Chair: Jim
Minutes: Harriet
Present: Jim S, Harriet J, Lynda S, Paul B, Chris M, Joe A, Colleen, Tila R, John M
MINUTES
| 1. Agenda item I Welcome and apologies Jim |
Apologies were received from Naseem H. Jim welcomed John to the meeting.
| 2. Agenda item II a) Minutes of the last meeting, 07/10/25 b) Matters arising from the last meeting, 07/10/25 Jim |
No comments were received on the minutes of the last meeting.
Jim will submit the information and data required for this year’s insurance renewal.
| 3. Agenda item III BCAG admin Jim |
Total hours spent on BCAG business and projects since the October meeting were recorded – thanks to everyone for putting in the time. Harriet to ask any core members not at the monthly meeting, for their hours.
| 4. Agenda item IV Treasurer’s report (Naseem) |
BCAG central funds stand at £3144. This includes a contribution of £500 from Banbury Charities secured by Lynda who submitted the request for a grant following discussions with Martin H at the Canal Festival. Thank you!
| 5. Agenda item V Social media, Newsletter, publicity Jim |
BCAG Facebook: 1370 followers; BSCG Facebook: 1081 followers; mailing list subscribers: 324; voting members: 255. BATS email: 123. The numbers again mostly represent increases on previous figures. [For info: Shed Facebook: 460 followers; litter pickers 148.]
Thank you, Joe for the October edition of the BCAG newsletter. Tila noted that the Garden’s Instagram reels get high levels of engagement.
The meeting agreed that it was appropriate for the Banbury Charities grant to be used for a BCAG banner and for publicity material showcasing the projects we run. Tila offered to put together a design for a banner for core members to consider.
| 6. Agenda item VI Bridge Street Community Garden BSCG (Tila) |
Fires at the Garden. Basing the document on that used by Forest Schools, Tamzin is drawing up the generic Risk Assessment for use at the Garden before any activity intending to use a fire. Jim guided that the current insurance would be satisfactory provided the Risk Assessment was completed prior to the activity and strictly adhered to during the session. All burning will be limited to small controlled fires in a purpose-made metal fire bowl.
Congratulations to Tila and Joe for securing a grant from Oxford Community Foundation’s Thriving in Nature fund. The grant includes contribution from the Garden towards the overarching BCAG insurance.
Tila thanked the volunteers helping at the Garden this month and offered particular thanks to Jim for his daily check of the Garden. There has been a rough sleeper using the space under the wooden gazebo by the patio; Tila and Jim have reported the matter; the community wardens have been supportive and have handled the matter with sensitivity. Tila thanked Lynda for the thoughtful gesture of bringing spices along to Garden events for people to share.
Over the Canal Festival, 4th-5th October, one of the Garden sheds served as a pop-up gallery for Rhiannon with exhibits inspired by workshops held in the Garden. Tamzin, supported by Joe, Milly and Tila, organised family friendly activities running throughout the event. Garden events in October included a creative session led by Rhiannon.
The Play for Peace event, 11th October was a joyful afternoon which included peace themed art; Elly from Everybody Dances ran a session about peace and grounding; flags from across the world decorated the space and volunteers gave away young oak trees grown at the garden.
The half-term session held on 30th Oct was particularly well attended with a Singing Mamas workshop followed by Hayley’s clay workshop. The lantern-making workshop the following day was also very popular.
HomeStart continues to visit with the community wardens joining in one of their sessions. Sunrise Multicultural Project also continues to visit for activities and socialising.
Community gardening sessions continue on Mondays and Milly continues to run her Wild Wellbeing sessions. Milly has also led hands-on gardening work with volunteers.
| 7. Agenda item VII Browning Road Orchard BRO Harriet |
Banbury Town Council has offered to supply chippings for a winter mulch of the trees. Harriet to coordinate.
Harriet and Tila to discuss a pruning workshop for this winter.
Colleen kindly offered support for work or events to be held at the Orchard.
| 8. Agenda item VIII Banbury Active Travel Supporters group Neil |
Grants from Active Oxfordshire are currently available for sustainable and active travel, with the deadline of 07/11. The meeting offered some suggestions for the funding.
Paul continues to work with the Eastern Corridor route design team, progressing the detailed designs for more friendly cycling through the town. He is also involved with the developing of the Lower Cherwell bus improvement scheme.
The decision on the proposed designation of the road stretch from North Bar to the Cemetery, down from 30mph to 20mph, is expected on 13/11.
Thanks to Paul for his info-packed Late October BATS bulletin.
| 10. Agenda item X Banbury Environment Network Harriet |
Harriet is in discussion with Wild Oxfordshire about a possible project under their Hedgerow Heroes scheme, the funding for which comes from CPRE.
The meeting agreed to Harriet’s request that she sign up BCAG to the Conservation Volunteers (free) to benefit from the resources they offer.
| 11. Agenda item XI Climate Action Jim, Lynda, Chris |
Jim has put together a leaflet to encourage Seasonal Gift-buyers to buy secondhand items. The leaflet showcases the amazing array of secondhand outlets that exist across the town and promotes the benefits of the preloved market. Tila offered to use her design skills to help format the leaflet.
There was discussion on showing a film chosen from the free films list offered by OxCAG. Tila suggested that this might be run in partnership with the Peoples Theatre Collective and will ask to see if they are interested. For such an event to happen, there will need to be a keen BCAG member to take the lead.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
The meeting agreed the following guidance for responding to campaigns that fall within the remit of BCAG, and for letters to the Banbury MP:
Any member can draft a response or a letter. The draft then needs to be circulated to two others of the core BCAG group for approval. The proposer needs to be mindful that people are busy and so set a reasonable deadline for responses on their draft.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held online 02/12.