Support for allotments regeneration in Northern Ireland

ARI and FCFCG were invited to take part in the first Northern Ireland Allotments Forum in August.  Initiated by Stephen Daye of Carrickfergus Borough Council, the Forum provided an opportunity for local councils across NI to come together and exchange news and views on the provision of allotments sites.
After attending an ARI Allotments Officers' Forum in the North East on a 'fact finding' exercise earlier this year, Stephen then asked ARI and FCFCG for support.

A further event has now been organised and will take place on 15 March in Ballymena. 

In addition, ARI, working with our partner organisation FCFCG, has appointed a voluntary convenor, Austin Herron, who is now working alongside local authority officers to find out what they have planned in the way of new allotment provision. A small grant from the Enkalon Foundation has enabled us to set up the next meeting, and two of the existing Allotment Regeneration Initiative mentors (from Scotland and Wales) will also be attending, in order to pass on their first hand experience of supporting local authorities and allotment groups. 

Austin can be contacted by email here.

AOF for Scotland

ARI plans to deliver an Allotments Officers' Forum in Scotland in spring 2010. The AOF will be held in partnership with the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society (SAGS), FCFCG and Trellis. ARI will carry out a consultation, with council officers responsible for managing allotments in Scotland, in autumn 2009, to develop an AOF that reflects the needs and aspirations of allotments officers in Scotland. 

AOFs in England

After a busy programme of events where forums were rolled out in many regions during the autumn, remaining regions in England will see their AOF start up in 2010. If you are an Allotment Officer or Town or Parish Clerk and are interested in attending a forum, or if your council is interested in hosting a forum, please contact the ARI office: ari@farmgarden.org.uk