FRIENDS OF SOUTH MOLTON COMMUNITY WOODLAND

Minutes of Meetings

Minutes Of Last Meeting

Thursday 23rd February 2006

Present: John Avens, Jacqui Eaton, Hilary Falkner, Chris Ford, Jean Foster, John Fulford-Williams, Vicki Haines, John Harding, Frances Humphrey, Jenni Payne, Martin Petersen.
Apologies:- Felicity Cornish

Minutes of the meeting on 30th January were approved.

Gullacombe Valley development; a presentation from Jeremy Holtom (SMTC Land Agent) and Mike Nicholls (Pearce Construction Development Director) outlined the implications of the proposed building in 2007-2010, of 150 new houses, and the amenity woodland area which would be part of the development. Maps, plans and results of various surveys were discussed. This wooded area would abut the Community Woodland, and as a spin off there would be money available to be spent on community resources, and we could get some of that, plus grant aid to improve access/footpaths, develop nature areas, have a Trim circuit etc. It was suggested that FoSMCW should have 2 representatives to contribute our views to the planning brief.

Matters Arising from Minutes:
The Hacche Lane land would not be developed for another 2/3 years, so we need not concern ourselves with that for now.

Financial Report:
JE said there was currently £562.63 in our account, plus some cash handed over at the meeting and a grant of £150 from NDDC, which meant the account stood at nearly £700. A few receipts were still due from the Logo Competition expenses.
JP said she was in the process of producing a proper Expenses Form, which would regularize payments.

Reports:
JA said the most recent Lions Work Party session had tackled the trees at the top by the Recreation Ground, and cleared a lot of brambles, which had opened up that area. Their next work party would be on 19th March.
The 2 work parties from our group had cleared one side, the whole length, of the hedge and ditch, and hoped to clear the other side at the next work parties on 4th & 8th March. The Coast & Counrtyside group would come and do the clearing which needed a chain saw.
We ought to look into training for chain-saw and brush cutter use (JH & CF), and then with the appropriate certificate they could be insured to work with power tools in the Woodland.

Membership
JF-W reported that there were actually only 28 paid up members, although 80+ had expressed their support last year by adding a hand-print to our tree. Membership still £1, but a flier had gone out with the Newsletter offering a £5 for 5 years membership (a bargain if our fee went up).
JP had received a very congratulatory phone call from a lady at Winsford on receipt of the Newsletter, who also had some fund-raising ideas, which JP will discuss with her.


The LInhay
JF-W and JH had had a meeting with a member of the local Police at the Linhay, and he had suggested two security measures which we could take, a) install a grill over the entire doorway, to prevent access to the door. This need not be especially manufactured but could be adapted from any metal frame work, such as a second-hand gate, and/or b) to strengthen the places on the back of the door, where there are locks and bolts, with metal plates, which would be cheaper.

AOB
Work Party Sub Group will meet on on 6/3 at JP's to discuss filling in the forms to ask for help from the Community Service working parties.
A woodland event this weekend at Welcome was advertised in this weeks Gazette. JP thought it would be advantageous to mount a trip there to see what ideas we could borrow, which organizations were represented, VH would like to go, (baby permitting!).
Next Community Woodland events:
Car Boot Sale stall this Sunday, VH arranged with RG to provide the purple bus to collect all the items stored with JP & FH, and take to Pannier Market.
Easter Ceilidh at the Town Hall, Sat 15th April, with band, food, bar. CF to ask Tiverton Inn to run bar. As many people as possible to attend, bring friends and family etc. Committee members to provide food. Ticket price £5 suggested, including refreshments.


DONM
Thursday 23rd March, 7.15pm at the Information Centre.

Thursday 26th January 2006

Present: John Avens, Felicity Cornish, Hilary Falkner, Chris Ford, Jean Foster, John Fulford Williams, John Harding, Frances Humphrey, Jenni Payne, Martin Petersen.
Apologies:- Rosie Godfrey, Jacqui Eaton.
Minutes of the meeting 14th December 2005 were approved.

Matters arising:
Car-park gate; JF had spoken to Town Clerk and there were no plans to replace the vandalized gate at present.
We now have the final draft of David Wood's Management Plan. We will need time to discuss this in full.

Financial Report
No financial report had been prepared; HF to speak to JE and ensure that there was one for next meeting, and that she had the correct forms to add her signature to the bank account.

Reports:

The work party group had met and decided on schedule for coming months: 4/2 and 5/3, but JP asked if this could be changed to 5/2 and 4/3, which was agreed, with an extra weekday work party on 8/2. Times to be 10.30am; 1pm, meeting in lower car-park.
It was decided that the group should discuss the management plan and then prioritise from the bigger picture which work should be started. JA agreed to be on the work-party sub-group, and said there was a Lion's work party booked for 12/2.
2 paths (upper and lower route from bottom car-park to tarmac path) urgently needed tackling, and wheel-chair access provided, but it might be better to wait until we could apply for grants and get that job contracted out professionally. In the meantime work parties would concentrate on ditching, FoSMCW to do initial vegetation clearing, and digging out, with Martin Caddy's group doing the stuff which needed chain-sawing.

Website: http//trees-r-us.tripod.com - those who had not seen CF's web pages had a look on the computer, and all agreed it was an excellent start. CF thought a map of the woodland and pictures of South Molton needed to be added. He also suggested we might add a payment facility to the web pages (Paypal) which would enable people to join and pay subscriptions or make donations on-line. Paypal would take 5 or 6% which the committee agreed was worth it.
It was agreed that in the next edition of the Newsletter we would ask for people's email addresses, and inform them of the website address.

Planting trees on the land on the other side of Hacche Lane was discussed, we could get trees from the Forestry Commission, but not this year!

Newsletter, not yet done, the sub-group would meet on 1/2/06 at JH's house.

Security of the Linhay , Jf will meet with police crime prevention officer to discuss, possibly with JH and JFW present. JF will sort a date. We need to check Insurance Cover for storing tools.

Events & fundraising It was proposed that we should hold another table-top sale as we had a lot of stuff to sell already, but later in the year.
Dates and venues were discussed when we might have a stall , eg Olde English Fayre 17/6, Health and Harmony Fairs (RG?), Carnival entry (hoping VH would do this one!).
A family picnic/fun day was suggested, to be held in the Woodland, or an Easter Egg Hunt, preceded by a morning market stall for 8/4 or 15/4? or a general fair/event, or a Duck Race? The fundraising and grant-raising group (JH. JF &JP) would consider these proposals.

AOB , it was proposed that we consider the matter of Pet Burials for Cats, Dogs etc, could plant a tree, give a bench or donate money to memory of pet? JF to ask Town Council, and raise again at next meeting.

DONM , Thursday 23rd February 2006 at 7.30pm, Information Centre.