Whilst we have always taken pride in describing ourselves as a friendly community allotment site, please be mindful that at the moment some people may be self isolating on their plots. A cheery hello, a wave and a conversation from a distance may be very welcome but please observe a safe distance for everybody’s safety during these difficult times.

Also please either use gloves or ensure hands are clean when opening and closing the gate.  

Let’s keep our community safe and well.

ARDAA Committee 

Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic we have decided to stop teaching in the polytunnel immediately.

So our students don’t miss out we are recording and posting the classes on YouTube.

We will continue to follow the lesson timetable.

We want you all to stay safe and thank you for your understanding. 

Julia and Elaine
The Potty Plotters

Our lovely new bridge and gate has finally arrived and we are thrilled!.

Thank you to Derby City Council, the University of Derby, Eurovia and Beaver Bridges.

A fitting entrance to our fabulous allotments… welcome!

To everyone at Ashbourne Road Allotments

We are so sorry that we can't come to film with you for this series of Gardeners' World and appreciate that this was disappointing news to receive. We too were very excited to come and see and hear about all the amazing things that you are doing on your allotments and know that you have been working hard to get your plots 'TV ready'. The good news is that the producers want us to come in 2020... we will be in touch in the new year to confirm plans, so watch this space! 

In the mean-time happy plotting from everyone at BBC Gardeners' World!

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Growing Academy and purchased plants from us in 2019.

The Growing Academy is now closed for the year and will re-open in 2020. Please visit the Radio Derby Continuation Plot for ongoing growing information.

The Community Polytunnel on plot 3 is now being used by the tenants of the starter plots. Please respect their growing space.

HAPPY PLOTTING

Elaine and Julia (The Potty Plotters)

What is the Growing Academy?

The aim of the Academy is to teach and support anyone wanting to learn about growing fruit, vegetables and traditional allotment flowers. We welcome beginners, as well as more experienced gardeners, in sharing the process from sowing seed right the way through to harvest. We will also advise and guide on all things allotment and growing related, as well as providing guest speakers and classes for local community groups.

How will it benefit our allotment site?

With the right knowledge anyone can be a productive grower, be that at home on the garden or on an allotment. Having a Growing Academy will offer our members the best possible opportunity of success; this should improve plot retention rates as well as an in increase personal satisfaction levels. Having a plot should not be overwhelming or a chore!

Whilst we learn in the Academy, we will be producing numerous plants which will be sold on through the ARDAA shop to raise funds for our site. Plants will be available to purchase as and when they are ready, so they will be in optimum planting condition! There will be no ‘Plant Sale’ as such, instead keep an eye on the shop or place an order with the academy volunteers for plants. Please encourage your friends, family and neighbours to come and buy from us!

Finally, the Academy is groundbreaking stuff. To the best of our knowledge no other site in the country has anything like this! Alongside other recent improvements to our site, this work will help attract people to the waiting list of the site and as you know, having a healthy waiting list is good for any site.

The Academy is a mark of how forward thinking and community focused our site is and continues to attract funding and engagement in local partnership working.

Who can attend?

Anyone who is a Member of Ashbourne Road District Allotment Association can attend The Growing Academy. You do not need to be a plot holder to be a Member of the Association.

If you want to learn how to grow, we can teach you! You can attend every class or select specific areas you’d like to join in with. The classes will be relaxed and informal so a great opportunity to meet and get to make new friends and get to know more people in the growing community.

How much will it cost?

Being a student of the Academy is free - but in return, we will ask for some of your time. The tutors and guest speakers will all be volunteers so all we ask is that you continue to support our allotment community by giving volunteer hours. A site the size of ours needs many hands so please take a look at our guide to ‘volunteer roles’ where we are positive you will find is something to suit your needs.

For further information

• Speak to either Elaine (Plot 35) or Julia (Plot 33)

• Email: academy@araa.org.uk

• Call on 01332 485 018 option 6

• Or leave a message in the postbox on the side of the Mundy Community Room

All allotment associations must not only look at the needs of allotmenteers today but those of the future. We need younger generations to take up allotmenteering and have young people learn skills that are essential to the sustainability of the site. As peoples’ lives change, we need to be able to offer them allotment gardens that are manageable within the time they have available. Our Starter Plot Project combines all of these things.

As a volunteer-led organisation, projects like this can take a long time to deliver without the work and support of partners from our local community.

We are extremely fortunate to be, once again, partnering with G F Tomlinson who helped us last year with our accessible Centenary Plot. Their ability and willingness to provide expert personnel, machinery and materials makes such a difference; it encourages more volunteers to get involved and further embeds the allotments into the local community.

With G F Tomlinson’s introduction to the DWP and Horizons School, our Starter Plot Project will give young people the opportunity to learn new skills and enjoy some of the benefits of allotment gardening.

ARDAA cannot thank G F Tomlinson and their staff enough for the help they have provided and continue to provide. We hope that our partnership with them will go on for many years to come.

It is with great pride that we can now share with you the news that Ashbourne Road District Allotments has been awarded Green Flag Community Award.

This is a national award that recognises high quality green spaces that are managed by voluntary and community groups. The Award is part of the Green Flag Award Scheme, the national standard for parks and green spaces.  

This year there were only 20 allotment sites in the whole of the UK who received this Award, so it really is something special. Judging was undertaken during a very wet and windy day in April and the following factors were considered: A Welcoming Place; Healthy, Safe and Secure; Well Maintained and Clean; Environmental Management; Biodiversity, Landscape and Heritage; Community Involvement; Management and Achievements.

On July 17th a delegation of Committee members collected the Award on behalf of the Association at a ceremony in Walsall and the Judge’s feedback could not have been more positive. His comments re-inforce what visitors have been telling us for a while now, that our site is a community asset and a shining example for others to follow.

So to each and every one of you who make our site what it is…

Thank you for putting the ‘Community’ into this Award

Ashbourne Road and District Allotments Derby is recognised as one of the UK’s very best green spaces 

Today, a record number of parks and green spaces collect a Green Flag Award  
 

Ashbourne Road and District Allotments in Derby has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best in the world. They join other green spaces awarded recognition in the region. 

The allotments are among a record-breaking 1,970 UK parks and green spaces and 131 in thirteen other countries around the world, that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Community Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Ian Stewart (ARDAA chairman) said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the second year.

“We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Ashbourne Road Allotments to such a high standard”.

Elaine Crick and Julia Slater (the resident ‘Potty Plotters’ from BBC Radio Derby) said “We are thrilled at being part of the group who have received the award for the second year. Volunteers on site have worked really hard to keep the allotments looking amazing. We have engaged with the allotment and wider West End community and just continue to show people what kind of a life they can have whilst growing their own on an allotment. What’s not to like?”  

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “It’s fantastic that we have more Green Flag Awards in the UK than ever before, joined this year by 131 International winners. Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We congratulate each and every winner on their fantastic achievement.”

Today, a record number of parks and green spaces collect a Green Flag Award.

We have been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best in the world.

We are among a record-breaking 1,883 UK parks and green spaces that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Community Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Ashbourne Road District Allotments were established in 1917 on a site located on Mackworth Road in Derby. The site covers just over nine acres and currently has 130 allotment plots. The site is run entirely by volunteers with an aim to develop and maintain a green space that supports its members to participate in allotmenteering and to provide a safe, productive and enjoyable community resource.

Mark Slater said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the first time.”

“We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Ashbourne Road District Allotments to such a high standard.”

“This award is a testimony to everyone who has contributed to the success of the site in its 100-year history.”

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme, with more Green Flags awarded this year than last year.”

“Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We are proud to have so many wonderful green spaces in the UK for people to enjoy, and hope that next year, we award even more flags.”

We will be celebrating our achievement with a flag raising event to be organised in the weeks to come.