February, 2009


Ribchester Allotment and Gardening Sodely (RAGS) members check the winter vegetables in chaiiman Sharon Tomlinson’s plot


lab^tTOu ibeaEffie],


:'f^m’and,„ |sdinephy^^^ tnadmlll any,day.iWhy nqt shake.j^


’off the'Rdtlrof wintcrwitH a briskis^i, Iwalkdn ain RSPB’na'ture i^eiwc or a


■ .J '- ' * * ■ V.'-.'.'v^ ’ - 7 Allotment gardening is year-round, whatever the weather! Here some gaitic peeps through the snow. From RAGS to riches


r I IHE speaker for Ribch- I ester Allotment and


JL Gardening Society’s Jan­


uary meeting, Peter Holden, headed his ta lk ‘Grow It, Pick It, Cook It, Eat It’ - which could


well be a mantra for the group’s 35 members. For, in one way or another, they


all grow something to eat or enjoy, whether in pots, tubs or trays, on a windowsill, in an allotment or gar­ den of the title, in walled spaces or in orchards. But RAGS didn’t start out with


such comprehensive coverage of all growing things. It was in 1986 that Jack Speight, who became its


. first treasurer, thought it would be a good idea for the village’s gar­ deners to have a pool of cheap materials - shared tools, some good manure - which could be bought in. Although that scheme did not


take off, the society did, and under its first chairman. Bill Byrne, it held its first annual general meet­ ing in 1987. ■ John Hilton took over as trea­


surer that year - a post he still holds - he organised the club’s stall at the first of the now very popular May Markets started in 1988 by local resident Margaret Crowther, andforwhichJohnwasalsoits , first treasurer. RAGS membership reached a high of 40 at that time, and in its


23 years has had just two treasur- ' ers, three chairmen - the second . t being local and national onion­


growing champion the late Tom Henshaw - and four secretaries.


The iconic wartime instruction ‘dig for victory has been revived in many quarters since the credit crunch set in - but it's something that a group of people in a Ribble Valley village have


done for 23 years to make an outstanding success of a club which began all those years ago. They are members of Ribchester Allotment and Gardening Society (RAGS) who welcomed newcomers to their annual general meeting earlier this month. They also welcomed Paul Henshaw to the committee following the resignation of long-serwng member Joyce Dewhurst, and re-elected to offioe chairman Sharon Tomlinson, secretary Val Alldred and


treasurer John Hilton who looked back with GILUAN WHALLEYto the club’s b^nnings and forward to another year of successful growth.


The current and first lady chair­ man, Sharon Tomlinson, says: “It


was that enthusiasm at the begin­ ning by people who gathered oth­


ers around them that helped to form the club. “We are now very much a com­


munity organisation, although we keep fairly lowkey, and have mem­


bers at all levels of gardening. “I think our strength is that


there’s been that strong leadership and organisation over the years. “Everyone has always pooled


ideas and resources, we’ve shared experiences and problems as well as plants and seeds! “j^ d because we’re all so enthu­


siastic about what we do, we’ve spread the word through the village. “In a way, the society is a good


memorial to Tom who was sueh a dedicated chairman for 14 years. “He had a national reputation


also as a speaker - knowledgeable but also someone who could make you laugh, so quite a hard act to follow!” .- Sharon was talking in the spa­ cious kitchen of her Riverside -. home with fellow committee memberssecretary Val Alldred ■


-


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www.brooklandsretreatco.uk' Shallots in pots.


and treasurer John Hilton, plus her husband Alan. Tlie couple joined RAGS in


2003 after moving from Bolton with just a certain amount of gar­ dening background. Now they


■


have four growing areas - for flow­ ers, fruit trees and bushes, vegeta­ bles and a greenhouse - all har-


vesting produce for family and friends, for making jams and chut- neys and Alan’s almost trademark blackcurrant brandy! Secretary Val and her husband


Martin bought their house on Pre­ ston Road ten and half years ago when they moved to Ribchester


and now tend ten acres. These in­ clude an eight acre field, a shrub­


bery, a side garden with a big pond, a tea house, a dry moat and an old orchard “which is slowly disappearing” says Val “but which


we will allow to go to grass and wild flowers.”


. They grow peaches in the large greenhouse and, always keen to


try new things and together with John Hilton, they will be growing the anti-oxidant Goji Berry, which they described as ‘an elongated blackcurrant.’


An arboretum is also on the All- dreds’ agenda and they also hope


- to establish a new orchard on a


John Hilton - in almost at the s ta r t; of RAGS in 1987 - is only the sec­ ond person since then to hold the pursestrings.


different part of their ten acres. Veteran member and treasurer ,


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His speciality is the fruit he


■ grows in his acre of garden on i Stoneygate Lane where he and his wife, Vera, have lived for 52 years. His orchard of 25 old, very tall and highly productive apple trees


- give such a generous crop of fimit each season that John is able to supply more than 5,000 apples to top hotel Northcote Manor every year. He also grows plums in the or­


chard, his fruit cages hold straw­ berries and raspberries, and in his two greenhouses peaches and grapes flourish in abundance. Such expertise benefits Ribch-


ester’s residents as, says John: “I give a lot of the produce away, tak­ ing it around the village so it’s en­


joyed and doesn’t go to waste.” Although the committee feels


RAGS is quite low key in the vil­ lage, it always welcome new mem­ bers as well as visitors to the meet­ ings.


^4 . - “It’s a good way to meet people,


introduce newcomers and be part of the commurlity,” says Sharon. After this year’s annual general meetingwasheldon February 3, the 2009 jjrogramme was rolled out and will include a variety of speakers on difierent topics. Meetings are held on the first


Tuesday of every month - except July when there is the summer break-and events include the , May Market, the annual barbecue in June, the display set out on Ribchester Field Day and the RAGS dinner at Christmas. Secretary Val can be contacted


on 01254 878594 by anyone who would like further details.


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