Answer:

• You get cash discounts at local garden suppliers
• You get cheap [50%] seeds through the National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners national scheme with Kings seeds of Kelvedon. We now also operate schemes with Thompson Morgan of Ipswich  It was decided to keep to just two discount schemes for the present.
• Maurice Barber our chairman worked out that buying 20 packets of seeds through the scheme saves you the cost of your membership!!
• Insurance third party Public liabiulity for only £2.00 a year - that is CHEAP!!
• You get representation to the Town Council: we meet them regularly and present members matters.
• You get the resources of the Society to help prevent the taking over of our sites by Local Authorities for othe purposes - such as housing. The Society has the resources of the legal department at the national Society which the local association could not otherwise afford. This we have done for all possible inputs to the Local Development Framework that we could.  We shall be avtive at the next stage.
• You can attend all the Society's meetings which are social and informative. They are held in the winter months at 7.30pm in Old fexlistwoe Community Centre on the fourth Thursday of the month. Notices are in the newsletter and on each site.

Local Suppliers

Conkers [Hamilton Rd., Felixstowe] 10% on garden materials, tools, seeds &c. if they are not already on offer. They have a range of plants, but more flower plants than vegetables.

Underwoods [Hamilton Road Felixstowe] tools and garden supplies, hardware [ wire, nails, staples &c.] plants in season, stakes, boots & protective clothing.

Goslings Farm [Top end of Trimley St Martin] Originally a Pick Your Own farm, there is now a well stocked Garden centre, and supplies of loose bark chips, mushroom compost &c. as well as plants. Jane Smith is a trained horticulturalist and can obtain what she does not stock.

Roselea [Kirton Road, Trimley St. Martin] extensive glasshouses and sells a wide range of plants as well as fruit and veg which they grow or buy in.

Cheaper Seeds schemes ...

We run two schemes this year 2010:

The first is run by the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners through affiliated associations. Members receive a catalogue in the autumn and order through the association at a considerable discount for seeds, potatoes, fertilisers &c. Kings of Kelvedon are a large wholesale seedsmen supplying many retail seed bands.

The second is a separate scheme for 40% discount with Thompson & Morgan Seeds of Ipswich, which runs in the autumn through the Hon. Secretary. Members can take avantage of either or both schemes. 


Wholesale sundries as well as Potato seed
Members who are interested in getting sundries[netting, fleece &c.] as well as fertiliser and chemicals in bulk and sharing should contact the Hon. Sec. [01394 672279] as we need sufficient buyers to make up a wholesale order.
 Both schemes give a modest return of so much percent of the total order price to the Association - which pleases the treasurer! With the amounts we order the discount pays for our Speakers' expenses and even helps pay the Insurance premium

Bulk Buying
It is possible to get bulk buying discounts for sundries, such as fleece, netting, and other items if enough members want it.  The Ipswich Allotment Holders Association are prepared to help us get this idea started. If you are interested, get in touch with the Hon. Secretary, [ chrisleffler@uwclub.net ] and we will try to set something up. This may become more of a reality in 2010 if the changes we hope for go through.

Representation

The Felixstowe Society brings the power of collective action when it represents Plotholders to the Town Council. The Committee meets the Town Council Allotments Committee at least annually, and has regular "Partnership meetings"with the Town Hall where matters which have recently come up are discussed.  Members should get in touch with one of the Committee to ask for a matter to be brought up.

Applying for membership is easy

 This link [click here] should down load the actual application form

NOTE  Membership falls due now from 1 October to 30th September, and because of insurance there will be no "leeway", re-applications must be in to the Hon. Treasurer before 1st November.