Stoke Goldington Gardeners' Club

Membership to the Stoke Goldington Gardener's Club is open to residents of the Gate Group of Villages (Stoke Goldington, Gayhurst, Ravenstone and Weston Underwood) and surrounding villages.

Club activities include regular meetings, a summer outing and a Village Show, all of which are open to visitors. The committee also organises a midsummer BBQ for members only. The year's programme ends in November with the AGM followed by wine and cheese. Every two years we hold an Open Gardens Day when selected gardens are open to the public. The next Open Gardens Day is in June 2007. The Club is also responsible for the allotments in Stoke Goldington.

The Annual Subscription for 2007 is £5.00 per person.

The Club is managed by a committee elected at the AGM. The committee for 2007 comprises:

The Club has associate membership of the RHS, and two tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show are raffled each year at the AGM.

If you are interested in joining the Stoke Goldington Gardener's Club please e-mail Gillian Rose. If you would like any further information about the Club or the programme, please e-mail the Chairman, Gillian Rose or the Secretary, Steve Holosi. For information on the allotments, please e-mail Gill Nicol.

The programme for 2007:

All meetings start at 8pm and take place in the Reading Room at Stoke Goldington unless specified otherwise. A raffle is held at each meeting, and refreshments are served, for which a small charge is made. Non-members are welcome to individual meetings.

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The Annual Outing

Each year the Club organises a day's outing to a garden site of interest. This year we are planning a trip to Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire on Saturday 16th June. Newstead Abbey was the ancestral home of the poet Lord Byron, and the estate includes many different garden styles.

We welcome non members on our outings. The prices for this outing (subject to numbers) are: Members £19.50, Non-members £21.00. To book your seat, please contact Carolyn Jones or Gillian Rose. See Gate Group News and local posters for final details.

Our coach pick up points will be:
Weston Underwood (bus shelter) 9.00 am, Ravenstone (Abbey Way) 9.05 am, and Stoke Goldington (Village Hall) 9.10 am. We will leave Newstead Abbey at approx 4.00 pm.

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The Midsummer Barbeque

Each year the committee organise a BBQ for members in the Chairman's garden. During the evening a Petanque competition is held and the winners take home the Petanque Cup.

Club members competing for the Petanque Cup at the midsummer BBQ in 2006.		Gillian Rose, Chairman, presents the Petanque Cup to the winners, Ann and Mike Wesson.

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The Annual Show

The Club's Annual Show is open to all SGGC members and everyone in the Gate Group of Villages, of any age. You can enter garden produce such as fruits, vegetables and flowers; and domestic produce such as cakes, breads, jams, pickles, sauces and soups. There are also classes for flower arranging and children's entries. A Handicrafts Division was introduced last year and members of the village Sewing Circle entered a beautiful selection of craft work.

Despite the dry weather in 2006, the Show was well supported. We had some very good entries as shown by the pictures below.

The 2007 Annual Show will be held on Saturday 2nd September at Stoke Goldington Village Hall. Members of the public are welcome in the afternoon after judging.

Show Programme:

Show Schedules will be available at the end of June. For further information, please e-mail Gillian Rose.

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Allotments

The allotments are located at Garden Wells, Stoke Goldington. If you wish to contact us about the allotments please e-mail Gill Nicol.

The rules for plot holders are given here. They are based on the tenancy agreement for the allotment site. In particular we are required at all times to keep the land clean and tidy, properly cultivated and free from weeds; and to keep hedges, fences and boundary walls in good order. Also we must not use the land in such a manner that would cause a nuisance or annoyance to the landlord.

Rules For Plot Holders

1. Allotments are rented for one year, renewable on Michaelmas Day (September 29th) each year.
2. Allotment holders are expected to:
   • Cultivate the whole plot, keeping it free from weeds.
   • Not allow the plot to become overgrown.
   • Only keep on the plot appropriate materials and equipment used for cultivation of the plot.
   • Keep any grass paths adjacent to their plot under control and free from weeds.
   • Keep any sheds or tool stores in reasonable condition.
   • Cut hedges and maintain fences on their plot where applicable.
   • Use water from the well sparingly as it is the only source on site.
3. In the event of non-renewal of the rental of the plot for whatever reason, all produce, sheds and materials must be removed by the rental expiry date. Any items remaining after the expiry date will be deemed as no longer required by the owner and will be disposed of accordingly by the club committee.
4. Bonfires - allotment plot holders must ensure that they comply with relevant legislation and bye-laws if they have a bonfire. In addition any bonfire must not cause a nuisance or annoyance to neighbouring residents. The allotment site is a difficult site to have a bonfire on. Hot, sunny days when windows are open and washing is likely to be out should be avoided, as should windy days.

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