AGM 2015

Our Annual General Meeting was held on 27 October at the Meanwood Institute.

Our Annual General Meeting was held on 27 October at the Meanwood Institute.  For the full story, read the minutes.  Here is a summary.

Reports

The Chair reported that 2015 was an active year, with six Committee meetings, two Plant Bring and Buy Sales, and our annual Autumn show.

We were very saddened by the death of Joe Maiden, who has been a great friend of our Association for over thirty years, judging our plots and show exhibits and giving lots of very helpful advice and encouragement in the process.

Once again the maintenance of the site was done by volunteers:  grass cutting, bramble control, communal bonfires, etc.  Big thanks to everyone who helped out!

We benefited from two generous grants for projects:

  • With help from the £350 from last year’s grant from St Chad’s Community fund we had a series of work parties to establish our hazel and ash coppice at the top of plot 46.
  • We won £500 from Skipton Building Society’s Grassroots Giving initiative.  We used this for construction of a communal shelter, just next to our green hut. This gives us a place to meet and relax out of the weather – really useful this year.  Jon O’Neill, dry-stone waller from Horsforth, did the skilled construction work.

Security was a minor problem this year. There were a couple of break-ins, but nothing much was taken. We had problems with one of our new combination locks, but it was replaced free of charge by Glendor DIY.

The Trustees held three scheduled inspections with follow-ups. They looked for health and safety problems and plots that were not being properly cultivated. There were two evictions, and several people gave up plots voluntarily.

The Treasurer presented the audited accounts for 2014-2015 which showed our finances to be healthy.  Deliveries of manure have worked well, with the £1/load contributions from members enabling us to get more than usual.

Election of Officers

Officers were elected as follows:

    • Chair: J Foster
    • Secretary:  A Willshaw
    • Treasurer:  N Clark
    • Committee:  L Allen, G North, J Ward, D Hood, C Evans, R Hall, Mary Davies, Jenny Tennant-Jackson.

Rosie Hall agreed to continue managing lettings.  Pat Shore and John Oughton resigned after many years of service.  Many thanks to both of them.

Prizegiving

The Chair presented prizes as follows:

  • Best Plot
    • 1st Prize: Joe Foster, plot 3o and 31B
    • 2nd Prize:  Malcolm Slade, plot 8R
    • 3rd Prize:  Peter Blakey, plot 13
  • Best Newcomer’s Plot: Jane Harnett, plot 15BL and Jenny Tennant-Jackson, plot 15BR
  • Overall Winner of Autumn Show:  Rosie Hall
  • Best exhibit in Autumn Show:  Rosie Hall

Joe Maiden judged the plots in July in spite of his illness. Thanks to Gordon Kirby for judging the show.  Thanks also to Pat Shore and Claire Evans for collecting prizes from generous business sponsors.

Thanks also to our generous sponsors, who provided the prizes:

For details of our discussion, please read the minutes of the meeting.