A Message from our President
I am somewhat sad to have to write this communication to all our Members.
As you may know, at the start of this year we were forced to cancel our 2026 Spring Show. Unfortunately, various circumstances beyond our control left the Society severely short of enough experienced volunteers to put on an event of this size. Leaving us no alternative but to call it off.
Having organised the very first Spring Show back in 1974 (Wednesday 1st May - back in the days of half-day closing!) alongside the late Jack Brotherhead, I find this a great disappointment.
In all other respects, Pudsey Gardeners' Association is in good health. We have almost 300 members. We are in a good financial position. We have a thriving and well-stocked shop at the Hut, plus all the facilities to grow much of the produce for our popular plant sales. We would normally run both our Spring and Summer Shows, which are considered amongst the best in the region.
However, going forward we face significant challenges. The Show Team made it clear that they did not have sufficient manpower in Committee Members and Show Day Helpers to run a Spring Show to our usual high standards. Likewise, the Hut Team is frequently short of the volunteers necessary to keep everything running smoothly. And our Committee is also missing some key skills.
As you may know, at the start of this year we were forced to cancel our 2026 Spring Show. Unfortunately, various circumstances beyond our control left the Society severely short of enough experienced volunteers to put on an event of this size. Leaving us no alternative but to call it off.
Having organised the very first Spring Show back in 1974 (Wednesday 1st May - back in the days of half-day closing!) alongside the late Jack Brotherhead, I find this a great disappointment.
In all other respects, Pudsey Gardeners' Association is in good health. We have almost 300 members. We are in a good financial position. We have a thriving and well-stocked shop at the Hut, plus all the facilities to grow much of the produce for our popular plant sales. We would normally run both our Spring and Summer Shows, which are considered amongst the best in the region.
However, going forward we face significant challenges. The Show Team made it clear that they did not have sufficient manpower in Committee Members and Show Day Helpers to run a Spring Show to our usual high standards. Likewise, the Hut Team is frequently short of the volunteers necessary to keep everything running smoothly. And our Committee is also missing some key skills.
This is where you come
in.
We can’t continue to offer everything we do, without more help. We desperately need volunteers with retail and book-keeping experience; people with good organising and communication skills; people who can offer practical gardening help with such tasks as maintaining the edible bed in Pudsey Park, or propagating and looking after our plants; as well as volunteers to help set up and run our events.
Even a few hours during key times of the year would make all the difference. Have a chat with us, please!
I fully realise that joining a committee is not everyone's 'cup of tea' but I can assure you that
we are a friendly bunch who have a common interest in gardening. Committee meetings are held monthly, mostly online via Zoom, so you do not even have to leave home!
If you don't want to join 'a committee' but would still like to help, please come forward.
If you don't want to join 'a committee' but would still like to help, please come forward.
- Our Trading Hut needs more able bodied helpers to volunteer for our team roster, who keep our
Members' Only Garden Shop open on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. If you're willing & able to lift and shift bags of compost into member's cars - and especially if you have retail
experience - even if you're only free on one or two occasions a month, we really, really need whatever of your time you can give!
- We can also welcome you as a Show Day Helper, with a variety of tasks at our Summer Show this
September. Why not give it a try - it can be great fun.
- Our Treasurer is resigning owing to a change of employment but is in a position to give us a three to four month period in which to train and hand-hold a successor. Can anyone with a little accounting or bookeeping experience assist?
- We still need to expand our membership to bring in new blood, create more volunteers and find more people willing to join our committee positions. Do you or someone you know have a level of technology knowledge or people skills to help put the Association in the public eye?
The Association has a proud history and tradition in Pudsey stretching back well over a hundred
years. We owe it to all the previous generations of volunteers to do everything we can to ensure that the Association continues well into the future.
I know that everybody has multiple demands on their time in this modern world. But please; if you love gardening, and you love Pudsey, get involved today and keep Pudsey Allotments & Cottage Gardeners' Association alive for the benefit of Pudsey residents now and in the future.
If you enjoy visiting the Hut; attending our Plant Sale; experiencing our Shows - please consider volunteering to ensure we can continue. Just use the form below, visit us at the Hut, or meet us on our stand at Pudsey Carnival this Saturday 16th May.
Without your help, we may struggle to survive.
Yours sincereley
Terry Wetherald,
President
Pudsey Allotments & Cottage Gardeners' Association.
("Pudsey Gardeners" for short)
I know that everybody has multiple demands on their time in this modern world. But please; if you love gardening, and you love Pudsey, get involved today and keep Pudsey Allotments & Cottage Gardeners' Association alive for the benefit of Pudsey residents now and in the future.
If you enjoy visiting the Hut; attending our Plant Sale; experiencing our Shows - please consider volunteering to ensure we can continue. Just use the form below, visit us at the Hut, or meet us on our stand at Pudsey Carnival this Saturday 16th May.
Without your help, we may struggle to survive.
Yours sincereley
Terry Wetherald,
President
Pudsey Allotments & Cottage Gardeners' Association.
("Pudsey Gardeners" for short)
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