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For more than 100 years, the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society (SAGS) has played a socially important charitable role in promoting allotments. But the last few years have proved difficult for them with insufficient volunteers to fill the places on their Board of Trustees.
Throughout its history SAGS and its predecessor, the Scottish National Union of Allotment Holders (SNUAH), have demonstrated that they are past masters at adapting to changing circumstances in their support for allotments and allotment holders.
In 1917, Britain faced severe food shortages as U-boats cut off supplies of imported food but campaigning by the SNUAH resulted in legislation allowing allotments to be created on unused land or parks allowing many people to grow their own food for the first time.
Demand for allotments continued in the Depression.
A joint committee of the Religious Society of Friends and the SNUAH resulted in the formation of the Scottish Allotment Scheme for the Unemployed, supporting impoverished and unemployed men and women with funds to buy seeds, fertilisers and tools.
The importance of allotments in the Second World War’s Dig for Victory campaign is well-known. Once again, cultivation of fruit and vegetables took place on all kinds of public spaces.
After the war, demand for allotments slumped. This has been variously blamed on the end of food rationing, availability of refrigerators, cars and even the popularity of bingo. Former allotments were repossessed for housing. By the early years of this century it became apparent that demand was increasing once again but no one knew how many sites or plots still existed. In 2007 SAGS stepped in, carrying out a comprehensive audit of allotment sites followed up with a series of booklets to help those starting up new allotments. At the same time, they successfully campaigned for changes in allotment legislation which were included in the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015. These changes cover plot size, rent, waiting lists, and the right to security of tenure.
The need for SAGS continues. It can provide a forum for plotholders to communicate with each other, help for those on waiting lists to campaign for new sites, as well as liaising with local authorities and Holyrood and much more. SAGS is currently contacting all their members, canvassing their ideas and hoping, as a result, that the future of the organisation will be secured with a new raft of volunteers prepared to join the Board of Trustees and carry on the good work.
In 2007 SAGS stepped in, carrying out an audit of allotment sites