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Lynwood Road Allctrnents

The Fruits of Summer - marrows, runner beans, sweetcorn, lettuce, nicootiana etc

There is general perception thatallotments are a North of Englandiirstitution or a left over relic of The Digfor Victory campaign during WWII, butthere are today literally thousands otthriving allotment sites in the South Eastproviding recreation and the opportunity tcr

grow fresh and organic produce for localpeople from a wide variety of backgroundsand experience.

trf designated as an ,Ailotment Site, theAllotrnent Act of 1922, which uses thedefirrition for an allotment garden as " anctilotment not exceeding forty p<tles in,xtent which is cttltivateri by the occupier, tr the protluction o!' vegetables ar .fruitt:rops for consLrwLplion b1; hirnse.lJ'ttr ltis

fami.!y" alst-r designates StatutoryAilotr.nent Sites as iegall,v pr'otected localamenit_v areas.

'Tire Earcugh i.f F.irrrbri'-lge h:rs tiiirleen

such sites and in 1990 encouragement wasgiven by the Council (and by Cllr. R uthI-yon in particuliu') for these to become selfmanaged and the Lynwood Road sitebecame the first pioneering activist to get

these new ventures off the ground. A smallgroup of enthusiasts on the site createcl aconstitution and fbrmed an Association(The Lynwood Allotment Association) ofall the plot holders. It then negotiated a

nrodel lease on behalf of its members wilhthe EBC for Trustees to take over themanagement of the site as a whoie- Sincethen, in the following years ali sites inElmbridge have proceeded in a similarfashion relieving the Council of financialand administrative burdens to become seifcoltained and self managed Associations.

Seif managernerrt e ncouragesenthusiasrn and creates a sense ofrw!-ie{ship witich ailows plot holdeLto

panicipate in the mai@ement of their sitc

Ir u *hol.. lt has created a bettercommutrity spirit and provides a base

which aisoiimply allows opportunities "to

get things done". In the case of the

Lynoonod Allotment Association AGMs

utt held and committee membersappointed to take on the responsibility of

the tease and in parlicular for the letting of

plots, collection of rents, expenditure of

mainienance costs' and the organising of

work teams and social meetings etc'

Lynwood Allotments consist of some 90

niots locateci in a quiet secure cul-de-sac in

a woodland setting between Manor Road

North and Portsmouth Road' off Claygate

Lane in Long Ditton. All plots are close to

a water tupfty and a number of powered

tools are available for its members'

For those who would like to take uP

growing their own fresh produce or srmply

ivant tJ enjoy the exercise ihere is ample

opportuniiy to stafi a ne$ plot and to nieet

a group of friendly meffItiers wlth whom to

share the exPerienceJulie Laing recommends "growing your

own organic produce locally"' Joan

F{arlow has ha.l her allotment tbr over 27

vears and is still growing slrong' Paul'Bartlru grows wtrndedtrl coioudul da'hlias

and copious amotrl)ts o{'gooseherriet atrti

Delia iidewood has a bird leeder hanging

frorn her shed that she attends even if she

is not digging and delving'

h few plots are still available and ccst

as little as f15"- P.a-Alryone who woulcl like to jcin in anC

can c.rmmit a i'ew hours a week (whether

in time for the 2002 grorving season or lbr

o 1u,". date) to enjoy the benefits ofcultivating their own plot should cofltact

Julie Laing on82242249

Tony Johannsen

I-ynwood Road Allotment Assc'ciationChaimran