Tidy Day Tasks

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It is a condition of membership of the Craven Arms Community Garden that plotholders contribute to the ongoing maintenance of the communal areas.

Throughout the Covid Pandemic it has been necessary to carry out maintenance in an ad-hoc manner rather than the normal Tidy Days. We are very grateful to those members who have made contributions to the maintenance throughout the Pandemic.

The list below sets out the range of routine maintenance tasks that need to be carried out.

Routine Maintenance Job List

Hedge Cutting and Trimming

  • Inner Horse Shoes
  • Perimeter Hedges – both sides

The trimmings must be taken to the Discovery Centre bonfire area.

Pathways – Weeding

  • Old pathways
  • New pathways

Grass Cutting

  • All areas
  • Between plots

Compost Heaps

  • Turning
  • Tidying

The soil must be kept away from the shelter decking wood.

Soft Fruit Ground Areas

  • Weeding and tidying
  • Pruning – at the appropriate time of the year

Inclusive Raised Beds

  • Weeding
  • Strawberry plant maintenance

New Extension Triangle

  • Weeding the perimeter hedge
  • Grass cutting
  • Old hedge trimming

Please do what you are able to assist with the maintenance tasks.

Security of the Community Gardens

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Over recent years we have improved the security of the Community Gardens through improvements to fencing and extensions to the gates. The access gates are now routinely padlocked and secured with a key code known only to plotholders.

Unfortunately there have been some security breaches by plotholders where the shed and gates have been left open.

I must stress that it is important that the following security measures are adhered to:

  • gates must be secured at all times with the padlocks
  • the shed has a padlock which must secured before leaving the Community Garden
  • please remember to always reset the security code on the padlocks to four zeroes

This last point is vital so that no-one other than plotholders can learn the key-code.

If you need to be provided with the secure key code please let me know.

Sean Scannell, Secretary

CACG AGM 2021 – Delayed

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The CACG AGM was planned for Saturday 6th February 20201.

Unfortunately because of the prevailing lockdown it has been necessary to delay the AGM until later in 2021.

The two existing Committee members agreed to continue in office to manage the affairs of the Community Garden pending re-election at the re-scheduled AGM.

At the moment there is no planned date for an AGM and this will proceed when we are free from lockdown and it is safe for members to meet.

As soon as we have a date we will let plotholders know and circulate any required documents in advance of the meeting.

In the meantime if you should have any issues concerning the Community Garden that require the attention of the Committee please contact myself or your Chairperson John Wood.

Sean Scannell, Secretary

Advance Notice of CACG AGM 2021

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Please note the following date for your 2021 diary. The Craven Arms Community Garden AGM will be held on Saturday 6th February 20201 starting at 14:30.

The venue will be confirmed closer to the date.

Refreshments will be provided.

The AGM provides the opportunity to review the past year and make plans for 2021.

The AGM is also the ideal time to pay annual plot fees.

Celebrate National Lottery 25 Grant

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The Committee of Craven Arms Community Garden have been awarded a grant of £950 from Celebrate National Lottery 25.

The logo of the National Lottery Community Fund and Celebrate 25

At short notice, we developed and submitted a grant application to secure funds towards the refurbishment of the existing frame in order to bring the polytunnel back into use.

#CelebrateNationalLottery25 Grants

The first National Lottery draw took place on the 19th November 1994, and so the National Lottery celebrates it’s 25th birthday in 2019. So far the National Lottery has helped more than 565,000 good causes.

To celebrate it’s 25th anniversary the #CelebrateNationalLottery25 grants scheme is offering grants totalling £2 million. The individual grants up to a maximum value of £1,000 are being offered to organisations with ideas that help bring the community together.

Grant for £950

Our successful grant application was for £950 and this was itemised as follows:

  • New polytunnel cover – sundries – tape, fittings  £750
  • Treated wood partitions and shelving  £100
  • Food and refreshments £75
  • Administration £25

Our plan is to refurbish the polytunnel and bring it back into use, and to celebrate this with an “Open Day” on the 27th May 2020 with a buffet lunch for CACG members and friends. The event will allow us to invite members of other organisations that have provided grants to the Community Garden, including:

  • Euro Quality Foundation
  • Craven Arms Town Council
  • Connexus

When the polytunnel was first constructed in 2015 it was vandalised before it could be used. This grant provides the funds to refurbish the polytunnel for the benefit of members. It will allow the growing season to be extended to cover the period from February through to November.

CACG members will be able to use small plots within the polytunnel for an additional fee – and we will provide more information about this later in the year.

Call For Volunteers

Next year we will be calling for volunteers to help to carry out remedial work on the polytunnel frame and site in readiness for recovering the polytunnel.

CACG AGM 2020

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The Craven Arms Community Garden, CACG, Annual General Meeting, AGM, will be held on Saturday 8th February. Please note the following date for your 2020 diary.

Saturday 8th February 2020

The AGM will be held in the Craven Arms Methodist Church Hall, Corvdale Road, SY7 9ND and will start at 14:30.

Free refreshments – tea, coffee and biscuits – will be provided.

The 2020 AGM will provide the opportunity to review the past year and to make plans for progress through to 2021.

The AGM is also the ideal time pay any rents due on plots.

Tidy Sunday December 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 1st December 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 1st December 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 30th November and I will attend on both Saturday and Sunday.

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • removing weeds and overgrowth from pathways
  • re-surfacing pathways

At the last Tidy Weekend in November we had a very poor attendance which was probably as a consequence of the heavy rain.

A new list of Tidy Sunday dates will shortly be posted inside the shed door.

Tidy Sunday October 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 6th October 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 6th October 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 5th October and I will attend on both Saturday and Sunday.

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • mowing grass
  • strimming grass and pathways
  • removing weeds and overgrowth from pathways
  • removing weeds from the new planter

At the last Tidy Weekend in September we had a poor attendance:

  • 3 plot-holders attended on the Saturday
  • 3 plot-holders attended on the Sunday

One plot-holder was unable to attend because of a medical issue.

It is vital that plot-holders attend Tidy Days and make their contribution to the necessary maintenance of the Community Gardens.

The photograph below shows weeds in the new planter we have built – and this requires weeding.

Weeds in a new CACG planter
Weeds in a new CACG planter

As part of the restoration of the Community Gardens we are removing overgrowth and weeds from pathways before we re-surface them. The photograph below shows the pathway at the North West of the Community Gardens and illustrates the work required.

Weeds on a CACG Pathway
Weeds on a CACG Pathway

We also need to start preparations for a new extension to the Craven Arms Community Garden. This extension will be on the south-side of the Community Gardens. The first step will be clear overgrowth to the perimeter of the boundary pathway as shown in the photograph below.

Onny Meadow Pathway
Onny Meadow Pathway

Please make every effort to attend and contribute to the Tidy Days and the maintenance of the Community Gardens – and please note that this is an obligation and requirement as described in the Constitution of Craven Arms Community Garden.

Tidy Sunday September 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 1st September 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 1st September 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 31st August and myself and your Chairperson, John Wood, will attend on both Saturday and Sunday.

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • mowing grass
  • strimming grass and pathways
  • removing weeds and overgrowth from pathways
  • removing weeds from the planted beds

During the last Tidy Weekend in August, one plot-holder continued to clear weeds from the overgrown pathways in the north east corner of the Community Gardens. The photograph below shows this weed clearing in progress:

CAGG Clearing North East Pathways
CAGG Clearing North East Pathways

If plotholders complete the clearing of this section of pathways over the weekend of 31st August and 1st September, then we can order some more fines to re-surface the path. This work is all part of a “Re-Generation” project to restore the Craven Arms Community Garden to its former glory.

We are able to carry out this re-surfacing project because we have received a grant from Craven Arms Town Council – to whom we are extremely grateful.

There are several projects under way at the moment to improve the security and appearance of the Community Gardens. If any plot-holder are able to help us with these projects then please contact myself, Sean Scannell, Secretary, or John Wood, Chairperson.

Tidy Sunday August 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 4th August 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 4th August 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 3rd August and myself and your Chairperson, John Wood, will attend on both Saturday and Sunday

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • mowing grass
  • strimming grass and pathways
  • removing weeds and overgrowth from pathways
  • removing weeds from the planted beds

During the last Tidy Weekend in July, 2 plot-holders continued to clear weeds from the overgrown pathways. The photograph below shows the results of this weed clearing.

A photograph that illustrates the before and after of pathway clearing at Craven Arms Community Garden.
CACG Paths Before and After Clearing

More recently we have started to re-surface the pathways and this is shown in the photograph below:

A photograph of a re-surfaced pathway at Craven Arms Community Garden
Re-surfaced Pathway at CACG

We have a number of projects under way at the moment aimed at restoring the Community Gardens to their former glory. We are able to carry out this re-surfacing project because we have received a grant from Craven Arms Town Council – to whom we are extremely grateful.

We have several more projects under way to improve the security and appearance of the Community Gardens. If any plot-holder are able to help us with these projects then please contact myself, Sean Scannell, Secretary, or John Wood, Chairperson.