Minutes of AGM, November 2019

FRIENDS OF MARYON AND MARYON WILSON PARKS
Minutes of 18th Annual General Meeting, 2019

Venue: St Thomas Church, Charlton
Date: Thursday November 7th 2019
Present (10): Christine (chair), Steve (secretary), Gulle (treasurer), Catherine, John, Hazel, Natalie, Mickey, Nigel, Ronnie.  

Christine welcomed members to our 18th AGM.  

1. Apologies: Alan, Paul, Jason, Jane, Claire Lambert.

2. Minutes of previous meeting: Accepted. The Council had made it clear that regular sports events in Maryon Park needed their permission and that throwing the javelin was not acceptable.

3. Parks News
a) We had a walkabout through the parks with three Council officers, raising a number of issues, including dead and fallen trees; cutting back; 12 large bins have to be placed in front of the old toilets temporarily for the removal of animal waste; in Gilbert’s Pit, the Council’s David Willoughby had advised in advance that “Though not technically a hedgerow, we try to apply the same principles when cutting back scrub etc that may be home to nesting birds. The dates that prohibit the cutting of hedgerows are from 1st March until 31st July.”
b) The two new pigs had not been named as we were expecting; children from Thorntree school are coming up with a selection of names which will then be voted on.
c) Having had to postpone planting our 400 daffodil bulbs in Maryon Wilson because of bad weather on November 2nd we planned to do so on November 9th (UPDATE: and did so; thanks to all helpers). They will roughly fringe the path from Cemetery Lane down to the deer pen.
d) It was agreed that we should invite Jack Partridge, the Council arborist, to talk to us about trees at a future meeting.

4. Constitution: Correction and Amendments
a) ‘Barrier Gardens’ needs to read ‘Barrier Park’
b) As some recent meetings have been poorly attended, we have changed ‘a minimum of four meetings per year, plus an AGM’ to ‘a minimum of three meetings per year, plus an AGM’
c) The Chair of Greenwich Parks Forum has advised that yearly accounts need only be ‘examined’ not ‘audited’.
The meeting agreed these changes.
 
5. Chair’s Annual Report  (attached).
In summary: A successful year, albeit with some disappointingly small numbers at meetings, but larger ones at regular Clear-Ups. Green flag awarded again to Maryon Park; a new website format; supporting a successful Open Day and Picnic in the Park; good work on the wildflower meadow, triangle area and stream in Maryon Wilson.

6. Treasurer’s report 
Income this year was from takings at MWP open day (£51.68) and Picnic in the Park (£65.95) plus one small donation, for a total of £120.33.  
After expenditure including hire of hall for 2018 AGM, website hosting, hedging plants, a spade and consumables for Clear Up days etc, there was a deficit of £58.92, leaving a balance at the bank of £639.11 plus petty cash of £10.85.
 
7. Community Garden Annual Report ( attached)
Highlights included 54 kg of produce during the year; completing and opening the Green Room as an office and meeting space. Visitors are always welcome on the volunteer workday on Wednesdays. The Garden is open to the public on the afternoon of the first Saturday in the month. And Santa will visit on Saturday 7th December 1-3pm!

8. Election of officers and committee
With no volunteers coming forward, Christine, Steve and Gulle will continue for another year. All four other committee members (Catherine, Jason, John and Mickey) agreed to do the same.

9. Any other business
We will order an information board from Men in Sheds about ongoing work we are undertaking in the “triangle” area near our MWP noticeboard.
 
10. Date of next meeting and Clear-Ups:
We will meet at Kinveachy Gardens on Thursday February 6th at 7.30pm. All welcome. The next Clear-Ups are on the first Saturday of each month as usual: December 7th and January 4th. Join us at any time from 10am-midday, at the north end of Kinveachy Gardens.
 
Steve, (Secretary)
FriendsofMaryonParks@gmail.com