Minutes of Meeting, September 2019

FRIENDS OF MARYON AND MARYON WILSON PARKS

Minutes of Meeting, September 2019
 
Venue:  Kinveachy Gardens, SE7
Date:  Thursday 19 September 2019
Present: (6) Christine (chair), Steve (secretary), Gulle (treasurer), Catherine, Alan, Mickey.

1. Welcome and Apologies:  Christine opened the first meeting for four months.
Apologies (7): Evelyn, Jason, Hazel, John, Natalie, Nigel, Ronnie.  

2. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising:
a) The pigs’ enclosure is ready and new animals should hopefully arrive soon.
b) The hedging plants we bedded in during early spring are flowering well.
c) Hazel and John emailed that they were surprised Gilbert’s Pit had been so comprehensively cleared and were worried about the effect on wildlife. At our forthcoming walkabout, we will “seek assurance from the Council that wildlife is a major consideration when clearing access to Parks”.
d) Information boards similar to the ones in Charlton Park are still under investigation. Men in Sheds have not yet priced them formally.
e) The water fountain in Maryon Park is clearly damaged and needs further attention.

3. Parks and Council News 
a) Mowing has not been done at the top of Thorntree Road towards the mini-roundabout.
b) At the Maryon Wilson Park open day in May we made £51.68 and at the Picnic in the (Maryon) Park in June £65.95. Some new members were recruited and the Tree Walk led by Christine and Mickey was well received. Many thanks to all those who helped on either day.
c) We have arranged a walkabout with Council officials for mid-October. Please let us know of any issues that should be raised.
d) A rubbish bin and new dog bin have been requested for Gilbert’s Pit.
e) The Council are again offering bulbs to be planted this autumn. We have asked for 400 large daffodils.
f) The future of the former stockman’s house at 20 Thorntree Road was raised.

4. Treasurer’s Report:
After the two open days the current balance has increased to £639.11 with petty cash of £10.85. 

5. Community Garden report: See below.

6. Venue for AGM on November 7:
It was agreed that the New Charlton Community Centre was too large. We will use the Nellie Raven room in St Thomas’ Church.

7. Nominations for officers and committee:
As the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer have all been doing the job for some time, nominations would be welcome either before the day or at the meeting. Similarly with anyone keen to join the committee.

8. Any other business:
a) The September Clear-Up and Litter-Pick was attended by a record number of 24 people, who filled many sacks of rubbish and worked on the Triangle area by the disused toilets.
b) Activities including free tennis lessons took place in Maryon Park in August but were poorly published at very late notice.
c) We were surprised to learn that school sports lessons in Maryon Park had included javelin throwing, which did not seem appropriate for a public park.
d) Dog mess has been increasing in Maryon Wilson Park. We have asked for more transfers to be put down on the paths warning against this.
b) Gulle had attended a number of events including: visiting the Friends of Oxleas Woods to see another group, whose activities included a Dawn Chorus Walk, Bat Walk etc; the Greenwich Park Forum meeting in July; and a Council panel meeting on Community Safety and Environment Scrutiny. Council officials confirmed that money was tight and will be more so in future.
c) Mickey had attended the local Ward meeting earlier this month. The Council have approved demolition of the Morris Walk estate but there was little indication as to when this will happen. Meanwhile there has been large-scale fly-tipping there. Ward councillors will try to ascertain a start date, seek a residents’ meeting with a Lovells representative present and investigate the possibility of mobile CCTV cameras.

9. Diary dates:
Clear-Ups: Saturday October 5 and Saturday November 2 (10am-1145).
(Litter-picking is of course welcome at all times).
The 18th Friends AGM Thursday November 7 in the Nellie Raven Room at St Thomas Church, Woodland Terrace, SE7. 7.15 for 7.30 Do make every effort to attend as we review the past year and plan for the next one.

Steve, secretary
Email: FriendsofMaryonparks@gmail.com

Maryon Park Community Garden

Maryon Park Community Garden is run as a constituted not-for-profit community voluntary project with its own officers, committee, treasurer and independent auditor.

Report September 2019

Gardening and Growing
Late August and September saw the start of the 2019 harvest season. Plot holders are gathering and weighing their produce. Plot holders have grown a range of vegetables and companion planted flowers this year with Patty Pans growing particularly well this season. As of 12th September plot-holders have harvested 22.59kg of produce with a value of £119.18 the equivalent of 282 meals.

Forest School
Apart from classes of early years pupils from ‘Windrush School’ on Mondays and the child-minders sessions on Thursdays, the Forest School was used for a ‘pupil, parents & careers’ one-day event from Woodhill Early Years department. Vanessa helped set up the session which, in spite of wet weather, was successful and enjoyed by all.

Outdoor Art
Simon has been working with private clients in the Forest School providing outdoor art therapy sessions.

Wednesday Volunteers
The regular Wednesday team has been supported by volunteers from Booking.com who have been helping with a range of gardening and maintenance tasks; digging the foundations for the Garden Room, planting and weeding plus involvement in the construction of the workshop conservatory.

The Green Room
The garden room has been painted green by female volunteers from ‘Booking.com.’. The space, which also acts as the Community Garden indoor space and office, is now available for hire for meetings, therapy and counseling sessions at £5 an hour.

Garden Improvement Projects
Alan has nearly completed the construction of the conservatory style workshop. The final Community Garden project will be the resurfacing of the garden gravel paths, when the funding becomes available.

Fundraising and Grants
The Community Garden has been awarded, but not yet received, a £4,000 grant from the Woolwich Estates Development Fund. This grant will help towards the resurfacing of the gravel paths but not cover the full costs. ASDA have included the Community Garden in their green token voting scheme so please vote for the Community Garden. The Garden will receive £500 or £200 in December when the results are announced. A bid for a much larger amount to the ASDA Community Fund is in progress.

Open Days
The Community Garden ‘Big Dig’ open day on Saturday 27th April 2019 was hit by wet weather but the garden still received many visitors. The founder of Capital Growth, Ben Reynolds, and local councillor John Fahy visited the Community Garden. Thanks is due to the Community Garden Committee members and volunteers who worked hard on the day including Qali who cooked the pizzas. Fundraising was helped by the sale of plants, thanks to Ruth & Dan, woodcrafts, thanks to Dinah, and refreshments. The Garden was opened on Sunday 30th June for the ‘Picnic in the Park’ community event selling plants. The Community Garden held an informal ‘Big Lunch Bring & Share’ open day on Saturday 1st June. The Santa event for young children and families will take place on Saturday 7th December, 12noon to 3 pm. The next Open Day is for the Urban Harvest on Saturday 21st September 2019, 10.0 am to 4.0 pm.

Opening Times
Volunteers and visitors are welcome on Wednesdays, the volunteer workday. The Garden is open to the public on the afternoon of the first Saturday in the month.

Tim: MPCG Chair. Edna: MPCG Secretary and Coordinator