Tidy Group 2015 AGM:

MADELEY TIDY GROUP 2015 AGM

Present:
Annie Shaw; Andy Capewell; Phil Shaw; John Berrington; Lynda Berrington; Chris Machin; Chris Wright; Roy Dutton; Helen Dutton.

Apologies:
Alan Woodhouse; Anne Nicholson; Sue Machin; Maria Tomlinson; Terry Edmond; Mary Edmond.

Minutes of 2013/2014 AGM
Accepted as a true record.
Proposed by John Berrington; Seconded by Lynda Berrington.

Matters Arising
No matters arising.

Chairman’s Report:
The Tidy Group continues with our gardening and litter picking activities with a very small group of volunteers. Despite ongoing recruitment campaigns, we have only one new member, Anne Nicholson, this year. Even so, the flower beds, planters and troughs have all been very colourful.
We were awarded Level Four ‘thriving’ in the Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood awards. We were also nominated for a community group award for the third year running, although this time we were unsuccessful.
Part of our ‘Areas for Development’ are to liaise and engage with local schools and schoolchildren and this will be a priority for next year. Anne has agreed to be the School Liaison Officer.
Maria joined us in March as part of her Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and has been involved in litter picks and has attended several of our committee meetings. We have completed her Duke of Edinburgh report for her bronze level certificate.
So far this year we have undertaken 138 hours litter picking as a group and on Communities Day in June, seven members from the Tidy Group joined a group of children and their teachers from The Meadows School, members of the Angling Club and Community Wardens from Newcastle under Lyme Council in a ‘Big Litter Pick’ and then all enjoyed refreshments at The Old Hall Country House and thanks to Simon for organising all this.
Renewal of The Long Trough has been on the agenda for some considerable time. In order to keep costs down, we agreed that repair was a better option as a substantial portion of the trough was in reasonable condition. We have engaged the services of Pete Wells and his volunteers from the Newcastle Countryside Project based at Apedale, following a recommendation from Ann Spilsbury. Members of the Tidy Group will also be involved on Saturday, November 14th.
Early next year we will be planting a tree in memory of Ricki, a very much respected and hardworking member of The Tidy Group, who sadly passed way in October. We will liaise with her family, The Parish Council and The Madeley Centre.
Once again can I thank all the committee members and volunteers for their hard work and commitment during the year and The Parish and Borough Councils for their support.
Sue Machin
Chairman
16.11.15

Treasurer’s Report:
In keeping with our policy of ‘’investment planting’’ throughout the village there has been an emphasis on planting Perennials. To give a general idea of costings :- the planting of the Crewe Arms bed and Miners bed, Leycett Lane cost the group £65.94.
Expenditure at the Greyhound Court (Long Trough), Izaac Walton (2 beds) and Vicarage Lane involved plants to the value of £403.20. Additional plants were purchased to use in a variety of locations totalling £49.48. Thus total plant expenditure has been £518.62.
There are a number of miscellaneous purchases to a total of £335.42. Major items involved expenditure on the groups insurance (£79.50) (This is liable to increase during October 2015/September 2016 year because of additional PRT tax).
The rotten, wooden barrel opposite the Methodist Chapel has been replaced with a plastic barrel to the cost of £51.99 (Including bags of compost used here and elsewhere).
Tidy group leaflet promotion including printing and leaflet dispensers involved an expenditure of £141.80. Other lesser expenditure included a) postcrete for memorial plaques, b) Cuprinol treatment for the long trough, c) Osmacote balls and slug pellets together with, d) tool hire for strimmer.
The major planned expenditure for the year is replacement of the long trough.
Free bulbs, grass seed and recycled compost were gratefully received from Simon Long, NULBC. Many of these were used in the Plantation, Madeley Heath between the A525 and Heath Row.
We have also received free gifts of some plants provided by villagers.
Please see a copy of our balance sheet (Oct 14 – Sept 15) on a separate sheet.
It is with grateful thanks that we acknowledge the continuing financial support from Madeley Parish Council, Councillor W Welsh, various award schemes administered by Newcastle Borough Council and Marley Eternit.
John Berrington
Treasurer Madeley Tidy Group.

PR & Sponsorship Report:

There has been much work in highlighting the Tidy Group activities to try and attract more volunteers which again have been by and largely unsuccessful:
• New and impressive leaflets were designed by Andy Capewell and leaflet holders to display them purchased. Sue, Phil Shaw and I then distributed them to various shops and outlets around the village. Unfortunately, the one in The Madeley Centre has already disappeared.
• The Tidy Group started a Facebook page and has attracted some attention but unfortunately not enough to garner any volunteers so far.
• We have obtained the keys to the old Parish Council noticeboard and will display the activities of the Tidy Group and like-minded groups in it.
• Chris Wright provided a Tidy Group article in The Conservation Group newsletter in March with details of our work.
• Some of the Tidy Group signs in the flower beds have been removed and so replacements were ordered and resited.
The aim of increasing our green footprint in the flower beds, with for example, bug houses, so as to engage with other sections of the community, has not been achieved, but hopefully that will be a priority for next year.

Chris Machin

Gardening Report:
The group have undertaken 191 (recorded) hours of gardening this year incorporating both maintenance and new planting. We are trying to move towards implementing a policy of sustainable planting which is also eco- friendly and encouraging to wildlife. Financial assistance from both the Parish and Borough Councils has enabled us to replace plants that have gone past their best and also to purchase additional plants that will reduce both the need for and expense of bedding plants. Bedding plants are expensive to produce with a high “carbon footprint” and are labour intensive to plant, dead-head and ultimately remove/replace.
In addition to routine maintenance the following areas have had particular improvements made to them:

Isaak Walton – clearance of invasive perennials and groundcover. New planting
Vicarage Lane – new planting
Greyhound – new planting especially for winter interest
Springs and Moss Side troughs – completely replanted giving all year interest (Hopefully!)
Holm Oak Pool – major clearance of undergrowth and new planting of bulbs
Long trough – repairs to be made in November which will allow re- planting in the Spring
Particular thanks are due to those members who look after the Miners’ Memorial and Crewe Arms beds.
Schedule of planned activity;
Repair of the Long Trough.
Review the planting of the Isaak Walton bed.
Review the planting in the New Road bed. Requires low maintenance plants that are drought tolerant as the soil is fairly poor.
Use bedding plants (geraniums) only in the Vicarage Lane bed.
The Chair has already reported on our success in the “It’s Your Neighbourhood” awards and I would like to add my thanks to everyone who contributes to our efforts to improve the appearance of our village.

Annie Shaw
Vice- Chair, Madeley Tidy Group

8.11.15

Election of Officers:
Chairman; Vice Chairman; Secretary; Treasurer; PR & Sponsorship.
The existing officers were proposed by Andy Capewell and seconded by Phil Shaw to serve for 2015/2016.
Dates of Group Litter Picks:
[Meet at The Greyhound at 10.00 unless otherwise agreed]
January 30
February 27
March 26
April 30
May 28
June 25
July 30
August 27
September 24
October 29
November 26
NO LITTER PICK IN DECEMBER
Future Plans:
From the It’s Your Neighbourhood areas for development:
• Liaise with local schools; consider bug house and hedgehog hotel workshops/kits.
• A planting theme for the beds. Aim to achiever all year colour and wildlife friendly habitat.
The memorial tree for Ricki.
The New Road / Holm Oak Pool Strip Bed. The soil is dry; Plant plants that will thrive in this environment.
Notice Board. We have the keys to the old Parish Council Noticeboard on The Greyhound. A Tidy Group display is required there.
There is a lack of grants and donations from local businesses. Consider a mailshot to local businesses and request a donation. Include our leaflet which shows the work we do. A draft letter is required. Consider hand delivery to achieve face to face contact.
Any Other Business:
The Christmas Meal at The Old Swan Madeley Heath was confirmed on 9/12/15.
Some Tidy Group litter pickers do not have bag-o’s; agreed to try to obtain some from NUL BC and, if not, to buy some.
The free bulbs from NUL BC Planting Assistance Scheme are due in the next week or so. Half for Madeley and half for Madeley Heath.
It is 25 years since the start of Newcastle in Bloom. Madeley is one of the 25 areas that has been chosen to plant a celebration Silver Birch tree. NUL BC would like it in the Pool area and we thought The Springs area, by the Pool, may be suitable.
Re the balance at the bank, need to bear in mind, there are three cheques outstanding totalling £286.22 and we are waiting for an invoice from Pete Wells and his Newcastle Countryside Project volunteers for the work on the long trough repair.
Dates of 2015 Committee meetings:
January 11
March 14
May 9
July 11
September 12
October 10
November 14 (This will be our AGM)

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