Getting Started

A group of local residents of Kemble had a dream:

• eating fresh vegetables, picked every day;
• group BBQs with friends;
• a quiet space in the sun to read peacefully;
• not having to pay extra for compost or garden waste collection

...and the kids wanted pigs, chickens and a place to make dens without anyone telling them off for making a mess.

So we are going to try to make it happen.

September07
Meeting with the parish council - I really hadn't realised how easy this was! You just turn up! We discovered that if 5 or more residents ask for an allotment, the council is obliged 'to consider' it.

So, Sara put notes in letter boxes around the village.

Like most small communities, it is surprising how few people want to get involved in things - especially if it means doing anything that involves giving up their time. Most things around here get about 10 people interested - usually the same crowd of folk end up running around after everything (playgroup, school, litter picking etc).

There were over 40 replies to the allotment idea! Best of all, they were from a wide range of ages, families etc, and lots of new faces too.

The parish council never had so many people exercising their democratic rights before!

We met in the village hall, and wrote down a list of all the things we really wanted.