Chair for the meeting: Harriet
Minutes: Harriet
Present: Harriet J, Lynda S, Paul B
MINUTES
| 1. Agenda item I Welcome and apologies Jim |
Apologies were received from Tila R, Naseem H, Jim S, Chris M
| 2. Agenda item II a) Minutes of the last meeting, 01/07/25 b) Matters arising from the last meeting, 01/07/25 Jim |
No comments were received on the minutes of the last meeting. There were no matters arising not covered by items on the agenda.
| 3. Agenda item III BCAG admin Jim |
Total hours spent on BCAG business and projects since the July 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 remains at £2,569.
| 5. Agenda item V Social media, Newsletter, publicity Jim |
BCAG Facebook: 1346 followers; BSCG Facebook: 1047 followers; mailing list subscribers: 329; voting members: 253. Shed Facebook: 447 followers. The numbers represent increases on all previous figures.
| 6. Agenda item VI Bridge Street Community Garden BSCG (Tila) |
The meeting was very sad to learn of the death of Pat M. Pat, who came from the Tamil community, established a strong link between the Garden and the WTHS in King’s Sutton. He was instrumental in securing the water supply for the Garden which is such a vital amenity and has greatly simplified the life of the Garden in so many ways: hygiene, catering, and (when the rainwater system runs dry) keeping the Garden alive.
Tila warmly thanked the Garden community for continued support and energy.
The new planters have arrived and have been positioned in the re-found corner of the Garden between the sheds and the canal. They are very heavy! The help of all those involved in getting them into place has been much appreciated.
Practical gardening sessions continue, including shifting a mountain of soil: thanks to Joe for leading these.
Monday gardening and wellbeing sessions continue, led by Milly.
Home-Start continue to visit for creative activities and nature connection.
Sunrise Multicultural Project came to be creative and make wreaths with Tila.
A group from Banbury Museum called in to the Garden as part of a history walk along Bridge Street.
A group from St Mary’s Church visited to play games in the garden, organised by Dima.
Sophie Bird led a gentle yoga session and Jo Osborne took a mindful photography session helping people slow down and see in a new way.
Tila represented the Garden again this year at CDC’s PlayDay in People’s Park, 23/07. She ran a very popular print-making activity. The event was a packed, attended by so many families from across Banbury and beyond.
Tamzin, Tila and Nethmi ran a print-making session at St Leonard’s School, connecting with families and spreading the word about the Garden.
| 7. Agenda item VII Food Action (Dan) |
No update this month.
| 8. Agenda item VIII Browning Road Orchard BRO Harriet |
There’s a good set of fruit in the Orchard this year. The meeting confirmed that BCAG will not be organizing an Apple Day at the Orchard this year due to limited resources. If, however, local residents come forward looking for support from us for an event, we would be very happy to help out and lend our pressing equipment.
| 9. Agenda item IX Banbury Active Travel Supporters group (Paul/Neil) |
The Cherwell Street improvement scheme and the Tramway scheme are both well underway. The LCWIP recommendations concerning the Eastern and Western corridors are also progressing.
BATS continues to network with relevant Oxford-based groups and provides a link with city-based initiatives since many Banbury residents are often in Oxford. The group contributed to the OCC congestion charge consultation and publicised this locally.
BATS also keeps tabs on national news, for example bringing the attention of members to the Early Day Motion which would make pavement parking illegal (this has been prohibited in London since 1974).
The BATS newsletter survey to gauge interest in a free trial scheme for e-bikes met with a surprisingly low response.
Thanks to Paul, as ever, for his work for BATS, and particularly for the regular and very informative News.
| 10. Agenda item X Banbury Environment Network Harriet |
Harriet shared the pitch with Tila at the CDC-led PlayDay in People’s Park. The ‘fish in the Cherwell’ game was immensely popular and busy without break, from the start of the event to well after closing time!
The water quality testing volunteers (Banbury Water vols) are now set up for phase 2 of this project. In partnership with Thames 21, co-hosts of the Catchment Partnership, there will be a meeting later in the year to celebrate the achievements and discuss the findings of last year’s survey work.
Harriet is representing BCAG in the discussions with the Catchment Partnership and Banbury Town Council about a project for ‘gravel seeding’ in the Hanwell Brook at Hanwell Brook Wetland, to improve habitat here for fish spawning. Volunteers will be needed for most of the physical work of moving the gravel.
| 11. Agenda item XI Climate Action Jim, Lynda, Chris |
Lynda will meet with Lucy from Banbury and Bicester College to discuss their plans to hold a second ‘give & take’ event. BCAG will be happy to support this but will make it clear that it is to be a College event rather than a BCAG one. Whether or not BCAG will hold our autumn G&T event will depend on the outcome of these discussions.
BCAG will be present at the Climate Day organized by Dan at ‘Nothing but Footprints’, 09/08, with Jim taking the lead on this.
Lynda has booked the BCAG stand at the Canal Festival and has been attending the monthly planning meetings.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held online 02/09.