Brilliant day out on 6 September for all the family at Exhibition Park: talks, workshops, live music, wellbeing sessions, family activities and entertainment. Remember to get your entry form in: dozens of categories include pickles, chutney, children's entries, drawings, innovations. Details and entry form on council allotments webpage, here.
We're all welcome to join Ellie Davison, Natural History Society of Northumbria, for a chance to learn more about the bats who visit our allotment site. Details in our website Calendar section.
Newcastle Council has delivered shredded organic material - it serves as a mulch or soil enricher. It is on the right of the compost pile,
Local ecologist Emily Anderson has agreed to help us to monitor wildlife on our site, and advise how we can improve habitats to help all our wild neighbours to thrive. She visited at the invitation of new plotholder Carol Robinson (pictured right, with Emily centre and committee members Diane, Peter and Geoffrey). This follows the announcement of the ambitious Ouse Burn Way project to improve green corridors alongside the river that flows below our plots.
Concerned about the dramatic decline in bird numbers? Many of us are, which is why annual Birdwatch is now the world's largest wildlife survey. You can take part at our plots or in the garden. It helps RSPB volunteers plan how best to restore species most at risk and campaign for better protection.
Following the 50th anniversary year, the Stotes Hall committee saw considerable change. The meeting at Jesmond Library thanked Ralph for his incomparable contribution, from creating our wonderful organic site to carrying out the Secretary role for an unbroken half century!
We're delighted that our plotholders again made their mark at this year's Allotment Show - winning a first prize and also taking lots of great pictures. Here's a sample, and we're adding more next week. (No, we've not mixed the photo up with beach holiday shots! - the deckchairs were to enjoy the musical entertainment.)
A simple free bird app has transformed allotment visits for several plotholders - opening their ears and eyes to many more bird neighbours that they ever imagined! Within hours, they had heard and then watched a fairly rare redstart - it was singing its wonderful melodies close to their plot. You don't need to be tecky to use this app - users will be happy to introduce you to it. Click "more" to see our log!
Plotholders will probably have seen the new sign by our gate confirming that Newcastle City Council has taken back its role running the city's 60+ allotments. This ends the arrangement with charity Urban Green. Our allotment committee has been kept in touch with developments and attended a meeting of Newcastle Allotment Working Group (NAWG).
Concerned about the dramatic decline in bird numbers? Many of us are, which is why annual Birdwatch is now the world's largest wildlife survey. Thank you to all who took part, at our plots or in the garden. It helps RSPB volunteers plan how best to restore species most at risk and campaign for better protection.