Plotholders are wonderful characters and over the coming months, updates to our WEB site will include interviews with some of our Plotholders, novice, experienced, young or old, they all have interesting tales to tell.

 We will kick off with Richard Castle fondly known as Dick. He is one of our elder statesmen, having had an allotment since the early 50’s. When asked he couldn’t quite remember when he started.

He learnt the art of vegetable growing by trial and error and “ following the instructions on the packet. All I did was dig and plant seeds,” commented Dick. Well that may have been the case in the 50’s but now he is a very accomplished gardener, starting off his seeds at home in his greenhouse. As he is sadly no longer the young lad he once was, occasionally he has help, often from his neighboring plotholders or his son-in law. However Dick still manages to grow all the vegetables he needs, with spares to give to friends and family.

Dick served for many years on the Committee and working parties carrying out some of the major projects such as building the Office Complex and laying the road. He also was a driving force many years ago, in bringing the Society into the form we see it now, when the management and collecting rents was passed to the Society from the Croydon Council in Taverner House.
“ I remember having to travel to Taverner House each year to pay the rent for my plot, its much easier now”
Because of all the hard work and dedication Dick gave to the Society he was awarded Life Membership of which he is very proud. And we are proud of him and the help and advice he given throughout his years as a plotholder.
By Margaret Jones