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Minutes of Steering Group Meeting
14th January 2020

Present: Martin Calvert (Chair), Joan & Mervyn Clayton, Trevor & Diane Kitto, Adam & Carol Bull, David Miles, Geoff Holden, Stephen Tyndale-Biscoe, Jill Darlington, Jenny Page.

  1. Apologies for Absence
  2. Minutes of the Meeting Held 11th December 2019
  3. Matters Arising
  4. Correspondence
  5. Action Mornings
  1. Heritage Lottery Fund - Heritage On Your Doorstep, Lake and Community Engagement, Information Boards
  2. Lake Celebration Event
  3. Trustees Report - Lake, Future Projects, Constitution, Agendas
  4. AOB
  5. Dates of Next Meetings

1. Apologies for Absence

Steve Jones-Blackett, Adrian Coltman, Naomi Watts-Kitto, Paul Ellis, Teresa Williams.

2. Minutes of the Meeting Held 11th December 2019

Agreed as a true record.

3. Matters Arising

None.

4. Correspondence

None.

5. Action Mornings

  • Sunday 15 December
    There were 36 volunteers. Four tons of stone was used to improve the path and work was done on creating more "dead hedge". Some tidying up and litter picking was done too.
  • Sunday 19 January
    There are some chippings to be put down and some more "dead hedge" work to do. Martin and Mervyn spent some time last week picking up bits of the lime tree that had been cut down by the Council to use for the hedging. Some leaves also need to be removed form the meadow. We also have a new volunteer who has offered to do some baking for us. Volunteers to meet on Gledhow Valley Road at the dam end of the lake.
  • February - March
    For the Action Mornings in February and March it was agreed to work on the path opposite the FGVW field to improve accessibility and also change the steps to make the area more friendly. We already have some bricks and the posts. The Action Morning in March is confirmed as the 15th rather than the 29th.

Future Action Mornings

Proposed dates and tasks (subject to change):

  • Saturday 15 February 2020
  • Sunday 15 March 2020
  • Sunday 26 April
  • Sunday 10 May

6. Heritage Lottery Fund - Heritage On Your Doorstep, Lake and Community Engagement, Information Boards

David gave an update on the lake project and the community engagement events.

As part of the Lottery project the Group are putting 3 new seats around the lake. David passed around details of 3 types of bench that have high backs and are suitable for the elderly or those who require back support. The Group agreed on some 4-slat wooden seating. Joan suggested making these "Happy to Chat" benches to combat loneliness and invite people to talk to others.

The Tree Council grant has been received for the hedging work. The hedging project has proved very popular and effective in getting engagement from the local school children and it's hoped the Group can do something similar again. The Group will look for other areas in the woods that would benefit from some hedging.

The Art School starts this week with a visit in the woods by the school and the care home. The art work will be displayed around the lake on the lake celebration day.

The artwork has been completed on the 3 information boards. They should be delivered ready for installation during the first week of February. David asked the Group if they would like to do a formal unveiling once they had been put in and arrange for the press etc. to attend.

TCV will be doing a volunteering day in the woods on 30th January. They offered to do any work around the lake. Martin suggested that they put the dust on the path.

Following the grant from the Leeds Park Fund for the pond renewal project, a quote has been obtained from Eversheds which is greater than the funding we have. David suggested we either apply for more funding, ask the Leeds Park Fund if we could alter the plans and still use the funding or alternatively return the money. Martin agreed to discuss this with the trustees and agree on the best course of action.

David and Adam had discussed the changes for the FGVW leaflet and Adam provided an example of the changes at the meeting. There are still some pictures to add to the back page but the meadows have been put on the map and the bench locations removed. Additional information on the lake has also been added, as well as the logos for those who have provided funding for the lake project.

Hillcrest School has asked the Group to help out with an orienteering event in the woods. David has contacted the Park Rangers who have agreed to do it. The funding for the Ranger will be met out of the lake project funds as agreed.

David is putting together a walking group timetable. He has a meeting tomorrow with the RVS volunteering service and a dementia group. Louise Gibson is helping to encourage young people into conservation work. She is going to share her experience of setting up a boot camp.

There has been some correspondence regarding the litter in the outflow area of the lake. Bottles and litter have been collecting in the area for some time. David has received agreement in writing that it will be cleared.

At the last meeting Martin circulated a paper that was used with the meeting with Eversheds that covered a range of ideas on what we could do around the lake. The Group need to agree what we want to do and find additional money for some of the ideas. Martin agreed to pick this up with the Trustees.

7. Lake Celebration Event

The Lake Open Day will have refreshments and information on the work done on the lake. It was decided to do this in May, date to be confirmed.

8. Trustees Report - Lake, Future Projects, Constitution, Agendas

At the Trustees Meeting in January the Trustees discussed the lake project in detail and how the project had operated.

They also discussed future projects and decided that a more formal approach is needed. Martin asked the Group to think about what they would like to do in the woods. The lake project could continue or members could come up with other ideas. Any ideas to be taken to the AGM for discussion.

AGM to be on 24th March at Gledhow Sports and Social Club.

Geoff has looked at the Constitution in some detail and raised some good points with the Trustees. Following discussion by the Trustees it was proposed to change the Constitution at the AGM including imposing conditions on who can apply to be a trustee and to change the financial year. It was also agreed that the agenda and any supporting papers would be sent out prior to the Steering Group Meetings and Trustee Meetings.

9. AOB

  • Martin thanked David on behalf of the Group for all the hard work he had put in and continues to do for the lake project and the community engagement events. The project has been a phenomenal success and the Group has received a lot of praise from the community. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with only a couple of negative comments.
  • Martin also thanked Trevor and Diane on behalf of the Group for the work they do especially for providing all the home-baked refreshments for events and the Action Mornings.
  • The Group has received a donation from a lady who re-visited the woods after many years and was impressed with the work that had been done.
  • David raised the increasing issue of fly tipping in and around the woods. He thought it would be worth us using our collective voice to raise this with the Council. Other local areas are raising the issue too as it seems to be a growing problem.
  • The Group paid tribute to a local man, Brian, who was tragically killed in a road accident before Christmas. Brian was often seen in the Gledhow Valley area picking up litter and chatting to locals.
  • Adam asked the Group if he could use Mailchimp to send out the FGVW e-mail communications. They have a free service but it will contain Mailchimp branding or we can pay a small amount per month to use the service without the branding. Adam to check with Steve Jones-Blackett and to also get confirmation on the postal address that should be used for the Group.
  • Joan asked if there were any plans for Audrey's meadow. Martin responded saying we will re-seed it again and put some plugs in later in the year.
  • Ian from Habitat Management has been in contact with Mervyn to say he has some equipment that will collect the grass from future meadow cuttings that will help us.
  • Mervyn also reported the attempted break-in at the Bath House. The lock on the fencing had been damaged and some of the fencing removed. However, they did not manage to get into the Bath House. He also raised the problem of water running down the corrugated roof and inside of the walls and door. This will need to be investigated before further damage is done.
  • Geoff asked if the man who picked up the bags of litter after Action Mornings had been replaced. We believe so as the litter was picked up last time but we will monitor the situation at the next Action Morning.

10. Dates of Next Meetings

  • Action Morning - Sun 19 Jan 2020
  • Steering Group Meeting - Tue 11 Feb 2020, 7.30pm (Gledhow Sports & Social Club)
  • Action Morning - Sat 15 Feb 2020
  • Action Morning - Sun 15 Mar 2020
  • FGVW AGM - Tue 24 Mar 2020 (Gledhow Sports & Social Club)
  • Action Morning - Sun 26 Apr 2020
  • Action Morning - Sun 10 May 2020

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