Welcome to the RAA

The Rosendale Allotments were established in 1908. It is an 18 acre site owned by Dulwich Estate on Knights Hill between Herne Hill and Tulse Hill in South London. You can view the allotments from the air at Google Maps and a map of plots here.

The Allotment Association is constituted as an Industrial and Provident Society, registered and regulated by the FSA, and therefore bound by the rules and regulations which govern such bodies. The Association is formed by the members, and a membership fee is charged. There are 480 plots on the site and the 500 plot holders and sharers are a diverse group, drawn mainly from South London, with all its rich ethnic and cultural variety.

Rosendale Allotments Association Newsletter
posted Sun. 4th December '11

Hello and welcome to our first newsletter. We will be bringing you news and views from the allotment every two months, but we need your help.
Firstly we need a new name, as “newsletter” is a bit dull, so we are running a competition. If you think you can come up with a good title please send it to our email address raanews@hotmail.com or add your idea to the comments box at the bottom of the article. The person who comes up with the best name will get some goodies from the store.
We are also looking for some budding horticultural journalists, please contact us if you have any ideas for future content.

Unusual vegetable of the month

Some plot holders have been growing Achocha, an unusual vegetable from South America that is remarkably easy to grow.
It is impressively productive; in fact it can take over so plant it well away from other crops. Achocha loves our variable UK summers, can be used raw in salads when small a bit like a cucumber but the best thing is that they really taste just like sweet green peppers when fried.
Pek will bring some Achocha seed to the seed swap next year if you fancy giving it a go.

Stores
The stores are currently closed for the winter and due to the new building going up next year it looks likely that the stores will not open in 2012.
If any one knows of a well priced garden centre or online shop that they would recommend for use in the meantime then please let us know.

There will be a big sell off of the remaining stock in the new year so watch this space and get ready to grab a bargain.

Committee news
Open fires are only allowed between 1st November and 31st March.  We have had two visits from Lambeth council’s Environment and Pollution Officers due to our residential neighbours complaining that plot holders are burning plastic and rubber as well as leaving fires unattended.  We can be liable for a fine of up to £20,000 for this.  Please remember that we are only allowed to burn organic matter and fires must never be left unattended.

The committee are on the lookout for new members. It can be a great way to meet other plot holders and you could really help the allotments to run more effectively.  You don’t need any particular experience to be a committee member just the willingness to get involved.  Currently they are particularly keen to hear from anyone who would like to take on the roles of treasurer or volunteer co-ordinator.
If you are interested please contact Paul Robson vieurobs@gn.apc.org


What’s the latest about our new buildings?
We are happy to report we are very optimistic about getting the full grant finally confirmed soon. Lambeth has granted us planning permission, and all that remains is some final legal paper work which the Dulwich Estate requires as a condition of our lease.
The buildings have been designed by The Garden Escape who will oversee the project. But we will have to ensure that the old store building is dismantled, and for that we will need your help, as volunteer input is part of the grant conditions.
HMRC now recognises RAA us as a charity so we can now claim back additional funds from the tax office for any donations received, so long as donors provide their address. Some very generous person donated £500 anonymously via the website donations button but did not provide an address. Would they kindly let Rachel Sharp know in confidence who it was so that we can take advantage of the Gift Aid concessions. Thanks to all those who contributed to the building fund, which was used to pay for the planning permission application and the professional survey, we had to have done for the plans.

The library/ resource centre.
Thanks to the Capital community fund Grassroots grant and some contribution from the Lottery Awards for All grant we now have a wonderful and comprehensive collection of books and magazines about all aspects of gardening but especially for allotment holders, currently housed in the committee hut. What we lack are volunteers to man a rota so that the library can be open. Please volunteer by ringing Rachel Sharp on 02077372892 or email her at rs@jaspere7.demon.co.uk. When we have enough volunteers we will open at 11 till 1pm on the second Sunday in the month.
Each newsletter we will highlight a category in our collection: this time mentioning the good array of books on DIY projects for the gardener such as building sheds, green houses, raised beds, garden seats, cold frames, etc. The National Society of Allotment and Leisure gardeners send us multiple copies of their great quarterly magazine: Allotment and Leisure Gardeners so members using the library can get free copies.

Dates for your Diary
January 22nd 2012
London Potato Fair
Sydenham School
Dartmouth Road
London SE26 4RD
10.00am - 3.00pm
Entrance Charge £2.00 UNDER 16s free
http://www.potatofair.org

 

Gate code change
posted Fri. 21st October '11

As promised, the locks on the top and middle gates are being changed on Friday 21st of October unless there are any complications.

The codes on all the gate locks including the main gate will now be the new number handed out when you paid your rent.

Please take the number with you to get into the allotment after Friday, if you cannot memorize it.

There will be a sign on the gates letting you know when the locks have been changed. Until then use the old number or your key.

Any plotholder who for any reason does not have the number, and has paid, should phone or text to 07949 229581, and quote the number of the receipt they were given for the rent they paid. Alternatively you can email marcobarrella@hotmail.com giving the receipt number, your name and plot.

As normal rent-taking period is over, any member who has not paid must now pay their rent to officially receive the gate code number.

You can do so by attending the committee hut between 1pm and 2pm on Saturday 22nd Oct and Sunday 23rd Oct. The late fee will be waived on these occasions due to the disruption of the SGM in the middle of rent taking.

Sharers (Associate Members) please ask the plotholder responsible for the plot you are connected to for the code. It is their responsibility to let you know.

 

The dump has gone
posted Sat. 24th September '11

It’s taken many years, thousands of pounds, and a lot of work by successive committees, but the dump at the top of the Rosendale Allotments site has finally been cleared this week.  RAA rules state that all rubbish should be removed from site by plotholders, but the actions of a selfish few had seen rubbish being left on 6 plots, leaving 4 unlettable and a 5th about to become so.  Now the dump is cleared, these plots are in the process of re-letting, and (having lost rental revenues on these plots for many years) will now result in up to £300/pa additional rent being collected in future.

Don’t force the committee to waste your rent money on rubbish collection!  Take your rubbish home, and if you see anyone leaving rubbish (which we will all have to pay to get rid of), don’t let them get away with it!