New Allotment Officer

Rob Hopkins

07884 410161

robert.hopkins@veolia.com

Working Monday- Wednesday

8.30-17.00hrs

I wanted to Introduce myself as the new Allotment Officer working for Veolia on

behalf of Watford Borough Council.

It is an incredibly exciting new post and I am really keen to develop the initiatives in

the current Watford Allotment Strategy 2020-2025.

Watford has a fantastic resource of Allotments within the Borough, with many

expert and enthusiastic gardeners.

I look forward to working with individual sites to enable plots to be well cultivated

and fully occupied, with a quick turnover to allow new tenants to take over plots

when they become vacant.

I would love to promote the benefits of growing food and by taking exercise by

gardening to all sections of the community

I am keen to listen to issues that have arisen from feedback in previous allotment

forums

I am interested in exploring new initiatives such as -

❏ Providing advice for new plotholders

❏ The sharing of ideas between allotments across the borough, crops and

techniques that have been successful, even recipes and other tips. The use of

a social media platform for the cross pollination of useful and positive ideas

from our culturally diverse gardeners

❏ Promoting allotments and getting people in the town interested in growing

food, having an annual allotment fair, planters in high visible parts of the town

with veg plants with information on Watford allotments. Using social media and

posters to let people know whats happening

❏ To increase allotment provision where necessary, by considering creating

smaller plots as they become available. This would also offer the opportunity

to get started on a more manageable sized plot.

Finally I have been very fortunate to have spent nearly 19 years looking after Nature

Reserves for the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, so I have a considerable

interest in increasing biodiversity. The allotments are vitally important green spaces

in a busy and densely developed town. I am keen to add to the already high

biodiversity interest on many sites and hope to encourage plot holders to work

together to improve and maintain features such as hedgerows, flower rich

grassland, ponds and woodland on sites. Working with nature and encouraging

particularly beneficial insects is often beneficial for healthy crops.

Hope to meet you on your plots

Rob Hopkins