Dear Friend,
We hope that you have all had a wonderful Summer holiday and are enjoying the bonus September sunshine we are having! ☀
As we head into Autumn we are pleased to announce that both our Autumn and Winter workshop programmes are complete! From garden planning to cider making, we hope you’ll see something you’d enjoy.
More exciting news is that with the further funding we received from the National Lottery Community Fund earlier this year, our Social Gardening sessions are back! This is the perfect opportunity for those who want to spend time in our beautiful spaces, meet new people or perhaps have a go at gardening, or join in with the more structured volunteering activities.
And last but most certainly not least, we’d like to introduce two new members to the STAA team:
Sam, our Horticulture Project Worker, who you will see mostly on the Heritage Garden and the Nursery working on our Community Harvest initiative and connecting with others.
Sarah, our Youth Engagement Worker providing activities on the Orchard and Urban Nature that empower young people within the community.
We are really looking forward to the coming months and hope to see you soon!
Best wishes,Kayleigh
PS. If you’d like to receive news like this in your inbox each month, join our mailing list here.
Upcoming Workshops
Weave Your Own Willow Bird Feeders
Saturday 23rd September 10.00 – 12:00 – £35
Join us to make beautiful fat-ball-holder bird feeders out of willow. You will learn the basic properties of working with willow, including different types of willow, preparation and maintenance plus at least 2 different styles of willow weaving
Introduction To Honey Bees & Beekeeping
Saturday 23rd September 13:30 – 16:00 – £30
Join us for an indoor session with our enthusiastic resident Beekeeper Pete (aka the Bald Beekeeper). Pete will bring his ‘virtual hive’ to give an insight into the fascinating world inside a hive, and what that means for a beekeeper.
Introduction To Pruning
Saturday 14th October 10:00 – 12:30 – £30
Join expert Mike, at Oliver’s Heritage Garden, for a master class in pruning garden shrubs, ornamental trees and roses. Learn the correct techniques and timings to keep your plants healthy and show off their best attributes, whether that be beautiful flowers, fabulous foliage or brightly coloured stems.
Cider Making & Apple Tasting
Saturday 14th October 13.30 – 16.00 – £30
An afternoon of cider making and apple tasting with Leo Jordan from award-winning Blue Barrel Cider Company. You will learn how to pick, mill and press fruit and try different heritage and cider varieties to get your taste buds on trend.
Propagation: Create Your Own Soft Fruit Garden
Saturday 11th November 10.00 – 12.00 – £25
Learn a host of propagation techniques that are suitable for this time of year. Take away cuttings to establish a fruit garden in pots, a garden or an allotment.
Planning Your Edible Garden
Saturday 11th November 13.30 – 16:00 – £25
Learn a host of propagation techniques that are suitable for this time of year. Take away cuttings to establish a fruit garden in pots, a garden or an allotment.
Festive Willow Crafts
Saturday 25th November 13.30 – 16.00 – £35
Make your very own festive crafts out of willow! This enjoyable session will provide you with the skills, equipment and guidance to create your own projects.
Christmas Wreath Making
Three dates: Sat 25th Nov, Wed 6th Nov & Sat 9th Dec, £45
Create your own large, hand crafted festive wreath in this relaxing and creative session. Using beautiful winter foliage and a range of fresh and dried natural materials you will make and take home a wreath you are proud to hang on your door! Festive refreshments included.
Christmas Table Decorations
Wednesday 29th November 13:30 – 16:00 – £30
This workshop will be a relaxing and creative session using natural materials to make your own Christmas table decoration using fresh and dried foliage gathered from the gardens and hedgerows of this Grade 2* Listed allotment. Materials and festive refreshments are included.
Learn How To Build Compost Bins
Saturday 9th December 13.30 – 16.00 – £30
Everything you need to know to build your own compost bin at home, as well as the characteristics of a good compost system.
Guided Tours
We lead walks around St Ann’s Allotments on the last Wednesday of every month, 1:30-3pm. The 1.3-mile guided tour takes you to our Heritage Display Garden and Nursery, telling the 700-year story of how this 32-acre site changed from pasture and orchards, to Victorian pleasure gardens, to working-class allotments. Including stories of people who lived here and the grassroots campaign to save the site from redevelopment.Find out more and book tickets here.
On the Orchard
The Community Orchard runs free events for all ages.
New Shoots, every Tuesday in term time, 09:30-11:00
After School, every Wednesday in term time, 15:30-17:00
Community Open Day, Saturday 23rd September, 12:00-15:00
Volunteering & Social Gardening
Volunteering continues as usual, with plenty of opportunities to join us!
Tuesdays at the Nursery, 10:00-14:00
Digging, sowing, pruning, clearing, building, watering, harvesting! All things food and flower focused for a productive garden.
Wednesdays at Oliver’s, 10:00-14:00
Help maintain a beautiful display garden for visitors to enjoy, and promote its heritage features.
Our Social Gardening sessions will run alongside our usual volunteer sessions, giving you the perfect opportunity to come and enjoy the the beautiful spaces, see our volunteer projects and have a go if you wish!
Volunteer inductions:
Wednesday 27th September 10:00 – 12:00
This is an introductory session for anyone interested in volunteering at STAA. Receive a tour of our projects to find out what you might be interested in, and an opportunity to meet people and ask questions.
If you have any questions about volunteering or social gardening, please contact Lucy at volunteer@staa-allotments.org.uk or visit our website.
On the Blog
This month on the blog we have the opportunity to hear what links to the Hungerhill Gardens the late artist Dame Laura Knight (nee Johnson) may have experienced when regularly visiting her Uncle Arthur’s allotment.
Read all about it: https://staa-allotments.org.uk/news/
