Enquiries have included devolved management, drawing up a constitution, lease agreements, insurance, funding, security fencing, tackling vandalism and disability access and even where to obtain lockable taps and eradicating eel worm. I often encourage those who contact me to join NSALG and take advantage of the excellent insurance scheme. NSALG have been very amenable to groups that do not fit the traditional association mould.

I attend meetings and give presentations: I make site visits where necessary but Yorkshire is a big county. Inviting people from other sites, councils, or agencies along to some of these visits can be beneficial. So can networking a group with another group encountering similar problems, e.g. two disability groups organised an exchange visit through ARI's travel bursary scheme to exchange ideas and participate in that essential aspect of allotment gardening, socialising.

I have met many nice and positive people: one in particular was an enthusiastic Environmental Regeneration Worker, Jean Richardson, who requested a presentation on devolved management to site representatives, Council members and officers. The groups resolved to look into becoming self-administered and also agreed to form a Federation for Wakefield at the same time. It gave me a real buzz to be part of such a positive move in the development of the local allotment movement.

I have been extremely busy since the outset of the mentoring scheme, a little too busy at times, but have got a lot of satisfaction from being able to help people in the regeneration of allotments across my region and beyond. Fortunately there has been a quieter period over the last couple of weeks, allowing me to attend to my allotments before they also needed regenerating!

Wishing you all many happy hours of gardening.

First published: ARI Newsletter Summer 2005