January 2024
Minutes of Committee Meeting held on Monday, 15/01/2024 7:00 pm at Men’s Bowling Club House
Attendance:
Richard Bond, Sue Simpkins, Jean Byrne. Catherine Lyon, Jackie Sumara, Bob Dunbar, Trish (new guest), Sonia Devons, Mark Nesbitt
Judith Lloyd, Dave Jarman, Sarah Haughey, Roy Appleby, Rick Webb, Margaret Westbrook, Jay Clarke, Gurditt Singh.
Judith Lloyd, Dave Jarman, Sarah Haughey, Roy Appleby, Rick Webb, Margaret Westbrook, Jay Clarke, Gurditt Singh.
1. MATTERS ARISING
Minutes: Door for the noticeboard – JS has contacted Nature Sign Design as they had supplied the noticeboard – just waiting for a reply.
RB: Contacted Alan Heckman from Discgolf about card readers – Square Card Readers. £25 for a card reader.
Action: JS to order a card reader
2. NATIONAL HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND UPDATE
Minutes: RB asked PF for an update. There is a list of tasks to be completed by TBC before March.
PF has a meeting tomorrow so hopefully more info will be available after that.
3. ONE TRAFFORD
Minutes: DS still off work on sick – therefore Dave Roan is dealing with all parks in Trafford.
During the recent walkabout was suggested that one bed is turned over to perennials – potentially 1-4 foot perennials.
Council not keen on using an outdoor tap for gardening – should be using water butt however DS has already said would be an issue with vandalism.
Council confirmed that fees from park events go into the Film Fund which is for Longford Park (to be accessed by FOLP). Currently over £7,172 in the fund.
4. Garden of Reflection (formerly Peace Garden)
Minutes: Looking at getting 2 benches – choices were sent out previously. Do have the possibility of having a plaque on the bench.
JB suggested talking to a mosaic artist at the Public Hall about putting on Manchester Bee mosaic on the plaque.
Potential suggestion to have a mosaic with a bee and ‘Garden of Reflection’ and then a separate plaque to for the Manchester Arena bombing – possibly on a bench.
Action: JB to talk to Karen (artist)
5. Past Events
Minutes: Lottery Celebration Event: Event held in the Public Hall – about 90 people – seemed to go down very well. One of the lottery people was called in and was impressed at the turn out. Thanks to everybody involved in organizing the event.
Tree Amigos: Christmas Tree Sale – this year they were charged a fee (instead of FOLP getting £1/tree) which goes into the Film Fund.
St Matthew’s Tree Festival: SD, JB and Andy Grady (Pet’s Corner) made Christmas Tree decorations to decorate a tree at the Church. Lots of different community groups had decorated a tree. No expenditure except the £10 for the entry fee.
Aside: Would be good to get Pet’s Corner to come to meetings
Action: RB to contact Pet’s Corner for the next meeting.
6. Future Events
Minutes: Volunteer Fair (Mon 22 Jan) at Stretford Public Hall – MW, RB, JS going. SS were going to let Pet’s Corner know.
Action: SS to contact Pet’s Corner to see if they want to share our table. JS to provide leaflets on Health Walks, information leaflets.
7. Future Events
Minutes: MW has been to an event recently and enthused about a new letter for the park. Would be good to have an A4 with some info on the front, and then some photos/activities on the back – laminated and put in the café – most info will stay the same for regular events but good to have new events coming up for a quarterly newsletter.
Action: MN to do a leaflet
8. Future Events
Minutes: Litter pick – need to advertise more
Action: CL to email details to SD to update Facebook monthly. SD to provide high vis to CL with FOLP logo
9. Future Events
Minutes: RB suggested a monthly walk around the park to see what need to be done. Potential local resident may be interested to do this.
10. Future Events
Minutes: Theatre: Heartbreak unable to tour in 2024 but Hobgoblin Theatre group have contacted FOLP to perform Robin Hood aimed at Primary School age group – similar set up to Heartbreak Production.
Action: SD to talk to new theatre group about potential date for Robin Hood.
11. Ryebank Fields
Minutes: Friends of Rybank Fields to challenge MMU on why restricted access to the Fields area.
12. Updates Finance (JS)
Minutes: Summary provided/emailed out previously £11,500 in general part of account. Benches & installation, plaque, & donation to bee keeper to come out of the fund
13. Updates Cycling (MN)
Minutes: Struggled this year as there is no ride leader currently (was Darren Baddley). Volunteer through the website would like to be a ride leader – sourcing a ride leader course.
Some of the previous social rides that were done – Muslim women – are now riding with Joy Riders. Hoping to get them to start and end the rides in Longford Park.
TfGM had a cycle storage grant available – awarded money for a shelter at the Firswood community centre. MN spoke to Sharon to find out the best place. Roughly £8,000. For up to 8 bicycles. Also money to repair the roof of the bike shelter at the Athletics Club. Will get some Sheffield Hoops near the bowling/scouts area (similar to outside Pet’s Corner). All work to be agreed with DS as will need to be council contractors so DS will have to agree on all locations.
14. Updates Allotment (MW)
Minutes: Report circulated previously. Good year this year with new volunteers. Will be starting w/c Jan 15th 2024.
15. Updates Gardening Club (SS)
Minutes: Having a winter break – no start back date at the moment but ground is currently frozen. SS to prune wisteria. Start date dependant on weather.
Action: SS looking for a lockable cupboard to store tools in the allotments. (MN may have a lockable spare metal cupboard – will check).
16. Updates Wildlife Garden & SMCV (RW via text)
Minutes: TCV did a session the week before Christmas. Cleared a lot of invasive reeds in the pond. More open water now. Cleared vegetation by side of pond, cut back shrubs and blackthorn in the flowering meadows area.
17. CORRESPONDENCE
Minutes: Parker’s 90th anniversary trees: Were offering us 3 trees. Meant to be coming in November, but now in January. Would go at community centre end. Hoping to get Colin Ward from Tree Unit to advise on location.
Park Play: Organise play within parks – hoping to have a regular activity within Longford Park on Saturday mornings. Cross generational play. Would be best after 10am.
JS – second post damaged by Amey when cutting back vegetation. They had knocked down a post but they fixed it – now one up near the community centre has been sheared off. RB has mentioned to Jack Dauber – will chase it up.
Action: RB to follow up with Jack Dauber.
18. CORRESPONDENCE
Minutes: Phil Howell (café) had got in touch with RB & RW to meet up to discuss future of café.
Action: RW/RB to get back in touch with PH.
19. AOB
Minutes: CL raised the chalk board about ‘how many volunteer hours have been spent on the park this week/month’ – could include Pet’s Corner (roughly same hours each month) Health Walks, Litter Picking, Allotments etc.
20. NEXT MEETING
Minutes: Monday 18th March 7pm @ Bowlers