FOLLOWING A COVID ENFORCED POSTPONEMENT LAST YEAR, WE SUCCESSFULLY OPENED OUR GATES AGAIN, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME, TO BRING OUR TOTAL DONATIONS TO THE SCHEME’S NURSING & HEALTH CARE CHARITIES TO £7,400.
REQUIRING A MONUMENTAL EFFORT BY AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS, THE GENEROSITY OF LOCAL BUSINESSES & VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, WELLESBOURNE’S LARGE, LUSH & LOVELY VILLAGE ALLOTMENTS ATTRACTED 372 VISITORS, SOME FROM AS FAR AS DERBYSHIRE, & RAISED A RECORD £3,800.00.
Our Treasurer & event manager, Ken Manning said - “ This is our 5th NGS Open Day & whilst it’s a challenging & exhausting experience, the pleasure visitors gain & the charitable donations we are able to make from the event is reward enough for us all “.
Ken added “ We are incredibly lucky to be able to draw on the wealth of skills of our members to deliver an exceptionally fun packed day, which this year included many new activities & required Plot Holders, Paul Harper & John Wilson to form dedicated Risk Assessment Teams to ensure we created a Covid Secure environment where everyone felt safe”
Hear Ken’s interview on BBC CWR on 18th Aug 2021
For the first time, live streaming of the event highlights was made possible Utilising the online video skills of David Clarke (Plot 8), combined with the presentation talents of Wendy Necar (Plot 35).
The live stream started with our Special Guest, Prof. Stefan Buczacki, performing the Opening Ceremony.
GRAND TEA MARQUEE
Upholding the event’s reputation for its exceptionally high quality tea & cakes, Plot Holder, Marion Allerton & her team, once again delivered the famous Open Day Tea Marquee.
The plant & produce stall proved so popular it sold the majority of its stock within the first few hours of opening. See the Plant Stall Video here
This year’s live music, provided by Stratford Upon Avon’s Amicantus choir, was exceptionally well received.
The ever popular ‘People’s Vote’ for 2021 Best Scarecrow attracted a host of competition entries from the Allomenteers & was won appropriately by ‘COVID Nurse Sally’ on Plot 59a.
Andrew Palin from Plot 17b hosted, what is hoped will be the first of many, Gardening Question Time with Special Guest, Prof. Stefan Buczacki, a well-known horticultural expert & author of numerous gardening books.
CHILDREN’S WORKSHOPS
Organising another Open Day first, Gary Moulton of Plot 7b said. “ we are extremely grateful for the invaluable support we received from the School Gardening Club, & the Wellesbourne Beavers & Rainbows groups. Together they delivered an engaging series of activities designed to generate the interest & awareness in young children of the planet around them.”
Although opening 3600 gardens this year, & as one of only a handful of allotments in the UK to take part in the scheme, the NGS chose to promote Wellesbourne Allotments as a featured garden on the NGS facebook page & creating an extended page for us on the NGS website. Creating their own film, using David Clarke’s Drone video combined with images by Rob Lavers this Facebook post has attracted over 1,900 views.
Drone flight over Wellesbourne Allotments July 2021 ©David Clarke. Taken with special permission by Wellesbourne Airfield
From the funds raised at the Tea Tent & stalls, the allotments have made charitable donations to various local organisations including; Wellesbourne Lions, Barford & Shipston Scouts, Wellesbourne Scouts, Beavers & Rainbows, Myton & Shakespeare Hospices, Warwickshire Wildlife & also the Rugby Autism Network, as the nominated charity of the Coventry-based ‘IStead AV Ltd’ who provided the P.A. system that enabled visitors to maintain social distancing & appreciate the Choir & the Question Time session from anywhere on the site.
Huge Thank you to our sponsors
without the support of our village businesses our open day would not be possible
Thank you for being part of our special day
without you our Open Day would not happen
