Can't help with any of the local stuff but I recommend getting yourself on the list immediately. I put my name down in 2006 for a council allotment (even though I was only 50-50 at the time whether I actually wanted one) and it looks like I *might* get one this year, but I'm not holding my breath!

(We struck lucky though and managed to talk our way into a small plot on the local city farm which has been brilliant.)

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Warning: I have a dangerous tendency to act like I know what I'm talking about.