Candidates Vie To Become Allotments Society Chairman

Members asked to choose between Dennis Flaherty and Henry Gewanter

Former Allotments Secretary Dennis Flaherty bidding to become Chairman

The Chiswick Horticultural & Allotments Society (CHAS) is currently voting on who will be its chairman with the position set to be hotly contested.

Former Allotments Secretary Dennis Flaherty is challenging the incumbent Henry Gewanter with both candidates looking to move on from the disputes that have plagued the society recently and led to a number of resignations.

Mr Flaherty has issued a manifesto in his bid to become chairman. He acted as Allotments Secretary for six years and says that he managed to let over 150 plots during that time leading to a doubling of the society’s membership to 600.

During both Covid lockdowns, he has been instrumental in growing seedlings from his many plants to sell at the CHAS Trading Hut and, thus, raising money for the charity. He also writes a weekly column in the CHAS newsletter.

He says in his manifesto, “Over the last year there has been an unpleasant atmosphere of growing unrest, discontent, upset and even anger, both at committee level and amongst our Members. This has resulted in multiple resignations, with potentially more to follow.”

The meetings of the society have become so fractious in recent months with a TV company reportedly being interested in covering the disputes.

Henry Gewanter, who has been the society’s chairman for 15 years, has emailed members saying, “Perhaps it’s the strain of prolonged lockdown, but our meetings have, I’m sorry to say, become even more badly behaved than ever before, with unacceptable levels of rudeness, unfair criticisms and arguments – the more minor the subjects of which, the more heated, emotional and bitter the rows have become".

One of the reasons for the dispute between members is a disagreement about the way the society acted as an intermediary for a donation by The Wakeham Trust to the Chiswick Flower Market. Mr Gewanter has been criticised for not consulting other members of the society before agreeing to this arrangement. We have contacted him for comment.

All CHAS members have received the AGM documentation and the election for the nominees will be held online between 12 and 20 April.

CHAS is a charity whose objectives are the promotion and furtherance of the art, science and practice of horticulture, founded in 1915 as the Chiswick Allotment Holders Association. It is run entirely by volunteers: the committee, the allotment site reps, the greenhouse and catering teams and the trading hut volunteers. The President is Paul Lynch and the two Vice Presidents: Noreen Jones and John Todd.

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April 19, 2021