Covid-19 Pandemic: EWAA Emergency Measures

“Covid-19 Pandemic: EWAA Emergency Measures

The following changes come into effect immediately and will remain until further notice:

  1. Membership: New membership of the allotment association is now closed until further notice.  Our current waiting list will be recorded and retained and then processed when our membership reopens with the ending of the pandemic.  This is to protect the health of our membership officers.
  2. Shop: The shop will be closed until further notice to protect the health of our members and shop volunteers.  The EWAA committee will be exploring the possibility of setting up a virtual shop, subject to availability of stock and supply chains being able to fulfill orders.  If this moves forward, deliveries will be direct to plots.
  3. Social Distancing Rules – all separate households keeping at least 2 metres apart – will be strictly enforced on site.  Plot holders not observing these public health rules will receive a verbal and/or written warning from allotment officers and the committee.  A second report of such behaviour will result in the plot holder being asked to give up their plot without further notice.  Children are to remain with adult plot holders in the same household at all times.  Established helpers who are not named plot holders (or household members) that are not currently registered with the Membership Officer will need to notified to the EWAA in the next 7 days and will need to observe social distancing rules at all times.

These measures were agreed by an emergency committee meeting held on 24 March 2020.  They will be revised periodically by the EWAA committee according to any changes in advice from Public Health England and other government bodies.

Social Distancing Rules

The government has issued clear guidelines that are to protect vulnerable members of our community, social distancing needs to be followed by everyone.

The National Trust overnight has now closed its parks and gardens due to people not following these rules and behaving as though they are on holiday.

For us to keep open as an allotment association it depends on on all of our members keeping a safe distance from others.

in practice this should mean that each plot holder and any of their household should keep at least 2m away from other plot holders. In addition hands need to be washed for 20 seconds after opening and closing the entrance gates. There is soap in the toilet block. water supplies are now turned on.

I was on the site all day yesterday and unfortunately not everyone has yet understood the urgency to follow these rules. This is endangering the ability of the NHS to treat those hospitalised with COVID-19 and indeed everyone accessing treatment.

An emergency committee meeting is being held this week to discuss compliance on our site.

If these rules are not followed then we have no option other than to consider closing the allotment for all further access.

Chris Clifford

Chair, East Ward Allotment Association

COVID-19 PANDEMIC TO ALL MEMBERS

Everyone will be aware of the quickly developing situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s impact in England.

Our Association is now in regular contact with the Oxford and District Federation of Allotment Associations as we consider how we may need to change the way in which our association operates in the months ahead.

We cannot give public health advise. All members should follow this themselves through media broadcasts and the internet.

For now, many members will want to continue normal allotment gardening on their own plots and make sure that plots remain well maintained and are productive in the months ahead especially now as we are entering the main growing season.

For this to work we need to respect each other’s space and the fact that some members may not wish to have the normal social contact that we enjoy especially if they are in those groups that the government have said need to take social distancing measures.

The committee will be in regular communication to see how we need to respond – for instance, whether the shop can remain open as normal, whether we need to suspend normal cultivation guidelines or respond to any changing public health advice.

Please keep checking the website for up-to-date information.

Plot Inspection Seed Swop Work Party

Dear All,

Plot Inspections are now the 21st & 22nd March.

Seed Swop– a new idea, bring your spare seeds to the shop on Sundays & do a swop, the shop is now open 10am-12pm from 15th March.

Work party– come & join fellow plot holders to clear overgrown areas & rubbish on Sunday 10th May 10-12pm, 1-3pm and Sunday 17th 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm, refreshments provided.

Free-Bean Poles available from recent coppicing at the nature reserve, please help yourself from next to the reserve.

Free-Big pile of wood chip in the car park on Cricket Road, come & help yourselves.

Shop News March 2020

The first delivery of Potatoes was a big success, and we sold the last bag on the weekend of 23rd Feb.  The shop volunteers pointed out that I hadn’t communicated the reason for the new plan for potato sales this year, so apologies for that:  Last year we bought about 250kg of Potatoes and had to throw away 30kgs unsold.  So this year we decided to buy less, and buy in 2kg bags (and sell only in whole kilo’s), so we’d have less wastage.  This seems to have worked well so far.  

The second delivery of potatoes arrived this week, so we now have Duke of York (1st Early), Charlotte (Salad & 2nd Early), Nadine (2nd Early), Cara, Desiree and Orla (all Maincrop) varieties in the shop, ready for the weekend of 1st March.

As March is upon us, the shop opening times are a changing.  As always, during March and April, the shop will be open from 10am until 12 noon.  

Shop News – Feb 2020

With spring rapidly approaching we’ve exciting new things in the shop .

Bags of steam sterilised, composted Manure, at £5.50 each,

3.6m x 150mm x 22mm planks, at £6 each (perfect for paths or for quick borders on raised beds), and 2.4m x 125mm feather edge boards, at £2 per plank (for repairing shed walls/doors). We’ve already sold out of the thicker 6″ x 2″ planks, for making raised beds. Let the shop know if you’d like us to buy more.

Also, with Valentines day nearly upon us, it’s time for Potatoes. We’re expecting our delivery this week, to go on sale this Sunday 16th Feb. This year we will be stocking Duke of York, Charlotte, Nadine, Cara, Desiree and Orla varieties at £1.10 per kilo. Potatos will be in 2kg bags, sold as a whole or half bag.

Shop opening times are 11am until Noon on Sundays, until March, when they will open from 10am until Noon, until the end of April.

Update:

Sadly the Duke of York and Orla varieties weren’t available yet, so will be delivered in a week or so. Until then it’s just Charlotte (Salad), Nadine (2nd Early), Cara and Desiree (Main Crop) in the shop.

Fruit Sale & Pruning Talk

Andy Howard of the Heritage Fruit Tree Company will be making a return visit to EWAA on Saturday 21st March between 10-12pm. Andy’s talk on pruning was much appreciated last year and he has agreed to offer this again when he brings along fruit trees and bushes for sale.

A stock list will be made available in due course so that members are able to pre-order for delivery on the day.

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