© 2007 - 2020 Old Basing Allotment & Garden Society

UPDATE 19/07/2022

Dear OBAGS Member,

We are re-opening the OBAGS Shop on 31st July for seven openings in 2022 to gauge whether there is an interest amongst Riley Lane allotment holders in permanently opening the shop from 2023. As things stand there is a very strong possibility that it won’t survive beyond this year.

The programme for the remainder of this year can be found here:

Opening Times (obags.uk)

It is being run by just eleven volunteers out of the 30 + who operated the years before COVID when we opened on about 30 Sundays in the year mostly for 90 minutes with 3 volunteers attending. This is the sort of numbers that will be required for 2023 and beyond.

The 30 volunteers for 2020, the year we ceased trading because of Covid, were contacted. Not all replied, but of those that did many had moved away, others had given up their allotments because of other interests or circumstances. The eleven referred to above were all that remained and agreed to volunteer.

The Committee

The OBAGS committee follows a similar pattern and there are several vacancies, particularly the officer posts, including the chairman, who has moved away. Committee members are fulfilling multiple posts which is not sustainable in the long term. I am the webmaster, trading secretary and the membership secretary. I am comfortable with them because I have been doing them for a long time, but I intend standing down from all committee duties at the end of 2023. It is time for younger blood to take over. I would welcome the opportunity to use 2023 to help my successors take over.

Committee (obags.uk)

If you rejoin OBAGS over the next few weeks it will cost you £2 for the remainder of the year. You are familiar with the benefits if you were recently a member. If you are a member of the Facebook Group you will be contacted by Tony Terry and Linda  Frawley. Everything that I email to the membership will also be posted on the website Home and News pages so the group can be kept in the loop and read about all the wondrous benefits that membership confers. Once they join (£2) they will be added to the members group of course.

I will ask anybody who joins or rejoins if they are likely to be able to volunteer for shop duty in 2023 to see how close we get to the magic number of 30. The committee will ask the members group towards the end of the year for shop volunteers for 2023. The response will determine OBAGS’ survival.

A word about Covid.

The shop will continue to be used as the place where all purchases are made. There will be a limit of one volunteer at a time behind the shop counter taking payments and serving customers to stock in the shop.

The shop counter will be the barrier between customers and the volunteer. Customers will be limited to one at a time at the counter. Masks/visors will be worn by both parties. The next and subsequent customers will queue at the threshold. Volunteers and customers outside the shop and in the other two trading huts need not wear masks unless a specific request is made. If you are experiencing any Covid-like symptoms please do not attend the shop.

If you are one of the 43 members who joined or renewed your membership between September 2019 and 15 March 2020, when the shop ceased trading due to Covid, a free membership card for the remainder of 2022 awaits you.

Tony Hall

Dear Member,

Since we opened on 31 July 2022, up to and including 4 September 2022 only 28 people have renewed their memberships in the sense that they have turned up on an opening day and received a 2022 membership card. A number of you have kindly agreed to help the Society by volunteering for shop duties in 2023.

I need to construct a shop rota by mid-October to assess the feasibility of continuing beyond this year. From 1 January 2023 we would be seeking volunteers for 2024 and the opportunity for volunteering for 2023 will have passed and the Society will not survive.

Although I have received commitments to volunteer in 2023 I do not have dates from most of you. I would be grateful if you would reply to this email with the preferred dates that you would like to work. On a first come first served basis, I will add names to dates more or less daily. You can check progress on the ‘Volunteers 2023’ list here:

Volunteers for 2023

You will see some names already entered from members who gave me their dates in advance.

If you have not rejoined during this year, but are willing to volunteer for 2023, please respond to this email with your preferred dates. You do not have to attend an opening this year and can rejoin as normal in 2023. Three dates are ideal, but even one or two will help.

Some information on the roles of Volunteers can be found here:

Roles of Volunteers

If you do not intend to rejoin OBAGS at all next year I would be grateful if you would let me know so that I can amend my records appropriately.

Best Wishes,

Tony Hall

Update 25/09/2022: Copy of Email sent to Members

The Volunteer Rota for 2023 has been completed, thanks in large part to the usual core people occupying most of the slots. There are some new names, however, and we are very grateful for their contribution. Some of these people may be able to contribute further once they have their 2023 work schedule finalised.

An update on our Covid arrangements: All volunteers on duty may now be behind the barrier at the same time. This helps with the replenishment of 2kg bags. All face coverings for volunteers and customers are now optional. Surgical masks and blue disposable gloves are available for customers and volunteers. Reusable visors are available for volunteers. The natural barrier of the counter remains in place separating customers from volunteers. Covid has not gone away but these relaxations are in keeping with general behaviour.

Volunteers for 2023

UPDATE 12/11/2022