AGM 2020

Minutes of FoHP AGM 7.30, 17 Feb, 2020. Pulteney Arms, Bath

1 Present : Ian Critchley, Erica Timothy, Suzanne McCarraher, Jean Evans, Henry Ford, and some 30 Members, including Councillor Y. Kumar. Apologies, Ian Herve, and several other email apologies.

3 Minutes. The minutes were briefly discussed and passed with no amendments,

3

Welcome and Report from the Chair: HF welcomed all to the fourth AGM of the FoHP, including our Councillor Dr Yukteshwar Kumar. Thanks were extended to the Pulteney Arms for arranging the room; the Council Gardeners for their work; the volunteer litter pickers, gardeners and stick collectors for their work and achievements. A pictorial review was shown of the year in the Park, including laurel and snowberry removal and re-grassing; the planting of several hundred bulbs of Narcissus bulbocodium, native bluebells, daffodils, snowdrops and Martagon lillies; reclaiming areas of the Memorial garden after tree removal; provision of bird boxes and horse chestnut leaf miner moth pheromone traps. Bath in Bloom gave us £100 towards improving park entrances, and we have replanted with forget-me-nots and wallflowers provided by the Council; painted fence and gates; and hard pruned two of the entrances revealing more plants hidden by overgrowth. The Council had needed to cut down several trees during the course of the year and replacement of four of them has been completed. Coordination between departments within the council needs to be improved, illustrated by the tree team being on hand cutting down trees, while a film crew organised by the Parks Dept were trying to complete a mini documentary on parks in BANES. There were two activities during the year – Food and Fun in June and the Carols by Candlelight in December. The Food and Fun day was a great success with the Syrian Kitchen being a real hit, and we hope to use them again at our next Party in the Park. Due to bad weather the carols were moved from the park to the front room of SMcC, for which we extend heartfelt thanks. A donation was made to Julian House. The homeless and drug abuse problem inherent in the city has been less apparent in the Park this year though we realise that our activities have merely moved the problems elsewhere.

4 Council Liaison

Comments From Jeremy Dymond, Council Liaison

Ian has taken over this role since Mayveen Blackwell left last year. His main contact at the Council is Jeremy Dymond, Play and Community Development Officer. As he only works 3 days a week contact can understandably be slow at times. However the Committee held a very productive meeting in the park with Jeremy, Jane Robson, Denise Hart and Colin Hall on 16 December, and we hope for further progress from them after this meeting. It was agreed that we should have 2/3 meetings a year. The Parks Dept said that we are quite demanding but they appreciate what we have done to date. Recent responses after the work undertaken by Community Payback team have been appropriately swift and we thank the Council for this. The Green Flag judges were very complimentary.
“Maybe you could also mention at the meeting that despite being unable to attend I would, on behalf of the Parks Team, like to thank you for being such a dynamic and diligent Friends group. There is absolutely no doubt that Henrietta Park is looking more crisp and beautiful because of the input you all make, and it also seems to have a greater vibrancy from your group engaging the local community through your activities and events. We also thank you for your support of other groups such as the relatively new Hedgemead Park Friends. So essentially we are saying a big THANK YOU and WELL DONE for all your efforts.” With appreciation, Jeremy
  1. 5  Finance: ICC
    Receipts     5.2.19 – 3.2.20 £4537.65 Main Items:
    Bath in Bloom £100 Carols party at the McCarrahers £180 Food and Fun (Net ) £1,950.00 Expenditures £2,664.24 Main Items:
    Website hosting, spare keys for 3 locks £101 Annual insurance cover for volunteers £135 Garden tools – yard brooms, rakes, secateurs, loppers, paint and brush £209 Man Head for the old water fountain in the wall £27 Donation to Julian House £180.00 Balance at AGM 6.2.19 £2992.83 Balance at AGM 17.2.20 £4866.24
  2. 6  Future Projects
  1. 6.1  Conversion of the birdbath to a Sundial.
  2. 6.2  The old drinking water fountain gargoyle
  3. 6.3  Interpretation Board (sponsorship sought)
  4. 6.4  Restoration of the pump for the fountain in the pond
  5. 6.5  Bird Walk, Lucy Delve at 5.30 am on Easter Sunday.
  6. 6.6  Bat walks and monitoring
  7. 6.7  YMCA exercise days
  8. 6.8  Request for monthly lists of birds in the Park.
  9. 6.9  Move the Henrietta Park Sign to Sunderland Street.
  10. 6.10  Drinking water fountain on the toilet block agreed by Healthmatic
  11. 6.11  DavidiaplantedbytheStump
  12. 6.12  ReplacementBenchesonplinthsinMemorialGarden
  13. 6.13  Relocation of some Litter Bins to more advantageous locations avoiding tyre marks on grass
  14. 6.14  PartyintheParkinJune

10 AOB: Points by email – the old drinking water fountain is not to be connected to a water supply. Could we extend the party in the park to include unamplified music in the evening?

11 Next AGM: Monday, 1 Feb 2021

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