I have to supress my feelings...

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Catherine
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Location: Pendle Lancashire

Very disheartening when this happens. But trust me that is good compared with what we have surrounding our plot. We have five unused plots surrounding us. People have been dumping unwanted rubbish on them. The willow trees cut down a few years ago have sprouted and we are plagued with rats because of all the chickens. We have been there 21 years and have never seen it so bad. Our daughter died very suddenly at the beginning of June (not Covid) and we lost our way for some time but we never let it get untidy but, because we weren't going very often, we noticed when we did go, how awful it was getting. It makes my heart sink now everytime I go now. There is absolutely no point contacting the powers that be to do anything. We have no committee. But I refuse to give it up. So very soon we will be going into the attached plots to cut the willows down and spray.
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Primrose
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Catherine, my condolences on your very sad loss.
It's doubly sad that a place which ought to be capable of providing some comfort and solace to you is causing you additional anguish.

If you have no committee would the other potholders be interested in forming one, especially if one or more of them are responsible for the chickens?
Who is the landlord to whom you all pay rent? Could they be persuaded to take some disciplinary action?

Can you advertise the plots to try and get new plot holders in which would hopefully reduce the need for you to clear surrounding plots. In our area I believe , organisations like Womens Institue and Townswomens Guild are being persuaded to take on communal plots as an extension of their social/community activities.

Or is there a gardening/landscaping company who might be persuaded to come in and provide some help if everybody shares in the cost?.
Catherine
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Thank you Primrose, it has been an an extremely difficult time. The majority of plot holders have chickens and no veg. They are not interested in the other plots unless they can have chickens on them. They now all call their plots pens! Not allotments. And unfortunately the answer is no to all your other ideas. No one is interested.
Stephen
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Catherine. I am very sorry to hear your sad news. Losing a child is so very different to losing a parent.

Your position is certainly worse than mine, at least the neighbouring plots are only overgrown, wild and unkempt.
Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
Catherine
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Thank you Stephen. She had been working from home for 18 months and was slightly overweight and hadn't been feeling well for a few weeks. She had a pulmonery embolism. Very quick. Thank goodness. I despair with the other allotments around us. But there is nothing we can do as the people who manage them don't care and we feel that they are waiting for everyone to give up then they can sell the ground for building.
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oldherbaceous
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Dear Catherine, so sorry to read what you have been through this year…..not sure there are any easy answers, so all I can say is, just try your hardest to keep positive…..x
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

There's no fool like an old fool.
Catherine
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Thank you OH Doing my best I have brought all my seeds home from the allotment and am about to start and do a spreadsheet to see what I need for next year. That will keep me busy for a while.
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oldherbaceous
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Well done Catherine, it’s exactly little things like that, that keep us going and can make a huge difference….
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

There's no fool like an old fool.
Westi
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Just a thought regarding the chickens, there are rules regarding the care & number of chickens allowed in a space. The RSPCA will do inspections if you can provide enough data for them. Last winter I had an issue regarding the fact that I never saw folk come down even though we had a very cold snap & their water was frozen. (I had a sneaky walk around checking those I could see from their gate). I was also concerned about whether they had the feed in those feeders that last a few days or was empty, but I didn't push that, but I was also upset that the owners did not repair the wind proofing that was ripped or blown off so they were exposed to the cold winds.

I discussed with a committee member & they were supporting the keepers saying some come down later, but I was down until dark & 3 days in a row & most did not. I felt I was being dismissed & just had an informal chat with RSPCA & it wasn't long until they were inspected & many told to improve, get rid of cockerels & hens if overcrowded. They were selling eggs as well which is not allowable under our contracts, especially if they had cockerels & there is a chance they were fertilised - yuk! As it sounds like yours is a private site the owners would be accountable for the care of the chickens & potentially fined. The RSPCA do not report who told them so you are safe there, but it might just wake up the land owners & if council owned the press will have a field day.

As for selling the eggs there was someone driving his car down each row today with a sign saying 'EGGS' taped to the front - hmm? We wouldn't have the rat issues which must be a health risk, if the council just stopped them having chickens (& a smaller waiting list). We are the only site in the council area that allow chickens & I know a few who have given local friends addresses to get a plot there just to have chickens & like your site have nothing but chickens, no growing & their real distance away may be why they don't come down enough! Best stop - moving into rant mode.
Westi
Catherine
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Thank you Westi too many people to upset so cannot comment, will try and send you a message to explain.
alfred18qm
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It's been a huge issue for me as well. And maybe the only thing that helps me with all my extraordinary feelings - is time. I simply try to wait, when I feel that I'm out of my regular state of mind.
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