Read the latest NAS newsletter
Welcome to Your March Newsletter
Read on for details of some great new member offers, to find out about NAS in the news, for a great book recommendation to learn more about National Allotments Week 2024 and about partner events you can take part in!
National Allotments Week
We are thrilled to announce the 2024 theme for National Allotments Week!
This year, from 12-18th August, we will be celebrating biodiversity on UK allotments.
We hope to share some fabulous content from our friends, experts and ambassadors on subjects such as encouraging pollinators and wildlife, educating the next generation, ecofriendly pest control, companion planting, soil health and more!
We will also have promotional toolkit available for download in May - to help you promote the wonderful happenings on your allotment sites.
Originated by The National Allotment Society, for over two decades National Allotments Week has encouraged lotties to throw open their gates and shout about the wonderful things happening on UK allotments.
Please help to promote the week by posting on social media with #nationalallotmentsweek24
For the latest news, keep an eye on the NAW website page:
Member Offers
New offers have been uploaded to the members' area of the website.
Take a look at deals including 2 for 1 at Rousham Gardens, 10% off Envar soil improvers, Homefire supplies, William James & Co vegetable cages, Kedel recycled garden furniture, Greenacres Direct, Gardensite plus 20% off Walters & Walters:
NAS on BBC Morning Live
Well done to London Representative Terry Dickinson and Deputy Representative Alan Marsh for arranging a location interview with BBC Morning Live last week.
Catch Terry speaking to BBC Morning Live about what NAS is doing to support allotment sites and reduce waiting lists. The interview took place at Deptford Allotment Site with Mark Lane, a garden designer, broadcaster and author. Also taking part were Green Allotments and AllotMe. You can catch up with the episode on BBC iPlayer:
Celebrating Orchard Blossom
Do you have an allotment orchard? Orchard Blossom Day is an annual celebration of orchards and fruit trees to be held on Friday 26th April 2024. Last year 53 sites across the British Isles held blossom events with several events held in allotments. Events can be held at any time there is blossom on trees, from March to early May depending on the region and fruit tree species. For more information see the Orchard Network website:
Return Your AGM Delegate Form
Please remember to return your AGM delegate form as soon as possible.
The yellow form was distributed with the February magazine. For more information, see the dedicated website page with details of the event, the agenda and hotel accommodation:
Book Recommendation
Huw Richards and Sam Cooper have spent the past two years planning and trialling their very own self-sufficiency garden in a 10x12.5m plot and now they've worked out the perfect formula.
This book outlines how to grow six portions of nutritious veg a day per person following their month-by-month growing plan, which is realistic and flexible with cost, space, and time in mind.
'The Self-Suffiency Garden' teaches self-sufficiency ethos, goals and approaches. It illustrates month-by-month planting plans with guidance on key tasks throughout the year. Create your garden and learn how to build all the growing spaces you will need, such as hot beds and polytunnels. You can also discover useful kitchen tips meal prep, storage, and preserving ideas along with base recipes so you can make the most of your crops.