AGM Minutes 2024 – Friends of Hillside Gardens & Palace Road Nature Gardens

The meeting took place on 18 November 2024, at The Woodlawns Centre.

1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES (see below for a list of names) The Chairs welcomed attendees and introductions were made.

2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed to be a true and accurate record.

3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The following elections were held with all votes being unanimous.

Position	Name	Proposed	Seconded
Co-chair	Evan Lerwill	Tom Stanbury	Rosena Skeete
Co-chair	Steph Charalambous	Tom Stanbury	Rosena Skeete
Secretary	Evan Lerwill	Will Palau	Andreas Kappes
Treasurer	Will Palau	Rosena Skeete	Steph Charalambous
Minutes Secretary	Nigel Duckers	Steph Charalambous	Evan Lerwill
Communications	Andreas Kappes	Nigel Duckers	Tony Emerson

Additionally: Melodie Everett was elected to be a Trustee of the Friends (proposed by Evan Lerwill, seconded by Andreas Kappes). Tony Emerson proposed a vote of thanks to all the outgoing committee members for their work during the previous year, which was agreed by acclamation.

CO-CHAIR REPORT

TREASURER’S REPORT While the accounts are in a healthy state it was pointed out that our expenditure exceeded our income during the year. Also there has been no ad-hoc gifts. It was agreed that moving forward we would make appropriate efforts to fundraise at events (while making them free to allcomers); cost more complex projects; and seek grant aid for projects such as the renovation of the depot. It was agreed that specialist accounts (eg tennis, football, June Hyde) should be subsumed into the general account but that specialist headings for income and expenditure be retained so as to see where monies were being used.

SATURDAY GARDENING REPORT It was agreed that we will purchase some high-viz vests for the group to use; this would give recognition to the role, add to safety and we hope for sponsored branding. The pond has been included in the Blue Chain list of parks and spaces making us eligible for talks, training, education via Froglife.

ALLOTMENT REPORT

DEPOT No concrete progress has been made on plans or a grant application and it was agreed that this be an aim for 2025. Findings from the survey undertaken as to what park users would like in the depot will be put on the website. Links will me made with a local architect contact of Dino (Kuros Sarshar of John Robertson Architects). It was agreed that the opening of the hatch would be a priority because it will enable the existing kitchen to be used as a servery.

PALACE ROAD NATURE GARDENS (See Saturday Gardening Report) Nick Peacock reported that he has been looking in to grand funding to submit an application for the renovation of the PRNG pond (the liner is leaking) to the value of around £4-5k. He will be submitting applications in the next few weeks. Two downpipes from an adjacent property (St Mungo’s) will be diverted into water butts.

AIMS AND GOALS FOR THE COMING YEAR Moving forward with plans for the depot Appropriately celebrating what is believed to be the centenary of the park A second shed in the allotment area Hillside and PRNG ponds Obtaining a licence to sell food and drink at park events

TENNIS REPORT

DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS 27th Jan 25 24th March 25 Sports Day – May TBA 23rd June 25 29th Sept 25 17th Nov 25 AGM

Present

Nigel Duckers – Minutes Secretary

Evan Lerwill – Co-chair

Stephanie Charalambous – Co-Chair

Dino Skeete

Rosena Skeete

Aya Skeete

Andreas Kappes

Tom Stanbury

Nick Peacock

Tony Emerson

William Palau (Treasurer)

Andreas Kappes (Comms)

Paula Serrau

Melodie Everett

Apologies

Martin Gough

Christina Mukasa

Amy Roe