Leeds Allotment Amenities Competition

Download your entry forms from here

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Mary's winning plot




Shots from the presentation

The competition was again this year organised and judged on behalf of the Leeds City Council by the Leeds & District Gardeners Federation in July.Ninety individual plots and nine sites were entered.

It was again a difficult task to judge this year, with stiff competition at the top making it extremely hard to find the winners and we ended up with a number of runners up. The weather was quite kind to us though and with a bit of shower dodging we managed to keep mainly dry throughout.

This year we had a new category for ‘newcomers’ to allotment gardening, which was won by Mary Dwight from Hayleys Field Allotments. She is a remarkable lady and had only had the plot for five or six months. It was quite amazing what she had achieved in such a short period of time.

It was very fortunate and quite a coincidence that the ARI Seminar was being held in Leeds the following week and it seemed an extremely appropriate opportunity for the winners to be presented with their certificates at this event, (the honoraria and prizes were to be presented at the LDGF social at a later date). Arrangements were made for the Deputy Lord Mayor of Leeds to make the presentations during the final assembly of delegates at the end of the day.

The winners were:

• Jean & Barrie Shillito won the ‘best plot in Leeds’, with their plot at Meanwood Parkside Allotments. Their plot had been well thought out, had impact and was quite stunning.
• The ‘best site in Leeds’ award went to Moor Lane Allotments on the very outskirts of Leeds. A beautiful site with a ‘new flushing toilet.’ The certificate was presented to Dave Perry the site secretary.
• As already mentioned, Mary Dwight won the ‘best newcomers plot’. It was so good to see a newcomer to allotment gardening being rewarded for their efforts and hopefully an incentive to others also.

Phil Gomersall, Vice-chairman, Leeds & District Gardeners Federation.