A short profile of the Members of the Committee of the Eastney & Milton Allotment Holders Association

Mike Simpson is the Chairman of the Committee and presides over the meetings which take place about every 6 weeks. He also works very hard liaising with the Corporation trying to get fences repaired, paths filled in and also a new water system which I believe has been going on for some years! They never have any money although the Corporation have just laid a new floor in the shop! He puts in a lot of hard work at the Autumn Show getting everything ready for the day!

Peter Spreadbury is the Treasurer who has taken over from John Caws who was the Treasurer for the past 10 years and did a very good job. Peter keeps tabs on all the money taken at the Autum Show and other events and accounts for the incomings and outgoings of the shop - a very important job!

Lindsay Murday is on the Committee and helps in the shop. Most people know Lindsay who is always ready to give advice. He has had an allotment for a long time and knows just about everything about vegetables and flowers. He has won cups and trophies at the Autumn Show so many times he is giving it a rest and letting us newcomers have a chance.

Brian Forcey is the Trading Officer who organizes the shop and does all the ordering. He does a wonderful job and spends a lot of his spare time in there! What would we do without him! The shop is a focal point for newcomers to the allotments where they can buy their seeds etc. and get plenty of good advice.

Trevor Stark is the Vice Chairman and an expert in erecting tents for the Autumn Show! We are fortunate to have his expertise! Trevor organised the entrants for the produce tent in the Autumn Show for several years.

Andrew Leonard stepped in and organised the entrants for the Autumn Show and has now handed over the reins of Show Secretary to Janet Howarth. Andrew will still be producing his excellent posters for events and has volunteered to be the Membership Secretary. He has already entered all the names of members of the Association onto the computer which will make life much easier. Andrew also sets out the layout of the Newsletter and organises this web site.

Janet Howarth has volunteered to organize the next Autumn Show which will be held on Sunday September 2nd 2007. She will be responsible for the layout of the show tent, organizing the Judges and all the entrants with their prize produce on the day. I am sure she will get a lot of help from other members of the Committee and volunteers from the allotments on what is the hioghlight of our gardening year!

Alan & Sheila Moorhouse are long serving members of the Committee (Sheila is the sister of Peter who used to be the Chairman and started the Autumn Show). Sheila and Alan run the excellent tea tent at the Autumn Show and have helped to make the allotment stall at the Southsea Show such a success.

Gina Chambers is also a long serving member who lets the Committee hold the meetings in her house and organizes the allotment stall at the Southsea Show. She organizes the cake stall at the Autumn Show and makes lovely mince pies and cakes!

John Wade is also a members of the committee and serves in the shop and gives out advice to any new gardeners! He mans the bric a brac stall at the Autumn Show and sorts out all the donations of goodies - not an easy job!

A new member of the Committee was voted in at the last meeting, Hilary Day, who has a plot at Hope Cottage and is most welcome. Hopefully she will keep all the plot holders at Hope Cottage informed of goings on at the Committee Meetings!

I am Carole Bannister, Secretary of the Committee and Editor of the Newsletter. I also run the raffles which take place through the year and help serve in the shop. The last raffle of the year takes place in December on the last day of trading when mulled wine and mince pies can be enjoyed.

We are all volunteers and give of our time freely because we think it important that we have a shop as a focal point and we all help organise the Autumn Show and Plant Sale, which is a lovely way to bring in the locals. These events together with the stall at the Southsea Show are instrumental in getting people together and raising the profile of the allotments. There is now a waiting list of 90 and we hope the Corporation will stamp down on the people who neglect their plots and so free them up for others.

There are a steady band of volunteers who help erect tents at the Autumn Show and help on the stalls and they can also be called on if needed which is very important to the success of events. Also a lot of plotholders give their spare produce to sell at the Autumn Show and also bric a brac, cakes and chutney etc. It all helps to make it a success!

If you would like to serve on the committee or have anything you wish to discuss come along to the AGM which takes place around the end of January each year Bransbury Park Community Centre at 7.30 pm.