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November(2006) to April (2007)

It may have been winter, a time when the gardens lie sleeping, but we certainly haven't had time to sleep! So much has happened over this period I'm sure to forget to mention some of it. Let's start with the ‘new' greenhouse that Derek spent so many long and hard hours taking down and transporting to our site and that we were pondering how to get glazed. Well we don't need to now because just after it had been erected, we had that incredible gale – 90 mile an hour winds - and the whole thing collapsed. Efforts have been made to salvage some parts but they have been so badly buckled that we've now given up on the task…. Oh well we tried; perhaps some kind fairy god mother (or father?) will pop up and offer us help??? This gale didn't do the other small green house any good either, it stood up to it but much of the glass didn't….yet another case of people generously putting their hand into their pocket to pay for new glass and putting it in!

Members were very generous also in contributing food and things for another Christmas hamper including a very large and I mean large brand new cuddly white polar bear. Dec and Yvonne arranged with the miners welfare for the draw to take place on the 17 th December and it raised £167.90!

And talking of generosity, (there's no end to it here at Mastin Moor) people have donated any number of plants, flowers, shrubs and even trees. Take just one example from the many, Joe is an ‘old' allotment holder but finds it very difficult to get to the gardens let alone dig because of his medical condition even though he lives not far away at the bottom of the estate. (To those who know these things, the hill from the bottom is very challenging to people with walking and breathing difficulties.) One day he was helped to get here and enjoyed sitting on one of the seats watching Ron put some shrubs in. Afterwards he made a special effort to get into town and buy some wild flower seeds for the wild flower meadow. Why don't news editors put things like this on the news and remind us all, how many good people there are about! Lots of other people have also donated wild flower seed which Ian and his group of adults with learning disabilities have sown.

Whilst talking about plants, here's a brief summary of what else has been planted over this period thanks to the funding mentioned in the last news report as well as more individual contributions: Alnus and Oak in the area south west of the bog garden together with a ‘big' ash tree that John donated: Immediately behind the bank encircling the bog garden about a dozen laurel: along the path to the south east of the bridge (oh yes the bridge is another wonderful addition to the gardens) a number of Phototynia Red Robin and Magnolia trees: Mick's brother has donated a walnut tree which is now planted near the green house and allotments: Derek donated some large conifers that now shelter and hide the green house: At the entrance there are now Leucothe, mini hebes, geum, photinia, abelia, ceanothus, choisya, salvia, leacanthemum, aucuba and conifers: All of which we hope will grow to provide lots of all year round colour and also protection and food for the birds and insects.

The pond and bog garden also has had lots of hard work done to it and it is thriving with tad poles and other wild life and has now been planted with: (forgive the spelling!) laurnus cernus, mazus repiansalba, lobelia fulgens, caltha palustis, houttuynia cordata, minulus, aquttuynia cordata chameleon, japonica flamingo, pelpatatum, alba, tellia recurua, iris mint, nananculus, japonica and typha minima. (the former plants funded by donations and the latter by Derek and Sheila who run the local aquatic shop.)

A considerable amount of work has also gone into t he sensory garden throughout this period including planning trips for the adults with learning disabilities every Monday with Ron, Rita and Geoff to other sensory garden for ideas including; willow tree farm, Heeley City farm, Carsington Water, Tapton lock, Mill gardens, Shirebrook, Ringwood etc. The ‘planners' have now had planning meetings and the plans are now more or less firmed up and the ground is being prepared (Derek has already worked some areas so as to help with the planting up.) Because of the nature of the people involved in this project, things have naturally moved more slowly than it would have done with fully able adults. It is hoped that the garden will be ready for Love Parks week in June, when it is hoped to have an open day…. But as with our philosophy, it is organic and the important thing is that people get involved and feel that they are helping and contributing … which this project is proving they are!

I'm sure to have forgotten lots of things because there is so much going on, oh yes, we've had three meetings including an AGM over this period and we also put up another stand at Chesterfield Equality = Respect day which we understand was well received again. It's hard to believe that all of this is voluntary. We have no paid staff and what's more everyone involved contributes not only their time and energy but also a lot of money … a big thanks to all concerned because it is really making a difference for many people!

May and June

Amidst all of the ‘bad' news with which we are constantly bombarded in the world today, especially on the TV and in the papers etc (and we have our share of it including two windows being broken deliberately in the green house) it is wonderful to be able to share with you the really much more important good news; just how much the sense of community is returning to Mastin Moor Community Gardens. No matter what the outcome of global warming will be (and the author of these few words believes we are, in the words of the UN environmental Committee of 1997, heading for an environmental precipice!) individuals here are showing what it is really like to be human. The willingness to work and help one another without seeking payment or reward is truly refreshing. The willingness to help one another has been a feature of this project since its inception with people such as Gerry, Dek, Derek amongst many others all contributing so very much and this spirit of being willing to help just continues to grow. Some of the latest examples include; Ian the tutor for one of the special needs groups has had to stop bringing his group for a while (hopefully only a short while) because of other commitments within the social services department and so other gardeners have just ‘mucked in' to help keep their plots and plants growing, watered and weed free: None more so than Ron. Ron is in his eighties now and was once the secretary to the ‘old' allotments and himself kept three allotments. It is too much for him now to keep even one, but despite this he has, together with some of the present allotment holders, been turning out every day to help maintain, weed and water the special needs group's plants and plots until they return. (see pictures.) Not only this but he also helps on the communal areas of the community garden including helping to weed and plant seasonal plants at the entrance grown and donated incidentally by the special needs group! Furthermore, it is terrific to say that three ‘young' lads, Jimmy, Stephen and Michael have taken up an allotment (can't show a picture of them on their plot because of the concern these days of showing pictures of young people etc; sometimes I do think the world has gone mad!!!) and Ron and the other more experienced gardeners are helping and advising them on what, when and how to plant etc. They are learning, Ron and the experienced gardeners feel valued, the young lads feel valued … a real community is beginning to grow as young and old work and learn together and respect one another! Incidentally, these young lads are also helping in other ways including watering the plants in the green house for the special needs group.

Other good news includes the glass has been replaced in the green house and up until now remains in tact: Derek and David have carried out some running repairs to compost corner and Derek has stripped out the kitchen following the damage caused by damp ingress through the broken windows and repaired/repainted it: Michael and Jenny have donated a seat in memory of their mum (see pictures) And the Community Gardens were recognised by Derbyshire County Council when they gave a commendation to Rita in their annual Greenwatch Awards.

July to October

And still the good news keeps happening and people generously continue to help in so many ways especially financially and physically; Since opening the community gardens a number of volunteers have been cutting the grass (using their own mowers and out of their own pockets) with help from the Community Payback team. As you can imagine this is a big job. This summer however, Dec and Yvonne have bought, completely out of their own pockets, a sit on mower solely for use on the community gardens; and a shed to house it in. Dec has also undertaken to keep the grass cut as well as maintain the mower ALL OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS!!! Have a look at the latest pictures to see Dec and Yvonne with the mower.

The photo gallery also shows pictures of the water pipes and storage tanks being laid around the site thanks to the generosity of the Learning disabilities group. They had won a £250 award for the work that they have done on these gardens and this they have used to purchase all the water pipes, tanks and connections etc.

First there were ‘older' men back to digging allotments, followed by ‘younger' women: Then the adults with learning disabilities: Then three young lads volunteered to dig allotments as reported in the last news bulletin and now they have encouraged three more young ones to dig … is this good news or what! The community spirit and rapport being developed between the different age groups and abilities keeps on growing just as well as the fruit, veg and flowers.

Not only that but so many more people are commenting on how good the site is and how grateful they are for it. For example, Simon and Nina, who live on Rose Crescent walk with their two young children and are very pleased to see the site restored to an area in which they can safely walk and enjoy the environment. Lillian, Tony, and many others are also of the same opinion.

Compost corner has had more running repairs done to her aging body and the rain water is just about being kept at bay. We've only had one more broken window as well and since that was repaired no more damage… things are looking good! Thanks also to Chesterfield Borough Council for allowing us discretionary rate relief on it. If they hadn't we'd have had to close it up and thereby lose the facilities for the group with learning disabilities.

We have managed to salvage a large greenhouse frame that was being scrapped elsewhere in Chesterfield and it is now erected temporarily on the community gardens whilst a base is laid for it. How we get to glazing it is another matter! But we have faith that something will turn up, something will happen that will facilitate this and provide us with the start of the community food growing project that we have always had in mind.

And finally but not least the Association has been successful in winning some bids for funds. A very big thank you therefore to all the agencies listed below who have kindly donated funds for the following purposes:

Sensory Garden

Coalfields Regeneration Trust – Bridging the Gap fund - £9,661 to enable a group of adults with Learning Disabilities to design and construct the sensory garden. Approaches have been made to Derbyshire County Council Social Services to this end and we are awaiting their response.

Pond and Bog garden

Chesterfield Borough Council - £350;

Derbyshire County Council - £450

Barnsley Building Society - £500

Ron Goodwin (personal donation) - £10

All to enable the pond to be planted up, wildlife habitats to be installed, a bridge to be bought etc.

Shrubs for the entrance bed

Staveley Community Forum (supported by Chesterfield Borough Council) - £100 to plant shrubs in the entrance bed to provide year round colour.

February 2006

"People have very kindly donated many seeds and plants including trees,
snowdrops, shrubs and daffodils. The latter have all been planted into
the gardens this month. Signs designating different areas of the garden
are almost ready to put up around the site. A lot of effort is going
into designing and costing the bog garden and pond including sourcing
appropriate native plants etc: expert advice is being sought.

Latest News for March, April and May 2006

We were kindly offered for free a green house. This has now been dismantled, transported and erected, but not without a few hiccups! Its amazing how the glass which came out of the green house just wouldn't fit back in again!!! It is primarily for use by the learning disability group but available to all allotment holders.

The learning disability groups have been working hard and 6 small and 2 larger plots have been cultivated and planted up with amongst other things, both early and main crop potatoes, broad beans, courgettes, shallots, onions. They also entered the Derbyshire County Council Good Practice Award and came second.

Funding applications have been submitted to Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, Barnsley Building Society and the Stanton Trust to help us complete the wildlife pond: the Nottingham Building Society to help us put more seats around the site and we have also re-applied to the Coalfields Regeneration trust, Bridging the Gap Fund to build the sensory garden as reported last year.

Community Payback have helped out again with the paths and grass cutting.

It is beginning to look like the wild flower meadow isn't! There is no sign of the beautiful flowers we had two years ago. If they do not appear soon we will go back to Groundwork Cresswell.

Volunteers have kindly helped with some running repairs to compost corner including the repair of two windows which vandals had thrown bricks through!

December 2005

We have submitted an application to the Bridging the Gap Fund to enable a group of eight adults with learning difficulties, supervised by a horticultural manager and an assistant, to design and build a sensory garden within the Community Garden. We have been turned down because they have insufficient funds, but are in no way downhearted! The ‘rejection' letter was very encouraging and we will, as asked, reapply in April.

January 2006

The sign is now up at the entrance to the Garden and it looks great!

October 2005

At their request, MMAA set up a stand at the Borough Council's Equality = Respect day in Chesterfield. The stand proved very successful. We received many positive comments and it appears to have raised our profile within Chesterfield Borough Council.

We have been granted Discretionary Rate Relief by the Borough Council once again. Although this involves us making a separate application each year, it is well worth the effort. Without this relief, we would need to find some £300 per year out of our own pockets for Compost Corner and that would be very difficult; the Committee already heavily subsidises the development of the Community Garden. Without Compost Corner, we would have no toilet or kitchen facilities and so could not benefit from either the visits of the adults with learning disabilities or the Community Payback Teams. So, thank you Chesterfield Borough Council!

We are delighted that the Community Punishment Team has returned to work in the Community Garden after a two month absence.

November 2005

As a result of personal circumstances, we have not been able to progress our plans for the social enterprise much this year, but we are now picking up the strands once again. Unfortunately, the disused classrooms have had to be demolished after an attack of vandalism. We will need to rethink our plans, but are still determined that the enterprise will go ahead.

Two committee members attended the Community Payback (formerly Community Punishment) launch event in Staveley on behalf of MMAA. Our Community Garden is featured in their publicity leaflets and we are delighted to be able to repay all the hard work they have done for us in some small way.

We have purchased some nice planks of wood from Bolsover Woodland Enterprise for a sign for the Garden. The Community Payback woodwork shop will actually make the sign for us.

June 2005

Seven allotments are now being worked and we are continuing to host a group of adults with learning difficulties. However, as a result of our continuing concerns, a letter has gone to Groundwork Creswell raising a number of points about the site including the state of paths and the failure of the wildflower meadow. We have asked for a site meeting to discuss remedies.

August 2005

The Community Punishment Team has moved off the site to work on other projects; we miss them, but are very grateful for the work they have done.

Sadly, we have had a window in Compost Corner broken by stone throwing vandals.

March 2005

There is continuing concern by all the committee about the state of the paths, which are showing weed penetration and erosion. We are contacting Groundwork Creswell again.

April 2005

People sentenced to do community service have begun working on the gardens on Saturdays, and some Sundays. They have built raised beds on one allotment to enable a plot holder who uses a wheelchair to garden. This has been paid for with money raised by a Christmas raffle. The team is also helping us with ongoing maintenance, for which we are very grateful.

January 2005

MMAA has again been represented at a further meeting of the Staveley Horticultural Society. Two of our committee members have agreed to take responsibility for attending future meetings on behalf of our group.

We have drawn up an initial five year business plan for the social enterprise. We really want a good name for it, but we are struggling to come up with anything!

February 2005

Our efforts to develop a social enterprise continue to make progress. We met with the Deputy Leader of Derbyshire County Council and the Officer responsible for services for adults with learning disabilities to discus how the enterprise might be helped and supported through the direct payment system. They were both very supportive of the project.

November 2004

Two of our committee members represented MMAA at the inaugural meeting of the Staveley Horticultural Society

December 2004

We attended a meeting with local community representatives and Derbyshire County Council to discuss the future of some nearby disused classrooms. We have gained agreement to use one as a base for our future social enterprise.

September 2004

Having now seen the plans for the Gate Inn, we have written to the Borough Council to express concerns over the proximity/overlap of the proposed development with our boundary.

We have had a further meeting with CASE.

October 2004

Bolsover Woodland Enterprise has installed our first four benches, so we have let the local people know through a notice in the Tenants and Residents newsletter and on the community notice boards

July 2004

Thank-you letters have been sent to everyone who helped with opening the Community Garden.

After a number of meetings with our local Social Services, a group of people with learning disabilities have been visiting the site and are enjoying helping on the gardens. Our aim is to find a way to make this possible for a larger group on a more permanent basis.

With limited resources at our disposal, committee volunteers agreed to ‘adopt' and look after particular parts of garden and cut grass etc.

August 2004

Our landlord, Staveley Town Council, has agreed to pay £200 so that our first four seats can be installed on the Community Garden; Bolsover Woodland Enterprise has been commissioned to build and install them.

We still have some concerns over some of the work done by Groundwork Creswell and a follow-up ‘snagging' meeting has been held with their representative to discuss the site.

We have been notified that there is the possibility of a housing development on the adjacent Gate Inn. The good news is that we may benefit from some ‘Section 106 Planning Gain' money plus Chesterfield Borough Council's ‘Percent for Art' scheme.

We met with a representative of CASE to seek advice about the setting up of a social enterprise to take forward our plans for a group of adults with learning disabilities to work on a food-growing project.

28/05/2004

The first stage of regeneration is almost complete and together with the Tenants and Residents Association (TARA) we plan to celebrate by having an open day on the 19 th June between 11.00am and 3.0pm to coincide with the start of Stavely Feast Week. The Chairperson of Staveley Town Council, Councillor Eunice Robinson, has kindly agreed to plant a tree to commemorate this opening at 11.40am.

23/06/2004

The open day went well with all people enjoying the event. Special thanks to all who took part and worked really hard to make the day a success.

MMAA would Also like to thank the following Organisation who donated most generously!!

  Morrison Ltd Staveley

Goods for fundraising  

Hopkinson Memorials Ltd, Staveley

Inscribed marble commemorative plaque

15/04/2004

The first phase of the project is now almost complete and our first growers have taken up the baton to get planting for the rest of the season

 

15/04/2004

As yet the gate is still not fitted but this is anticipated within a few weeks

25/03/04

The project is moving forward well and we will be planting this week.

25/03/04

Are you interested in helping we want all sorts of people from allotment growers to people with building knowledge. We are keen to get people involved in small aspects of the site so don't be put of by the magnitude of it if you can help in a small way we want to talk to you so give us a call.

28/02/04

Planning was successful and work recommenced in late January to form the footpaths and hard landscaping

28/02/04

Thought is now going into the running of the new site after its completion. Allotment plots will now be available at a rent of £5:00 for the remainder of 2004 and £12:00 for the full season of 2005

20/12/03

Christmas Draw was successful in raising in excess of £150.00 for the cause.

20/12/03

Planning permission for the hard landscaping is now with the council

10/11/03

New Funding of £43000.00 has been secured from Staveley Neighbourhood Management to allow the project to move forward.

10/11/03

It is hoped that Groundwork Creswell will have the paths and much of the hard landscaping in place by February 2004.

 

 
 
 
     
     
 
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