The service and support provided by the ANLABY COMMUNITY CARE DAY CENTRE:-

A Meeting Place - bringing together older people from different backgrounds, to socialise, share experiences, meet new people, to get involved, learn from each other, share memories, develop friendships and contacts and to play a more active role in their communities.  To help tackle the feeling of being isolated, especially for those without families or people who they can turn to.  Staff and volunteers also provide time for people to talk through their worries, concerns and personal difficulties and gain from the caring, understanding and patient response they receive.  The majority of those attending live alone and rely on our centre as being a link with the community.  Their mental and physical health is improved due to their involvement and the support received.

FRIENDS OF ANLABY ALLOTMENTS  -  Anlaby Allotment Association, 98 Years On  A history.

Allotment gardens at Springhead, Anlaby have existed for 95 years. The site of the Anlaby Allotment Association is located on the Anlaby/Willerby parish boundary, just north of the embankment of the former Hull to Barnsley Railway and in the shadow of the impressive building of the old Springhead Pumping Station. 

Although the trains and track lines have gone, the allotments still thrive with an enthusiastic group of plot holders, tending their plots on most weeks of the year. Our 60 or so members are of varying ages and come in various shapes and sizes and from all walks of life!

Some members who are advanced in years used to come to their allotments with their Dads including my neighbour who`s had the same plot in the family for over 70 years !!!

The allotments have withstood 2 World Wars, invasions of rabbits, vandal attacks and an attempt to develop the site for housing. Most of our original records were destroyed in an arson attack some years ago. The vandalism is annoying, but just like the vermin, it comes and then goes away. The recent lack of rabbits, seems to have coincided with the frequent sighting of foxes on the site!

Because of our partnership with the local police, with their regular patrols vandalism has reached an all time low.

Many years ago keeping an allotment was the only way many families could be provided with a regular supply of vegetables for most weeks of the year and many older readers will recall the `Dig For Victory' slogans of the World War, encouraging the growing of vegetables. In recent years convenience foods and prepared frozen vegetables have been readily available from supermarkets.

During the past 4 or 5 years there has seen an influx of younger allotment holders, working plots probably spurred on by the need for organic vegetables, the big advantage of growing your own fruit and vegetable is that you can determine whether your produce remains pesticide free.

The allotments themselves illustrate many fascinating instances of re-cycling of materials, plastic chemical barrels as water butts, pallets as fences and compost bins, old carpet as weed suppressants and CDs as bird scarers.

There are several corrugated iron Anderson Air Raid shelters, from the 1940s, utilised as sheds and compost bins. 

Some of our members fought off the vikings !!! 
 
Many of our plot holders have substantial gardens at their homes, but choose also to work an allotment plot. The camaraderie, banter and sharing of garden knowledge with other plot holders may be an added attraction. A plot can be rented for about £22 per year, the equivalent of about 50 pence per week!

A great way of keeping active and fit and producing some excellent fresh fruit and vegetables. 

The Association is unusual in that it occupies a privately rented site and is run by an elected and constituted Committee. Committee members can be usually contacted on the site most Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Mathew R Kearton