotments & I THANK YOU SO MUCH as it wouldn’t be the site it is today without you.

So moving onto next year we have an awful lot to look forward to! We are looking into another cabin with flushable toilets & storage etc. Funding can be sought as long as we show that we are always keen to involve the community as they are “Community Allotments”. Setting up “subcommittee groups next year is a great way to have groups that expertise in that area & really does help relieve the committee as we can only do so much & remember it is voluntary so let’s all “muck in” 

We are financially sound which is fantastic & little things like getting your muck, tea, coffee & biscuits for nothing is a great gesture on what we are all about BUT can I just say that muck & sand etc. that are provided for our plots are for our plots only & definitely not to be removed from site for personal use at home

On that note …….

I would like to thank each & every one of you for making my year as Chair a wonderful experience. I have honestly enjoyed every minute of it. It would not have been made possible without the backing of such a fantastic committee who gave up their spare time in making the Allotments what it is today, “The place to be” & of course putting up with me & my antics 

PS remember AGM this Tuesday 6th November 7pm in cabin. (Remember only the member of the plot has a vote)

So on behalf of myself & all my wonderful committee

Paula

Chair ACAA

Press and Journal Article 2nd November

Public invited to lessons on how to restart a heart

The Press and Journal (North-East)2 Nov 2018Friday, November 2, 2018 BY TAMSIN GRAY

LIFESAVERS: Aden allotments members, from left, Gordon Milne, Paula Cordiner and Donald Brown with the defibrillators they bought

Members of the public have been invited to learn how to restart a heart alongside a team of locals who have bought six defibrillators following months of fundraising.

The Aden Country Park Allotments group joined forces with farmers and the Mintlaw Co-op to buy the life-saving devices.

Now a training day will be held at the plots on November 10 to teach the public how to use the machines.

The allotment group

“Statistics on heartattacksand cardiac arrests are shocking”

began fundraising after discovering three of the keen gardeners had heart conditions.

They started selling scones and other produce, and collected donations from nearby farmers concerned about the distance between defibrillators set up in rural areas.

And with the help of the Buchan Development Partnership, they bought six devices with suitable casing units.

Chairwoman Paula Cordiner was particularly inspired after discovering how valuable the devices were when her grandmother had a heart attack a few months ago.

She said: “When my granny collapsed, the defibrillator I ran to get gave me piece of mind and I wasn’t panicked that the ambulance hadn’t arrived by then as it told me what to do to help her.

“Statistics on heart attacks and cardiac arrests are shocking and we’re in such a rural area these are really needed. I’m chuffed we’ve managed to buy six machines but now people are asking ‘but what do we do with them?’

“The restart a heart event will be great – there will be dozens of dummies and we will have talks on how to use the defibrillators safely.

“We’ll also have the fire and ambulance crews there with their vehicles to show people more about what happens in emergencies.

“This is for anyone and everyone, even children.”

Mrs Cordiner added: “I’ve also been given a training kit so can go around people’s houses, events or groups and teach them how to use them or do refresher courses.

“Those who can’t make restart a heart day can also come to tea in the cabin as I’ll always have the kit at the monthly event.”

The restart a heart event is on November 10 from 11am-4pm.

Paula's Newsletter 9th September 2018

Hello Everybody

Well I hope you have all had a lovely summer with plenty of great produce! I think it just gets better & better every year as things establish & of course our knowledge just gets better & better!

Lots of great things to be proud of this year;

Our Open Day was very successful, yes we do recognise that there are improvements we can make through more planning & more volunteers &, i.e. parking for plot holders at the far end of plots for the open day only, hiring a Portaloo & more stalls etc. so we have a lot of ideas to work on & if you have any I’d greatly appreciate them.

"Tea in the Cabin" is proving to be very popular & is a great added bonus to our funds every month. We have put together a short questionnaire and it would be magic if you could take the time to fill it in as your opinion really matters. We’ll send you the link to the questionnaire soon. Could everyone start saving any type of jar with lid any amount & drop off in the cabin as we will always have jams & pickles on sale & if you would like to fill any jars with your amazing inventions that would also be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance If anyone would like to volunteer a couple of hours anytime for "tea in the cabin"? We will also have a raffle every month to be drawn at 3pm if you would like to hand in a donation that would be great.

We’re also designing an "Allotment Recipe Book". There are some fantastic recipes sweet & savoury & lots of the ingredients can be grown on your plot! If you have a recipe you would like to share drop it off when you drop off your jars

We have also been supporting "Funding for Defibrillators" Alongside Mintlaw Co-op, Local Farmers & Businesses & have reached an amazing goal of 3 Defibrillators and outdoor cabinets, a huge boost to our community, 1 to be allocated at Aden Coach House, 1 outside Mintlaw Co-op & 1 in the rural area for the farmers so a huge pat in the back to us all! We will be setting up a basic defibrillator course by a qualified instructor who will visit on at least 4 occasions & everyone is welcome but only 12 at a time, dates will follow shortly.

The winner of The Whisky Light Bottle which was kindly designed & donated by Jim D was Ann Forbes.

Remember you can still plant Spinach & Rocket just now & some onion autumn sets, & enjoy picking your fruit & maybe experiment in chutneys, tarts or jam the plot is your oyster!

Thanks guys

Paula

Chair ACAA

Press and Journal Article 5th September 2018

Gardening group plots to fund lifesaving equipment

The Press and Journal (North-East) BY TAMSIN ROSS.

A collection of north-east gardeners, farmers and the owners of a local shop have been raising funds to purchase new lifesaving equipment for their area.

The Aden Country Park Allotment group has been raising money at its monthly teas at the park cabin and, coupled with farmer donations and support from Mintlaw Coop, the members are hoping to purchase defibrillators.

Each device costs around £1,000 with the casing unit also racking up several hundreds of pounds.

Chairwoman of the allotments group, Paula Cordiner, revealed they came up with the idea after realising that three men with allotments suffer from heart conditions.

She said: “We’re out in the sticks and the nearest defibrillator is the police station.

“My granny had an attack about a month ago and by the time I got to her in Maud, I was asked to get the defibrillator from Maud Mart as they weren’t sure an ambulance would make it in time.

“Thankfully it did but they’re a great back-up to have and should be in a lot of places.

“I wrote letters to 54 farmers in our area and many have stepped forward and helped.

“As well as our Tea in the Cabin events, we’re doing lots of different things and watching the money mount up.

“We really want the equipment for Aden Park, because the centre is really busy and another beside the railway line, because that’s where people like to walk.”

As well as the equipment, the group has secured workshops for locals on how to use the machines in an emergency.

Mrs Cordiner added: “We’ve got a member from the ambulance service who has said he will train us in groups of 12 as many times as we need so that everyone knows how to use them.

“One of the types of defibrillator and secure box costs £1,600 although there are a range of prices - we would like to purchase at least two.”

Leona Findlay, development officer for the Buchan Development Partnership, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Aden Allotments in their ventures.”

The next Aden Allotment tea fundraising will be held on September 29.

As of 3rd August 2018 Applicants for a plot must live within 8 miles of the allotment site.

Please note that existing plotholders and those already on the waiting list are unaffected by this change.

Plotholder Email 05/08/2018

Paula's Newsletter 5th August 2018

Hi Folks!

Well it’s less than a week away for our magical “BBQ OPEN DAY” our biggest event of the year at the allotments. The committee has been hard at work organising stalls etc & even music on the lawn & lots of volunteers have been tiding & sorting lots of areas around our plots. Thanku very very much!

If anyone else would like to help out we have a meeting on Wednesday at 4pm in the cabin. If you can’t manage then email me or just turn up on Saturday at 9.30.

If you have any “spare” veg or fruit for Saturday it would be greatly received for our fruit and veg stall. Remember we are having a wee jam/pickle competition so it would be great to see a few different varieties, jams are easy to make 1 kilo of strawberry’s to 750g/1k jam sugar & a good squeeze of lemon & bobs ur uncle. We are setting up a wee shoppie of jams/pickles for all through the year so you can drop off any extras you have in the cabin at any time.

Any donations of raffles, cake & candy or for our bottle stall would be greatly appreciated (Molly your jam & pickles went down a treat!) You can leave anything on the table in the cabin at any time during the week. Hope you can all make it this Saturday, we really do rely on you all for your support. (If you are baking etc this week write down your recipe & take a foto of it for our scrumptious recipe book which we are working on).

Our “Tea in the cabin” has been really successful & with our open day to that is a huge boost to our funds, I would really like replies from you with a wish list of what you think would benefit our allotment, maybe reducing fees, nice benches, a bbq canape, a stash of food in the cabin all the time? Tell me your ideas thanku very much.

Our cabin roof is looking fab thanku so much Eric & co you’re marvellous!

Can everyone ensure no bushes or tree branches etc are going onto the driveway as we will have to either tie back or cut back to prevent scratches on cars thanku.

Between Mintlaw Co-op & ourselves we have raised enough for 2 defibrillators at the moment still hoping for a third! one at Aden & one at Co-op so far so that’s amazing huge thanks for all the support in achieving this 

We have a committee meeting every 2 weeks for committee members only but if there is anything you would like brought up give us a shout. See the calendar on the website for dates.

New Pitsligo ‘s Annual flower show is on if anyone wants to enter there fruit, veg & cakes etc it’s on the 1st September I will leave details on cabin notice board also Cruden Bay flower show details are on our noticeboard.

Okay dokay ats me finished rambling but it’s a good!

Take care, enjoy harvesting & see you Saturday 

Paula

Chair

ACAA

Defibrillator Appeal 26/07/2018

Defibrillator Appeal by Aden Allotments and Mintlaw Co-op

Dear

I'm writing to you in the hope that you would like to support our fundraising in the purchase of 2 (or maybe 3) Defibrillators, 1 would be situated at Aden Park another at Mintlaw Co-op & if successful another in the rural area? Myself & 3 colleagues from Mintlaw Co-op did an abseil from the Forth Rail Bridge for Heart, Chest & Stroke Scotland raising over £1500. Heart attacks are so dangerous & the ambulance are not always available quickly that is why I thought if we could all get together & raise funds for our area it would be so beneficial. I am going to set up free training for absolutely anyone who would like to attain the knowledge of using a defibrillator & basic first aid, this will be held numerous nights in our cabin at Aden Allotments, if you are interested in a place please get in touch through our contact us page or email us at aden.plots@gmail.com

I have numerous fundraising activities planned, all month I will be making scones & fudge pieces for sale in the Mintlaw Co-op & also have a Huge Hamper & raffles, these will be drawn on Sat 4th August as myself & a colleague will be dressing up & have a bottle stall & collection pots.

I run a "Tea in the Cabin" every last Saturday of the month at Aden Allotments, 8-4pm. We raised over £400 last month & we are donating our donations this month towards the defibrillators.

With all that in mind it would be great if I could get all the local farmers & businesses for a small donation & we could well achieve our goal.

This could be made out by cheque (made out to BDP) or cash which can be handed into Mintlaw Co-op in an envelope with your name or handed into any committee member at Aden Allotments. Details of our fundraising can be found on our web page adenplots.co.uk/defib

Fundraisers are Aden Allotments, Aden Park, Mintlaw Co-op & Local Farmers

I aim to raise £3000 this will purchase 2 defibrillators + outdoor cases.

I would like to have a photo shoot of some or all of our fundraisers.

Thank you so much in advance

Look forward to hearing from you

Paula Cordiner

Chair ACAA

Plotholder Email 23/07/2018

Paula's Newsletter 23rd July 2018

Hi Abody!

Well its nearly the last Saturday in the month again "Tea in the Cabin" 8-4pm

If you would like to donate anything from a jar of coffee, a home-made piece or cake or even some fruit from your plot (for meringues) it would be greatly appreciated

This month’s donations are going towards Defibrillators, Julie will also be available on the day to do haircuts in my "hoosie" at my plot from 10am for a donation towards the defibrillators so if you could let us know if you fancy awe trim (shave or cut)

Jim D donated a lovely "light up whisky bottle" which will be on display to be raffled, thanks so much Jim D!

Thanks abody "Hope you can make it"

Very kind regards

Paula

Plotholder Email 08/06/2018

Paula's Newsletter 8th June 2018

Hi Everyone,

Well finally at long last the sun is out but o’ me a bitty rain would be nice now.

Firstly we're now officially a charity, HUGE thanks goes to Liz & Diane for their guidance, which was invaluable.

We have put up a month-to-month planner in the cabin. It’s full of valuable advice on what you should be doing & when. We are also stocking a wee library in the cabin; perfect to top up your knowledge over a cup o’ tea & biscuit (all complimentary). A fridge & microwave will soon be added to the cabin making it even more enjoyable for us all to use. Please use the cabin to your hearts content at absolutely anytime you wish, the code is the same as the main gate.

Fundraising is a very important part for the upkeep of our allotments, it would be great to hear everyone's ideas. We’re making up a recipe book to sell for funds, so if anyone has any tempting recipes they would like to share, especially jams & pickles, they would be greatly appreciated!

Friday 20th July we're hosting a "cash bingo night" £15 all in (fly included) or bring your own bottle. Tickets will be available from committee or Mintlaw Co-op. This seems to be very popular, so only 60 tickets on sale which also means guaranteed houses of 3 x £50, 3 x £100 & last flyer £150!! If this is a big success, which I'm sure it will be, we might repeat it frequently. Eyes down at 7:00pm.

From Saturday 30th June & then every last Saturday of the month there will be "Tea in the Cabin" from 8am till 4pm, open to the public. It will be all set up bonny, tablecloths & crockery, pancakes & scones & lots of home-bakes. (It would be greatly appreciated if any of you budding bakers would like to hand in any eatables). "Tea in the cabin" will be donations only & cakes will be on sale to take away. It was a huge success with Meet Eat & Greet & very easy & enjoyable fundraising. Also if anyone has surplus veg/fruit/flowers could you please donate it to the "Green store" for a Saturday morning as there is lots of interest, & we could collect quite a lot of donations this way.

On our open day we will have prizes for the plots; an independent judge will be appointed from out with the plots, so if you wish to opt out please let us know as every plot will be entered automatically.

I've put up a list in the cabin for volunteers for the open day on Sat 11th August please put your name down to help if you’re available.

Our fundraising will hugely support the security on our allotments, CCTV will be put up in different locations around the plots & a security light at the front of our cabin. A big issue is our main gate; I'm at the plots very nearly every day/night & the gate padlock is frequently left with the code on display. It is so important that the code is put back to 0000 when open or shut, the same applies to our cabin which has the same code, I know it can be a bitty time consuming but this is purely for our security please please be so vigilant on this matter.

If you have a pond in your allotment, it needs to be covered ASAP. Any problems doing so please see any committee member for advice. Hardcore still seems to be disappearing, which is so disappointing as it is NOT for sale. It is neither free, but it is very expensive so if you see anyone helping themselves please advise Gordon our site manager. A few plots are being neglected, there can be many reasons & the unexpected can pop up in our lives without warning. We are here to help so please let us know if you're struggling & we will do our best to help you out.

Thanks everyone for your attention to all these matters. It is greatly appreciated & is purely for us all to enjoy our plot safely & securely.

Very kind regards

Paula Cordiner

ACAA Chair

PS could you all make sure your sheds are treated with green paint to keep them maintained as some are getting a wee bitty shabby? Thank you & have a wonderful growing season

And finally, no parking is allowed at the bottom of the allotment site (near the muck) except for blue badge holders (disabled). The blue badge must be displayed.

Plotholder Email 14/04/2018

Letter from the Chair 14th April 2018

Hi Everyone

Well springs here? still a bitty wet but fingers crossed for the sun coming out more.

Firstly a very warm welcome to our new plot holders, hope you all have a very enjoyable successful growing season.

There has been quite a lot of questions of what is & what isn't allowed on your plot regarding semi permanent structures. I must emphasize to you all that you must get written approval from the committee before starting work on any new semi permanent structures. If you can submit an email with the size & description of your structure & where it is to be sited (or hand it into any committee member ) we will get back to you with our decision.

Great news.....our electric will be connected this Monday 16th April yippppeeee HUGE thanks to Jim D for his massive commitment to setting it all up & also securing a grant along with it! Thanks Jim I will grant you a life time member of my scone club

We will be hosting a "Meet, Greet & Eat" on Saturday 5th May 10am till 2pm, a great chance to meet all the committee & other plot holders & of course try out our cabin. We are looking for donations of crockery/tea sets, cutlery & table cloths so if you have any spare or know of any it would be greatly appreciated.

We had a very successful "Seedy Sunday" it was a great get together & at the same time gave our funds a wee boost. Thanks also to Jade(Ann-Marie's daughter) for making our honey nut loop bird feeders (which are on sale in the green store for £2). Fundraising is really important as it helps with the upkeep of our plots & keeps our rent to a minimum so if you have any ideas or would like to help with our upcoming Open Day please give us a shout.

There has still been quite a few complaints of dogs not being properly supervised, noisy dogs & dogs off lead are not tolerated at the plots please please be very considerate on this matter & do not take your dogs if you know they will cause a disturbance as it will lead to a written warning & I know how important your plots is to you all but it has to be the same rule for all to keep it a “Happy Place" Thank you.

Ann-Marie’s uncle Robbie came along & gave us fantastic advice on pruning, we had a great turnout from the plots & we all took away some great advice so thank you very much Robbie it was greatly appreciated.

I've noticed Sandy C getting rid of the rubble where our electric cable went in & cleaning a the mouldy stuff aff the tunnel, a lot of hard heavy work & Charlie P keeping all our garden areas tidy & Gordon I pruning our hairy bushes & everyone else who rally's around to keep our site tickety boo it’s so much appreciated "Thanks Guys"

Anyway time to get sowing & get our seed beds a ready o I’m a excited!!

Very kind regards

Paula

Chair ACAA

Plotholder Email 08/02/2018

EGM 19/3/18

Hi Everyone.

An EGM will be held on Monday 19th March at 7pm in Aden Theatre.

The main purpose of this meeting is to approve a new constitution and to decide on whether Aden Community Allotment Association should apply for Charity Status. The proposed constitution is still in preparation and will be sent to everyone soon after 1st March.

Agenda

1. Formal election of treasurer from acting treasurer and a co-opted committee member to committee member.

2. New Constitution

3. Charity Status.

4. AOCB

Donald (secretary)

Plotholder Email 13/02/2018

Letter from the Chair 13th February 2018

Hi Everyone,

Hope you’ve all had a lovely relaxing New Year and are just itching to get back out to your allotments.

Firstly, a very big welcome to our new allotment holders. I will aim to put out a letter monthly just to keep you all updated on the committee’s progress.

Our email address is aden.plots@gmail.com

We have our quote in for electricity to our cabin so we desperately need volunteers to help dig the trench for wiring etc. So, if you have a spare hour or two, please see Gordon or Donald. Your help would be very much appreciated. There are also more jobs around the site. We solely depend on volunteers to help maintain the upkeep of the site and to ensure our rents don’t go up. If anyone is in need of assistance on their own plot, Mintlaw Community Church has volunteers who are willing to help out; drop us an email, Thank you.

A huge Thank You goes out to Liz - if it was not for her we would not have had a generous donation of furniture from Shell which Liz managed to secure for us. Needless to say we are delighted and will soon have our cabin up and running for everyone to use.

Fortunately we have had no more break-ins. Weather permitting we will get the anti-vandal paint applied on top of gate and posts around the perimeter. We are waiting for a meeting with the crime prevention officer and of course once we have an electricity supply we will have much more scope on security.

Please remember that dogs must be kept on a lead at all time. No dogs are permitted on the site without a lead and are definitely not allowed to roam free and pee over all our lovely veg and grass!

We are still currently investigating “Charitable Status”. Also, a few of us on the committee will be going on a course on changes in Data Protection.

Starting in Spring our Green Store will be open every Saturday morning 10am-12pm or you can see Gordon our site manager if you require anything. Please remember our Hard-core is not for sale, Gordon or Donald are our onsite bankers, if you require muck at £1 or sand at £2 the barrow. Incidentally Gordon/Donald can check the pH value of the soil.

A disabled parking space is now allocated at the front of the cabin – it is strictly for disabled badge holders only. The badge must be displayed. We will have a disabled space allocated at the other end of the allotments in due course.

“Seedy Sunday” will be on Sunday 18th March 11am – 3.30pm at Aden Park for everyone to enjoy. This is a chance to pick up some free seeds and tips form the experts! If you have seeds to donate small envelopes are available in the cabin. The Allotments will be doing a stall of bird feeders, raffles, bottle stall and scones to raise funds. All donations for the bottle stall or raffles will be gratefully received. Please hand them to any committee member before Saturday 17th March.

Please, if you use our “composting toilet”, sit to pee as it has to aim the front funnel in order for it to compost properly. We have put signs up so please have a read through them, Thank you.

No trailers to be left onsite overnight purely for security issues (apart from the allotment trailer which will be secured).

Weed killer is now only permitted with a trickle bar on watering can. Please be very responsible and very careful not to damage your neighbour’s plot. Only use glyphosate weedkiller (Round Up) and not a long lasting weedkiller like Pathclear which will poison the soil.

So let’s get going….

Now’s the time to harvest cabbages, cauliflowers, brussels and kale for warming winter stews.

Sow seeds indoors to raise seedlings for planting out in the spring.

Plant shallots and garlic.

Chit seed potatoes.

Dig over your plot and add plenty of well-rotted manure (£1 a barrow)

Have fun guys and enjoy!

Very kind regards

Paula Cordiner

Chair ACAA

07826527536

aden.plots@gmail.com

Spring is Coming

Plotholder Email 24/12/2017

*Letter from the chair 24th December 2017

Ho Ho Ho “Merry Christmas Everyone”,

This is an introductory email updating allotment holders on the future plans for the allotments and also to introduce myself as the new Chair of the ACAA.

Firstly, I would like to thank the past committee members for the tremendous amount of effort and hard work they have put in to protect the interests of allotment holders, as well as to secure the future of the allotments at the ACAA.

Secondly, the Committee is looking into getting power for the main cabin for use by everyone. This will be a huge asset for us, and it will be great to hold a “catch up” every quarter for all allotmenteers. We will also have a notice board up with “what’s happening in our plots” and lots of other useful information and other features such as a “wee library”! Of course, it will also be a cosy sanctuary to escape to if the heavens open (or if you need to put your feet up with a cup o’ coco & a chocolate piece!).

Unfortunately, we have had a series of break-ins at the allotments. Trying to find a way to deter the vandals/thief’s from returning will be one of my highest priorities. Anti-vandal paint is going to be applied on top of our gate and around the perimeter of our allotment. Please ensure you have no valuables left at your plot as our insurance does not cover this, it is entirely at your own risk! Also, ensure you have no pallets stacked near to your fence or composters as this makes it an easier target to “jump over” (thorny bushes might be a good idea along your fence to deter culprits!).

Hence, our padlock has changed on Wednesday afternoon (20/12/17) . Please also ensure you check your plots regularly after storms and high winds etc.

Unruly & noisy dogs are not permitted at the allotments as it is a sanctuary for allotmenteers to relax & enjoy their pastime, well behaved dogs are welcome but I must stress they have to be kept on a lead at all times & not allowed to roam around the plots or roads for their safety.

We are currently investigating how to make the allotment “Charitable Status” for better access to funding and VAT returns etc.

Our green store is going to stock ground cover and pegs this year- if there are any other items you would like us to stock, please let us know.

Gordon has very kindly agreed to be Site Manager which is a huge asset to our allotments so thank you very much Gordon!

Gordon and Donald are our onsite “bankers”. If you wish to purchase muck at £1 per barrow or sand at £2 per barrow, there will be no “honesty box” left in the green store or cabin. Please note HARDCORE IS NOT FOR SALE (as it has been disappearing), it is only for maintaining our carpark and road.

There will now be 2 allocated Disabled Parking spaces for Blue Badge Holders only at each end of the allotment. Please be considerate.

Allotment rents will be due by 31/01/18

20x20 £100

10x20 £60

10x10 £40

Our Treasurer will be in contact to advise on payment method. On Sat 27th Jan 2018 we will be at the “green store” from 10am till 2pm if you wish to come and pay or update any details you need to change i.e. Address or phone numbers, emails receipts will be sent. A copy of every general communication to plot holders will be in the cabin in a memo binder marker “Communications”. Anyone thinking of giving up their plot please contact a Committee member.

A lot of our plot holders do an incredible amount of work maintaining the area around our plots which is fantastic and certainly doesn’t go unnoticed, so a huge thanks goes to all of you.

Please contact me if you have any queries, concerns or have any great ideas for our allotments as I’d love to hear them, your help & support will be greatly appreciated!

Have a Lovely Christmas Holiday and a Merry New Year!

Kind Regards,

Paula Cordiner

Chair ACAA

07826527536

aden.plots@gmail.com

Aden Community Allotment Association ACAA

Dear Members,

At the AGM on the 16th November 2016 it was highlighted that a volunteer had not come forward to be nominated to the position of Treasurer , it was noted that I, Ted Watkins as chair would undertake the role . Since then Colin Simpson who had taken up the role of vice chair volunteered to act as acting treasurer for the purpose of processing the rents due in January , this was a temporary solution in order to meet the ACAA obligations to the plot holders to avoid disruption to the existing procedure for the collection of annual rents .

Following a meeting of the committee on the 1-2-17 where members discussed a more permanent solution Colin Simpson offered his services to become the treasurer and Georgia Skinner volunteered to take up the role of vice chair.

It is for this reason I am contacting you to propose the recommendations of the change of office bearers for the position held within the ACAA committee.

If any Objections are received to this change in office bearers an EGM will be held to discuss, however if the majority of plot holders are satisfied with the recommendations then the changes will be put in place.

Please contact me on ************ or phone me on ************** if you have any queries.

Look forward to hearing from you

Kind regards

Ted Watkins

Chair

Dear Members,

Further to yesterday's email requesting payment to be made in January for this year's Allotment Rents, I can advise that if you would prefer to pay by cash or cheque at the Allotments then Ted Watkins and myself will be there on Saturday 21st January between 11.00am and 2.00pm.

A receipt for payment can be provided if you wish this.

Kind regards

Steph Swales

ACAA Secretary

Press Release

Gardeners encouraged to save for Seedy Sunday

Gardeners from across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are being encouraged to collect and save seeds ahead of the forthcoming “Seedy Sunday – Seed, Food & Drink Festival” due to take place on Sunday 19th March 2017 in Aden Country Park in Mintlaw.

A key ambition of the Seedy Sunday event is to provide an opportunity for likeminded people to come together to swap their surplus plants and seeds ahead of the 2017 growing season.

To help encourage seed collecting thousands of seed packets are now available, free of charge, to any green fingered folk who want to either start collecting plant seeds, or have already collected surplus seeds that they are willing to swap at the event.

Free seed packets are available to individuals or groups and can be picked up from the Aden Craft & Gift Shop, Buchan Tools, Buchan Development Partnership, Aden Allotment Association or they can be posted out directly by contacting Buchan Development Partnership.

Taking inspiration from existing seed swapping events, the Seedy Sunday – Seed, Food & Drink Festival event is the first of its type for the North East of Scotland. The event will take a “seed to plate” theme which will provide an opportunity for visitors, families, gardeners, food lovers, allotment groups, and people with a keen interest in food and horticulture, to come together to celebrate locally produced food, drink, seeds and plants.

The event will not only offer a range of high end local food, drink, and gardening stalls; it will also offer children’s activities; music and performance; opportunities to exchange seeds, plants, knowledge and recipes; along with providing insightful horticulture; talks; and workshops for all ages.

The innovative event is being led by a partnership of organisations including Buchan Development Partnership, the Friends of Aden Country Park, Aden Community Allotments Association (ACAA), Aberdeenshire Council and The Foyer,

Aden Development Worker, Neil Shirran said:

“We’re building on the success of last years event which attracted an audience from across Aberdenshire. It should prove to be a really informative, fun, and feel good event. With the onsite plant nursery playing host to the event, Aden Country Park is the perfect venue for the Seed, Food and Drink festival. It’s the first of its kind in Aberdeenshire and will not only celebrate and promote food and drink from the local area, but will also provide a hub for gardeners enthusiasts to come together to exchange knowledge, seeds, plants and recipes”.

If you are a keen gardener, are a local food or drink business, part of an allotment group, or simply someone who wants to attend or be involved with the event please visit the Aden Country Park website further information, including seed collecting advice and tips, or contact the Buchan Development Partnership info@bdp.scot

adencountrypark@gmail.com

www.adencountrypark.org.uk

www.buchandevelopmentpartnership.org.uk

.