May Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Harris Road Allotment Society Fourth meeting  24.05.12 at Hillsborough Pavilion

Present

Asha Dube Chair

Members

Ben Kentzer (Treasurer), Jen Mickelborough, Mick Caveney, Julia Hunter, Vicky Cooper, Stewart Bailey-Smith, Peter Morton (Secretary)

Aplogies 

Ann Toy, Matt Williams, Ceri Ashton, Joanne Buck 

4.1 Minutes of last meeting 

Minutes of the second meeting were agreed.

Note Ann Toy sent apologies for this meeting.

4.2 Matters arising

Action points from previous meeting covered in the agenda.

4.3 Bank Account

Ben reported that there had been  a delay in setting a bank account with Lloyd’s at Meadowhall - we are still waiting for the bank to send the paperwork.

4.4 Guest Speaker 

It was agreed to meet  Eric Latham at Hagg Lane Society one Saturday or Sunday morning to learn about 

• setting up - membership fees; insurance
• benefits of Federation membership
• Seeking community grants and fundraising to improve the allotments  - where to look for grants
• discounted materials fertilisers tools seeds and materials etc
• benefits of a community allotment
• plant sales 
• tool bank 
• Assisting the council with maintenance and security of the site
• Procuring skips

Volunteers to contact Peter Morton to set up a meeting.

4.5 Community Assembly budget

A bid has been submitted for  public liability insurance, start up costs up to the previous limit of £250 and possibly a skip which could be ordered later in the year.

Decision should be made by the Community Assembly by the end of June.

4.6 Wood chip for paths - Jen has asked the tree surgeon on Harris Road  if he would dump his wood chips on the sit and he has agreed and he has some pallets to make a communal bay inside the second gate. 

Action point Jen to contact Ceri to consider giving him the forester a key.

4.7 Work day

Another work day was held on 12 May from 10.00 focusing on clearing the site via a skip; chipping suitable waste and a training session on running workdays ourselves. 

Key points from training session by Lee Hinchcliffe from the council

• We must do a written risk assessment for any workdays that comprise 5 or more people
• The council have templates to follow and advice 
• We must have public liability insurance
• We must have first aid cover - Vicky and Julia have accreditation from their day jobs
• We must record attendance.

Agreed to aim for another workday in the autumn.

Peter to keep a log of accreditations and attendance sheets

4.8 Newsletter 

Decision 

It was agreed to a membership fee of £5 for the first year.

Action point 

Shared out writing of short articles as follows

• Ben bank account; membership fee
• Matt Rush Community Assembly bid and jumble sale report
• Julie reflections of a new plot holder
• Mick security improvements
• Vicky edible weeds
• Stuart reflections on a tree stump!
• Asha feedback on the workday and the raining session see above
• Peter to check items from previous minutes
• All to send articles to Peter to assemble

4.9 Jumble Sale 27 April

Thanks to Matt £57.80 was raised from the Jumble Sale.

4.10 Website

Jen showed the meeting the website she has designed using blog spot for a cost of £6 for two years.

Action point 

Peter to forward aims of the society to Jen to add to website then to switch it on.

Location is ....

harrisroadallotments.blogspot.co.uk

4.11 Security 

Ceri has closed the gap in the fence where dogs are getting through from Marlciffe.

Children are getting through where the new and old fence meet.

4.12 Links with After School Club and Society logo

Action point 

Asha to ask Jill the manager of the After School Club to ask if the children could design a logo for the society for a prize.

4.13 Links with Marlcliffe School

Action point 

Stuart to ask the head teacher if we could meet in the school in future and possibly have some storage space.

4.14 AOB

 Cultivation advice

• Fruit trees should be on dwarfing toot stock
• Ponds are allowed Ceri Are there any rules we should add here?

• Asbestos see pages 26/7 of the handbook - page 27 has health and safety advice to remove asbestos.
• The school is holding a plant sale on Wednesday 30 May. 

3.15 Next meeting 

Thursday 21st June at 7.00 pm at the Pavilion unless other wise informed.