UPDATE 31/01/07

More News in the local papers

Herald and Post and Luton on Sunday

UPDATE 17/01/07

WE WON!!!
The Council last night made the decision to adjust the plans for the new
allotment fence, to include my plot instead of cutting it off from the
rest of the allotment community, so there will be no demolishing of
Lottie.

THANK YOU:
- To everyone who signed my petition - all 569 of you - I felt the
weight of your signatures on my shoulders last night at the Area
Committee and it kept me sane! Please forward this email on to whoever
else signed, we may reach everyone!
- To Alan, Alex, Gemma, Graham and Nick - the original allotment team,
the instigators and my best friends.
- To Bev Creagh at the Herald & Post for supporting our cause and
writing such a brilliant 2 page spread.
- And to Graham Neill - the architect who visited the plot yesterday
morning, and who 'got it.' I truly believe he changed the minds of the
Parks Team - Guardian Angels come in very unique forms sometimes!

The Future
Due to us 'bloody new age eco warriers' taking a stand, the council have
admitted that they are not happy with the work of Arthur Perkins,
Allotment Secretary. He's not been attending the AGM meetings or doing
anything to promote our Allotment Society. We met with the Treasurer of
the allotments last night after the meeting, and he's taken my number
and will be in touch to discuss the future of Stockwood Park Allotment
Society. Not only have we succeeded in keeping Lottie, but the world of
allotment keepers in Luton is about to improve. And in the grand scheme
of things, that's a bloody miracle.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!

UPDATE 14/12/06

A well written newpaper article was featured in a local Luton paper, Click here to view the images
Part1, Part2

Update 4/12/06 - Letter from the Council

Letter dated 4th December - from Amara Khatoon, Administrative Officer.

Petition - objection against the demolishment of allotments belonging to Melanie Knight and Michael Sambells without their knowledge or consent.

Thank you for your petition regarding the above received by me on the 4th December.

In accordance with the Council`s procedure for petitons, this matter will be reported to the South Luton Area Committee to be held on 17th January 2007 at Dallow Primary School, Dallow Road , Luton.

I should be grateful if you would please convey this information to the other signatories of the petiton.

You are welcome to attend the meeting at which this matter will be considered. Please let .... know if you will be attending the meeting and if you wish to speak to the petiton. If you represent a large group of petitioners it would be helpful if a spokesperson could be nominated to speak at the meeting on behalf of all petitoners.
Copies of your petiton have been sent to the Ward Councillors, Chair of South Luton Area Committee the Executive Members with Portfolio Responsibility for Environment and the Leaders of the three political groups represented on the Council.

Allotted period of happiness?

I’m 28 and have an allotment. Are there many of us out there?!

In 2004, my partner and four of my best friends spent two months shuffling around in the cold mud of Stockwood Park Leisure Gardens, secretly weeding, picking up stones, designing layouts and planting a huge variety of produce in order for me to a have sanctuary in the town of Luton.

They lied their way through March and April, using the un-ambiguous code name of ‘Lotty,’ leading me to believe they’d been extremely lazy during the weekends when I was out of town, and hence making me feel most guilty when I realised what an enormous task they’d taken on for the most unique birthday present I’ve ever heard of.

The hard work had been done for me, an overgrown fallow plot of land was now a ‘leisure garden’ again, and all I needed to do was carry on weeding, and watch everything grow – from cabbages to French beans to courgettes to strawberries. My complete lack of gardening experience didn’t put me off, and we all bought books and learnt fantastic old ways of gardening – did you know you should plant onions on the shortest day of the year, and pick them on the longest? Or that it’s best to plant four seeds at a time: “one for the mouse, one for the crow, one to rot and one to grow?”

My birthday presents, Christmas gifts and general donations over the following two years have consisted of everything gardening-related; books and netting from my Mum, a wheelbarrow from my Dad, hoes from my brother, and from my friends: gardening shoes, lanterns, seeds, apple trees, a tool belt and even a care-kit for my ravaged hands – I was the best-kitted out girl in the park.

Recipes were concocted for our dozens of courgettes and runner beans, the pumpkins stole the show this year at Halloween, their innards creating delicious risottos, flans and crumbles. We even learnt how to make jam from local plums and blackberries.

Lotty became a haven for our whole community of friends, its secluded position surrounded by trees and bushes made you forget you were in a park, let alone a town. The children came to learn how plants grow, the adults came to escape their city jobs, and after a hard weekend’s weeding we’d all relax with a picnic and watch the sun go down. Birthdays were celebrated on the lawn area, and three of us even spent Christmas morning roasting chestnuts there for a gift to everyone in the local pub!

Last week I rang the Allotment Secretary to arrange to pay next month’s rent, and was told that due to development of the park, my allotment was going to be demolished to make way for a grazing area for horses. After a meeting with the Property Manager and the Allotment Manager of Luton Parks this was confirmed. I allegedly had the only plot in the designated demolishment area, and I could either be served with 12months notice, or they’d move everything to another allotment of my choice… they couldn’t understand why I was particularly attached to this plot, and so devastated by their plans.

I am led to believe that these plans have been underway for the past two years. A deal has been done with the Council and the Allotment Society: land for horses in exchange for a new fence around the main allotment area. So why was I given this plot in the first place if it was always marked for renovation?

To add insult to injury, they have already destroyed the neighbouring allotment rented by my friend Mike Sambells without his knowledge or consent, alleging that he had done no work on it, and showed no further interest in it. They’d not even checked the site to see the evidence of our hard work throughout the summer, or the fact that he has a receipt for the rent paid.

After careful consideration, I will be taking the 12 month notice option, So with the backing of my family, friends and colleagues I am making a stand, for both myself and the memory of Mike’s beautiful plot. Lotty may have a death sentence over her, but she’ll keep her spirit for as long as I can protect her.