About us
A welcoming society of gardeners at Roscoe Plantation Allotments in the Rivelin Valley, Sheffield.
Who we are
We are a friendly group of gardeners in Sheffield’s Rivelin Valley. Most of us have our own plots, but we also keep a shared community plot and continuity beds; more on both below.
RVAS is where we share what we know, help one another out and enjoy each other’s company. Old hands and complete beginners are equally welcome.
What we do
The practical things first. Each autumn we arrange a bulk delivery of manure, shared among members on a first come, first served basis; woodchip and manure are free to members when available. Membership brings public liability insurance covering your plot (handy if anyone hurts themselves there; even, as our joining guide cheerfully points out, somebody who had no business being on it in the first place), along with membership of the National Allotment Society. And because the plots belong to Sheffield City Council, we petition the council on members’ behalf for site improvements and the things tenants need.
Then there’s the helping-each-other side. If you take on an overgrown plot, you can ask for an “hour of power”, where members rally round to help you make a start on it. Working parties keep the shared parts of the site in good order; in autumn 2023 that meant laying a hedge.
And then there’s the fun. We meet monthly through spring and summer, hold plant sales and exchanges where spare seedlings find good homes, and get together for social events including a summer barbecue. Once a year we hold our fuddle, a shared end-of-season feast, complete with a suitably silly competition.
The community plot
Our community plot brings members together to grow, learn and lend a hand. We also keep continuity beds, small growing spaces for however much gardening suits you: ongoing growing at a smaller scale, or somewhere to learn and practise before taking on a plot of your own.
You can also volunteer with us, ask about sharing the work of a plot, or offer a hand to an existing member.
How we’re run
RVAS is run by its members. A committee (including a Chairperson, a Treasurer and a Secretary) keeps things ticking over, and the society meets monthly through spring and summer.
Membership costs £5 a year per plot; see how to join. The plots themselves are rented from Sheffield City Council, so RVAS membership is separate from, and in addition to, your council tenancy. For plot rental itself, see the council’s allotments pages.
Curious how the site came to be here — the mills, the chrysanthemums, the very cold swimming pool? Read our history. And if you have a question, do get in touch.