Allotment Meeting Feb 2018

Following the emergency meeting held on the 30th November at Idverde's office in Cheam Park, I can now confirm that the date for the next regular Sutton Allotment Group Meeting has been booked for Monday 19th February starting at 10:00 am. to be held at the Salvation Army Church 45 Benhill Avenue Sutton SM1 4DD (The hyperlink shows the location on Google maps)

I have been notified that there have been some problems with invites that I sent from the Facebook Group that I've set up for the LBS Site Reps. If those of you that are not already members of the group could please load Facebook and search for " lbs allotments site rep assoc " you should see the group, and a current members list. You should be able to request to join and I can then approve the request and add you to the group

There are a number documents that have been uploaded and conversations that are taking place, and obviously the idea is that we all communicate so that we can exchange ideas and problems and are ready for the Allotment Group Meeting, as we need to dictate the agenda and run the meeting to ensure we iron out the problems that we have been experiencing before, during and after the transition of allotments management to Idverde.

Please take a look at the Contact List above and let me have your plot number if it's not listed on the page. The web site is a starter for 10 and I would really value your comments and input and if you want anything like Jack did re Tools for Self-Reliance please email the text and any supporting images and I will add it to the blog area.

Alan Wooldridge - Mill Green Site Rep

Tools for Self Reliance

Jack Hamilton of Forge Lodge allotment informed me at the recent meeting with Idverde that he is a member of Tools For Self-Reliance Sutton Group of volunteers with different engineering backgrounds who can dismantle and refurbish just about any tool that comes their way.

Tools for Self Reliance (TfSR) helps people in Central Africa build sustainable livelihoods by providing them with tools along with technical, business and life skills training.

When they have completed training, they receive the tools, enabling them to generate an income to look after themselves and their families, ensuring a culture of self reliance, not dependency.

Groups of volunteers around the UK work to collect and refurbish donated hand tools and sewing machines which are shipped in complete kits to their partner organisations in six countries in Africa: Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Click Here for more information

The Sutton Group of volunteers meets weekly to refurbish tools and sewing machines. They then make up kits – for carpenters, plumbers, leatherworkers, blacksmiths, bicycle repairers, sewing etc.

Last year they supplied around 1000 tools, over 100 sewing machines and 27 boxes of haberdashery, and are always happy to receive donations of tools, sewing machines and haberdashery, old and new hand tools. These can be dropped off either to their workshop which is located at the end of Honeywood Walk Carshalton and is open onon Tuesday and Thursday between 10am and 2pm

There are sometimes donated tools, sewing machines and other items which haven’t been requested, or which are in some way unsuitable or surplus to requirements.

Garden tools are made locally in Africa to different designs from the UK. Thus if you have now allotmenteers who need cheap gardening tools they can be purchased from the workshop, for a small donation.

All funds that are generated from the sale of tools goes to TfSR HQ after the Sutton Group have met their running expenses.