Chair: Jim
Minutes: Harriet
Present: Jim S, Naseem H, Harriet J, Chris M
James N
MINUTES
| 1. Agenda item I Welcome and apologies Jim |
Apologies from Tila R, Dan P, Lynda S, Paul B, Lynne C, James N.
| 2. Agenda item II a) Minutes of the last meeting, 02/07/24 b) Matters arising from the last meeting, 02/07/24 Jim |
No comments were received on the minutes of the last meeting.
All matters arising are covered under items in the minutes.
| 3. Agenda item III BCAG admin Jim |
Total hours spent on BCAG business and projects for July were recorded – thanks to everyone for putting in time. Harriet to ask any core members not at the monthly meeting, for their hours.
| 4. Agenda item IV Treasurer’s report Naseem |
The balance stands at around £25,750 – the great majority of this is grant money for specific projects, and particularly the Bridge Street Garden. BCAG central funds stand at around £2,790. Congratulations to Tila for her successful applications for funding to keep the Garden running and functioning as such a lively venue.
| 5. Agenda item V Social media, Newsletter, publicity Jim |
Sadly, no one has yet come forward to take up the role of newsletter editor. Jim will try sending out a blank newsletter with an appeal for an editor. The role could be split into copy/pictures, and formatting in Mailchimp. The newsletter is a vital part of BCAG outreach and one of the main means of advertising our events, so it’s vital that we find a new editor.
Stats: main Facebook 1,268 followers; Bridge Street CG FB 873 followers. BCAG mailing list 284 for Newsletter of which 220 are members. [Shed 394 FB followers.]
| 6. Agenda item VI Bridge Street Community Garden BSCG (Tila) |
Fantastic news! Tila’s application to OCVA’s Well Together fund was successful enabling the Garden to continue hosting wellbeing events over the next 12 months with one event per month. The application to OxCAG was accepted with a 5-year grant to help cover costs of Garden Officer time.
Tila noted that writing reports at the conclusion of grants is a time-consuming part of the process.
July was another incredibly busy month in the Garden.
Articles about the Garden appeared in the Banbury Guardian and on Banbury FM.
The community art installation, “The Washing Line”. made with Hayley Stevenson at the Garden peace festival, went on display at OVADA, Oxford, 20/07.
The Garden had a popular stand at PlayDay in People’s Park, 31/07. Thank you to the volunteers who helped with the event.
Tila gave a presentation at the Green Fair on 27/07, organised by Nothing But Footprints, and ran activities there. Thank you to Lynda for collating information and packaging seeds to distribute.
Tila took berries, herbs and edible flowers from the garden to The Hill Community Centre. The material was used to decorate cakes with The Hill’s Youth Club, 23/07.
Workshops have included an art session run by Rhiannon Evans 29/07; a samba session with Best Boy Electric, 28/07; yoga with Sophie Bird, 14/07; and drawing with artist Hira.
23/07, Chris Elliot led a wellbeing walk from the Garden to Spiceball Park.
Age UK Oxfordshire came on 20/07 for a picnic. Tila led an activity focussed on colours and textures in the Garden, and Veritie Turner from BBOWT talked about the Wild Banbury project. Thanks to Helen Fountain for working with the Garden to make this happen.
07/07 saw a wonderful Eid celebration in the Garden with a bring and share lunch with delicious homemade dishes from around the world.
Children and their teachers from St Leonard’s C of E Primary School enjoyed a visit to the Garden to build bee hotels, 02/07.
Sunrise Multicultural Project visited several times. The group had lunch in the Garden, collaborating in a wellbeing session making hand scrubs using Garden mint, and crafting beautiful baskets. Lots of thanks to Naseem and Candy for their input.
Home-Start families also visited.
Students from Banbury Aspirations participated in a work party, 10/07, putting in energy to carry out a range of tasks and improvement works. There were also essential gardening sessions with Aspire and the Garden volunteers.
Thank you to all the volunteers who help make these Garden events happen, and this month, particularly to Andie for all the time he has spent watering to keep the Garden alive during the hot weather.
Unfortunately, the summer has brought rough sleepers to the Garden again this year. Jim submits daily reports of their presence which does eventually lead to their being moved on. The community warden is helping by coming to the Garden when family events are running.
The Garden will be open as a venue as part of Canal Day 05-06/10.
Point for discussion: Jim raised the issue of resilience in management of the Garden: at present Tila takes full and sole responsibility for running the Garden. BCAG should be considering how best to ensure this knowledge is shared to ensure long term stability.
| 7. Agenda item VII Food Action (Dan) |
The next food action event under consideration is for a Tuesday evening, late September. This will be a “Cook Together Supper Club” run in association with RVS Dementia. Multiple cooking stations will allow maximum participation.
| 8. Agenda item VIII Browning Road Orchard BRO Harriet |
Banbury Town Council are interested in participating in this year’s Apple Day, broadening the event to include the Urban Orchard tree wardens. The only date available for the Park Wardens, however, is late October. After some discussion, the committee recommended that we settle for an earlier date – provisionally 22nd September – as there will still be locally grown apples available at that date and the weather will hopefully be more favourable.
We are keen to work with BTC so will seek another opportunity for a joint orchard event.
| 9. Agenda item IX Banbury Active Travel Supporters group (Paul) |
Installation of the Woodgreen Leisure Centre/ Library cycle parking has been put back to September when the Centre will be quieter and the work will be less intrusive.
BATS has been working with Cycling UK Oxfordshire to create a county cycle map showing safer and quieter cycling routes.
BATS will be part of the BCAG stall at Banbury Canal Day, 05/-06/09.
A sociable bike ride is being planned for 22/09; hopefully this can link with the proposed Apple Day.
| 10. Agenda item X Banbury Environment Network Harriet |
Harriet joined the Garden and BBOWT in the Nature Zone at Playday. We offered a ‘Nature Connector’ activity for the older children to complement the BBOWT ‘make your own bird feeder’. The ‘Connector’ was a brilliant design done exclusively for us by David L. As always, this was a very busy, vibrant, community event.
Improvements to the Hanwell Brook in Hanwell Fields continue. The work is led by the Wild Banbury volunteers group.
| 11. Agenda item XI Climate Action Lynda |
BCAG will have a stand at Banbury Canal Day, 05/06 October. This will include space for BCAG central, and all our projects including the Garden and BATS.
BCAG is looking to partner with other environment focused organisations within the town, including the WI, and Greenpeace, to meet with our new MP, 12th October, as part of the national Climate Coalition initiative. We will work with Banbury Acts Together to arrange the event.
The next G&T has been booked for 19th October at The Haven.
Jim and Tila represented BCAG at the ‘Nothing but Footprints’ Green Fair 27/07 in Lock 29. Both gave talks about our projects as well as manning a BCAG stand. The event was very successful and it was suggested that BCAG should seek to be involved again next year if it becomes an annual event.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Sue S and the WI Climate Ambassadors will be raising the profile of climate issues at Fairport in August.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The September monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday 3rd, 7.30pm, online.