Present: Mrs J Bourne (QED Health Group), Mr M Still (Tredegar), Mr A Hewitt (W Dartford A & G S), Mr J Rowden (Bean), Mr B Ringrose (Wilmot Rd), Mr R Stone (Swanscombe), Mr G Laidlaw (Dartford Rd), Dr R Wiltshire (Research Officer), Mr R Johnson (Secretary).
1) Apologies for Absence: Mr W Mundy, Mrs W Hamilton.
2) Minutes of Seventeenth Meeting: Accepted.
3) Matters Arising from Minutes of the Seventeenth Meeting: None.
4) Research Officer's Report:
a) Visit by Mie Women's Centre (Japan): A Group consisting of ten women and two men will visit Dartford on Tuesday 28th September. At the Civic Centre they will attend a lecture on QED and Allotments given by Dr Wiltshire and then visit Dartford Rd Allotments, Bluewater, Ebbsfleet and Eynsford.
b) CityHarvest Feasibility Study: Dr Wiltshire was a member of the working group supervising the research for this study and a copy of the study document has been purchased for use by QED.
c) Liverpool Allotments, Leisure and Community Gardens Conference: Dr Wiltshire has been invited to give a talk at this conference on 30th October.
d) Advice: Since the last meeting advice on allotments in Local Agenda 21 and related matters have been provided to the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, a Gravesend Allotment group (via Mr R Stone), London Borough of Newham and Brighton & Hove Council.
e) EDM 631: MP's who had not signed EDM631 by 18th June were written to, with a request that they consider signing (5 replies received).
f) Comments: Comments have been submitted on a draft of the LGA's "Advocacy Document" on allotments and to the DETR on the "Report of the Urban Task Force".
g) Virtual Potting Shed: Elder Stubbs Allotments (Oxford) have been added to the QED Virtual Potting Shed.
h) FCF&CG London Region: Dr Wiltshire is to attend the inaugural meeting of the Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens London Region Steering Group on 10th September.
5) Publicity: Mr R Stone continues to broadcast on BBC Radio Kent with regard to allotments and organic cultivation. 12 items relating to QED Allotments have appeared in the press since the last meeting including items in Amateur Gardening, Garden News, CityHarvest Report, Allotment and Leisure Gardener, News Shopper and Kentish Times. Advice on self management has been given to an allotment site in Gravesend.
6) Joint Activity with the QED Health Group: It was agreed to postpone further action on the new Parliamentary Initiative on Allotments for the Active Elderly until after the current EDM631 has expired. Support for the "Raised Bed" disability project at Dartford Road Allotments is being invited from both Health and Waste Groups as well as a request for QED funding. Mrs J Bourne attended a "Conference on the Health for the Over 50's" making new contacts on allotment matters emphasising the close links between allotments and health.
7) QED Food Forum: Mr Stone reported that no minutes have been received but topics such as box schemes and G.M. crops were discussed at the last meeting. It was decided that QED Allotments Group maintain a watching brief on the Food Issues Group until there is evidence of public interest in the undertaking. Two rotary charts were exhibited designed to provide data for vegetable and herb planting these may be available for sale at £2-00 each if sufficient interest is forthcoming, Mr Hewitt to investigate the possibility of selling them through the West Dartford Allotment & Garden Society trading hut.
8) Dartford Festival: It was reported that members of the QED Steering Group have commented favourably on the QED Allotment display and that a similar display could be used as the centrepiece of any QED display at next years festival. This years display (minus the vegetation) can be seen in the main entrance of the Civic Centre. The QED Steering Group has asked the QED Allotments Group to formulate responses to four of the ten signed comments posted on the QED Issues board.
9) Dartford Festival Allotments Competition: Dartford Borough Council will be notified shortly of this years winners and in due course committee members will be notified of the date and time of the awards ceremony.
10) "Gardens for People" Conference: Twelve delegates from QED will be attending, it has been arranged that QED Allotments/Bromley Allotments Federation will be co-hosting a workshop on "Allotments and Community Gardens".
11) Coach Trip to Reading/Sutton: The QED Steering Group has agreed to fund a coach trip to visit horticultural projects in these two locations sometime in late October depending upon the prior commitments of host organisations.
12) Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens Membership: The QED Steering Group has agreed to fund affiliate membership for the QED Allotments Group, Mr R Stone will act as focus for this activity.
13) Activities for 1999-2000: Discussion of future possibilities include:
14) Any Other Business:
a) Responses to the "Corporate Strategy, Environment Plan and Community Development Plan" have been submitted after urgent consultations between members of this group. The allotments group noted the discrepancy between the advocacy of community consultation in the Corporate Strategy and the length of the defined consultation period for these documents.
b) QED Allotments Newsletter issue No. 6 has been printed and distributed, including over 100 copies to correspondents outside Dartford.
c) Judging of the "Great Dartford Pumpkin Competition" will be progressed once it is clear that at least one of the participating schools has a pumpkin to judge.
15) Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting has been arranged for Monday 1st November 1999 from 8.00 pm at the Princes Sports and Leisure Centre.
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