SRA Meeting - Wednesday 13th March 2013

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Present

Christophe, Bron, Pat, Claire, Rachel, Phil, Tora, Nick

Apologies

Annie, Maggie, Ken, Geraldine, Andy, Chris Cramer, David L

Minutes

The Feb Minutes were approved with a minor correction.

Butterfield Green update

Thanks to everyone who helped at last Sunday’s gardening day. We did some great composting and labeled trees in the Orchard.

Pat will update the work plan.

MUGA (Multi Use Games Area)

Hackney will hold a consultation about the MUGA (the playing courts on Shakspeare Walk, opposite SWAPA) on Sat 23^rd from 9-6pm.

We have long argued that this area should be resurfaced and better lit to allow safe and year-round use for all young people wanting to play sport in the area.

Please drop in at the Consultation and support the case for improvements.

We’d like to record our thanks to Maggie for pursuing this important issue.

Picnic in the Park

We will be holding a picnic in Butterfield Green on Sunday June 23rd from 1pm

Forms - Claire has asked the council about the necessary forms. No TEN is required because we have no licensed music or drink, and we'll have far less than 250 people, which is the threshold for officialdom. Claire is filling in a basic application and will learn whether more is required e.g. A risk assessment.

Duck race - Pat is exploring the issue. If LBH supplies water to the stream, it may still need boosting to get sufficient flow.

Music – Bron will make enquiries of local musicians. Please contact her with suggestions.

Games – can Andy MC a sack race and/ or similar group games?

Treasure hunt with leaf clues (Bron/ Tora)

Plane-making workshops

The first workshop has been postponed. Date TBA by Geoff.

Cycle Storage

Tobias Newland at the council has asked us to ask members if there is interest in on-street covered cycle racks produced by a firm called CycleHoop. The cost would be approx £30 per bike p.a. There are about 10 interested neighbours, and we hope to meet Tobias to discuss possible locations soon. Further info: Tobias Newland Tobias.Newland@hackney.gov.uk 0208 356 8475

Some people expressed concern about security – given that at least one neighbour in Milton Grove had their 'secure' bike shed broken into – but we support a trial.

Claire will post on Facebook and encourage feedback.

Planning

The government’s plan to devolve some planning decisions from borough level to neighbourhood level are causing concern. Recent press coverage in The Guardian and Hackney Citizen of two opposing fora in the Stamford Hill area suggests the move will be devisive. Hackney Planning Watch has set up an online petition calling on Hackney Council to keep the planning process independent of local factions.

We will e-mail our members about the issue and ask them to respond personally if they want. (Rachel)

If there's a big response we can discuss at a meeting.

June 12 AGM

The June AGM is an important meeting for us at which we report on the year’s activities, elect new officers, and update the group on our finances. 

A good speaker attracts plenty of neighbours. Please bring suggestions to the
April meeting so we can start the process of inviting some. (e.g. local film maker

Tony Grisoni, the new Foodbank set up last year at St Matthias Church, work at St Mungos, the police?)

Our meetings are open, but we will need to elect new officers and street reps, and encourage people to take on these roles.

Any members who would like to join the Exec, and/ or represent their street, please come to the AGM. If you’d like more info first, contact the secretary info@shakespeareresidents.org.uk

The existing treasurer and secretary are both resigning, but are happy to help their successors find their feet.

Finances

Nick, our treasurer, will report year-end accounts at April meeting and we aim to sign these off at May meeting.

There are no receipts outstanding.

Bron is keen to do a first aid course to join our pool of registered first aiders.

Christophe will forward info on courses to her.

The SRA has agreed to contribute towards the cost of the course.

Table tennis

We have been approached by Liv, a table tennis enthusiast, who wants to start a table tennis league in Hackney’s parks. Claire will post his flyer on our Facebook page and tell Andy, who plays.

Rachel will e-mail Liv and tell him we've done so.

AOB

Annie and Bron reported that the St Mungo's private view of Caribbean women's photos was great.

Dates for diaries

·      April 10^th – SRA meeting

·      April 14^th – Community Gardening

·      May 8^th – SRA meeting

·      May 12^th – Community Gardening

·      June 9^th – Community Gardening

·      June 12^th – SRA AGM

·      June 23^rd – Picnic in the Park

SRA Meeting - Feb 2013

Present

Annie, Christophe, Geoff, Ken, Bron, Pat, Diane, Claire, Rachel, Andy

Apologies

Maggie, Phil, Tora, Chris Cramer, Barbara Read

Minutes

The January Minutes were approved

Butterfield Green update

Gardening day on 10th. Didn't label trees because vv cold and wet.

MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) application. We are disappointed by the lack of progress. Maggie is pursuing this.

Picnic in the park

Following the success of Christmas drinks, we aim to do a bring-and-share picnic as this year’s SRA summer social event. This is mainly a social event rather than a fundraiser. Suggested date: Sunday June 23rd from 1pm

·      Instead of supplying food, we propose to put our energy into running games e.g. sack races, egg n spoon – with Andy to MC?

·      Ken & Pat may re-run the hugely successful Great Duck Race of 2007, 2008.

·      We could provide tea for cash.

·      Music would be nice – perhaps some wandering minstrels?

·      We will apply for a TEN.

Plane-making workshop

Geoff has offered to run a plane-making workshop to teach adults and accompanied children how to make planes from balsa wood. This would be a fun inter-generational event, with some educational content. Geoff suggests one or more two-hour workshops at Bron's. Perhaps running up to the picnic, or perhaps one before picnic, one after? Best not over to over-commit on picnic day. Geoff estimates the materials costs for 20 planes at about £1 a plane. Expect 6-8 people. Sunday 24th March - Pat will put blurb together. Rachel will circulate.

June 12 AGM

Suggestions for a speaker welcome.

Planning applications

·      There has been an application by the owners of 81 Stoke Newington Road to run a bar downstairs at the Pelican and Penguin on (Ref. 2013/0058)

·      Sainsbury’s at Wilmer Place: No progress to report.

Finances

Andy has submitted his invoices and Bron her receipts. Rachel will deliver to Nick.

AOB

·      We have been approached by a Lara Kennedy who is doing PhD research on community gardening. Bron responded. She's in touch.

·      Barbara Read was trying to trace dog owner after a cat was killed.

·      LBH has issued notices on the park about off-lead dogs.

·      Andy notes that the pump handle in Butterfield Green is not working. Bron said it is removed during winter. 

·      Bron noted that St Matthias Church has set up a Food Bank. Donations can be made at the Church or the Vicarage (both in Wordsworth Road) or at the Drop-In sessions (Thurs 12-2.30pm). Tel. 020 7254 5063

·      Bron also noted that a ‘river of flowers’ is planned to plant flowers across London. Contact: http://www.riverofflowers.org/

Dates for diaries

·      March 24^th – Geoff’s plane-making workshop No. 1

·      April 10^th – SRA meeting

·      April 14^th – Community Gardening

·      May 8^th – SRA meeting

·      May 12^th – Community Gardening

·      June 9^th – Community Gardening

·      June 12^th – SRA AGM

·      June 23^rd – Picnic in the Park

SRA Meeting - January 2013

1.          Present

Claire, Diane, Christophe, Bron, Maggie, Phil, Rachel, Nick, Tora, Flora

2.          Apologies

Annie, Pat, Ken, Geraldine, Chris

3.          Minutes of Nov meeting

Approved.

Hackney Winter Night Shelter thanked us for our £200 donation. The shelter – which has been very well attended this year – gets through £50+ a night in incidentals, so it has made a huge difference.

St Mungo's has also expressed gratitude for our £200 donation, which was spent on taking the residents out for a special dinner.

4.          Review of Christmas Bunting Party

December’s festive drinks and bunting-making was very successful. We welcomed 40 neighbours, made 55 bits of bunting, and chatted with Jude and Simon from St Mungo’s. Everyone enjoyed wonderful food and drink, and a very social evening. Our thanks to Bron for hosting it.

5.    BUG Report

The Gardening session this Sunday will be held at Bron’s, and will be carrying out tree labeling to encourage local engagement with the Orchard, to increase the trees’ visibility and encourage people to take care of them.

Jenny Watters is preparing to submit a new bid for funding to improve the MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area). She is enlisting help from Sport For Social Change. Maggie has agreed to help drafting the letter.

The promised planting on the Wordsworth Rd side still hasn’t taken place.

6.    New Planning Applications

·      67 Allen Road (Hackney Council Planning ref. 2012/3585) – some concerns about proposed metal mesh front.

·      Sainsbury’s, Wilmer Place: no news

7.    Finances (Nick)

Andy still hasn’t delivered his receipts for September’s film night to Nick, so our books are sadly out of date. (Claire)

8.    AOB

·      Climate Rush East – A new feminist direct action art group has been in touch. Flora is liaising.

·      SRA Picnic in the Park – proposed bring-and-share picnic with duck race? Date TBA. Please bring ideas to the next meeting.

·      This might be something to do a newsletter about (Tora)

·      Flora argued that we could make better use of Facebook to promote the SRA e.g. post some Trusty Tradespeople reviews on our page (Claire). All of us can become an Admin and post photos of our news and events (all)

9.    Dates for diaries

·      Jan 13th – Community gardening - Signage

·      Feb 10th – Community gardening

·      Feb 13^th – SRA meeting

·      Mar 13^th – SRA meeting

·      Apr 10^th – SRA meeting

·      May/ June – Picnic in the Park

SRA Christmas event 12th Dec 2012

A lovely party at which we ate, drank and made bunting!

Thanks to everyone who brought the delicious food, and thank you, Bron, for hosting.

SRA meeting - 14th Nov 2012

Agenda

1.          Welcome (Diane)

Diane (vice chair), Christophe, Bron, Annie, Maggie, Phil, Rachel, Nick, Andy

2.          Apologies

Claire (chair), Pat, Ken, Rajni, Ulla, Tora

3.          Minutes of Oct meeting

Approved.

4.          Review of Apple Day

A nice event, although turn-out was low, perhaps due to bad weather. Apple juice, tea and slices of cake were very popular, but the event didn’t make much money. There weren’t many cakes to sell. Not a problem as it was conceived as more of a social event than a fundraiser. We could use another gazebo as rain cover, especially for cakes and children’s games. We’ll need to find storage for it. Many thanks to the organizers and volunteers who worked so hard to make this a really lovely community event.

Action: Buy another gazebo for our next event (Phil)

5.    Financial Report (Nick)

Nick presented the annual accounts to y/e 2011 and 2012.

Income and outgoings are grouped under headings. 

Film nights tend to make about £400. The 2010 film night made a loss because our film licence runs from May to May, and we only did one event in that period, tipping us into the red on this category.

Andy promises to give invoices to Nick this week.

Further invoices will be paid by Nick.

We have £400 available for charitable donations. We agreed to give £200 each to Hackney Night Shelter (HNS) and St Mungo’s Church Walk.

Action: Contact HNS about donating £200 in cash or kind. (Phil)

Contact St Mungo’s about donating £200 in cash or kind. (Rachel)

6.    BUG Report.

The playground by the Mews was closed in early Sept. and notices went up saying works were about to start. Nothing happened, and some parents contacted BUG about the delay. Annie chased it, and work began swiftly. The lack of communications from the Council have been frustrating, but thanks to Jenny Watters and Michael Dixon for their help. 

The promised planting on the Wordsworth Rd side still hasn’t taken place.

A memorial bench is proposed from someone in Canada. Annie has chased. 

Unfortunately the Council grass mowers have taken out our raspberries. We agreed to invest in marking them so this can’t recur.

Our orchard trees could be tagged to increase their visibility and encourage people to take care of them.

Action: The January gardening day will do some work on signage.

7.    Planning Applications

·      58 Allen Road: An application has been submitted to turn this into a nursery for 12 kids. Work has begun, but consultation period seems to be still open.

·      68 Allen Road: Being redeveloped as flats.

·      70 Allen Road (Elford’s): Being redeveloped

·      Sainsbury’s, Wilmer Place: no news

8.    Christmas social event

Our December meeting will be a social at The RoOM, with food, drink and possibly music. There will be community bunting-making to decorate Butterfield Green at future SRA events.

Action: Mulled wine (Bron)

Food (Everyone)

E-mailing and website (Rachel)

Materials for bunting (Janet?)

9.    AOB

·      Dogs legislation. Cllr Sophie Linden says that the Council has mistakenly said that legislation has been passed requiring all dogs to be on leads when it hasn't been. They are still intending to pass some legislation. Consultation ended on 6 Nov. Comment expected.

·      Skateboarders. We note a recent upsurge in skateboarding at the Allen Road/ Milton Grove junction.

10. Dates for diaries

·      Dec. 9th – Community gardening – Pruning

·      Dec 12^th – SRA Christmas social

·      Jan 9^th – SRA meeting

·      Jan 13th – Community gardening - Signage

·      Feb 10th – Community gardening

·      Feb 13^th – SRA meeting