There is a swing in this picture: families enjoy gardening together

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.
• Maurice Barber our chairman worked out that buying 20 packets of seeds through the scheme saves you the cost of your membership!!
• Insurance
• You get representation at the Town Council
• You get the resources of the Association to help prevent the taking over of our sites by Local Authorities for othe purposes - such as housing. The Association has the resources of the legal department at the national Society which the local association could not otherwise afford.
• You are can attend Association meetings which are social and informative.

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:

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 50% 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.

 Both schemes give a modest return of so much percent of the total order price to the Association - which pleases the treasurer!

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.

Representation

The Felixstowe Association 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
Click on the blue lettering here to download an Application for Membership form