Monday 27th February 2012
Romford Town Hall, Main Road, Romford
See end of minutes for attendee list
Meeting opened at 7:30pm / closed: 9:10pm
Welcome / Introduction / Apologies for Absence
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Change minutes location. All agreed minutes with this change made.
Annual Report 2011
JH presented the Annual Report. There is a short and long version. The short version was passed around the table and JH talked about on reflection how successful this last 12 months have been and how very proud we are of our achievements. The longer version gives full details of the groups activities throughout the year.
Presentation of Annual Accounts 2011
LO presented the accounts. In brief; our cash in hand £ 12,672.39, made up:- Bank Balance brought forward from 2010 = £4303.62, plus totalreceipts of £15,890.04. Less total payments amounted to £7,521.27. The Friends Group have had an excellent fund raising year as the bankbalance clearly reflects. It was also noted that a large chunk of monies will be spent in the next financial year to pay for the picnic area.
Official Friends Status
JH explained that we are presently preparing our application for 2012/13. JH briefly informed the meeting of the reason why we apply for Official Friends status and just what it entails. We touched on many aspects of this but particularly note that TP had distributed 1200 Winter Newsletters this January/February, much of the printing has been done by TP and JH with a contribution from LBH. JH thanked TP and his team of volunteers for spreading our word. JH and GP and NO agreed in respect of item 2 of the assessment criteria, the Friends would provide a delivery plan of our proposed picnic area. It was noted that we cannot provide milestones as our works are affected by pathway works in the woods, however we do know that we will be commissioning carvers to start our carvings in the next few months. We also discussed Item 11. It was agreed that Lens work with the Cubs/Beavers/Scouts Groups adequately represents this criteria, we also noted that we would provide details of these works with children in our detailed annual report which we will provide in addition to other assessmentcriteria.
Election of Committee Members
JH set out to the attendees how the Committee is made up, providing titles and job descriptions. We then gave the attendees a recess to allow them then pass vote to elect the Committee for 2012/13. It was agreed by all present that the Committee remains in tact. A list ofCommittee members appears at the foot of these minutes. It was also note that TP's title will be changed to incorporate his website works.
Lake & Park Regeneration
Park - NO and GP agreed that not much has happened to update the group. DS has been on holiday and upon his return will bereading through the PQQ's. Once these have been filtered through, Main Contractors will be invited to tender for the works. GP agreed works will not start until earliest September 2012. NO, GP and JH agreed that we all need to attend a site visit to ascertain which trees will be felled and where new ones are to be planted. JH to email Landscape Architects for meeting date, preferably 7thMarch.
Lake DD outlined the planned planting of border reeds to the lake and how this will improve the lakes biodiversity. DD confirmed the lake has a cormorant infestation and these works will start to ease the preditation of small fish and invertebrates. DD has secured funding from the Environment Agency for 2011, 2012 and 2013. This provides £30,000 to FORP along with the agreementof LBH and Project Boards to progress these works. DD confirmed that Ash Girdler of AGA can attend a meeting at 9am on the 7th March. JH to contact Project Board to confirm date/time.
Any Other Business
Peter Farrell and Andy Storey are new attendee’s to our meetings and have very kindly offered to volunteer any skills they may haveto help our reach our aims and objectives. For which we thanked them, Len and Trevor arranged to meet them at our March litterpick to get started. Peter is particularly interested in the lake area and Andy Lodge Farm Park.
JH to confirmed our informal meeting will take place on 5th March as usual. JH to email committee members reminder.
NO and GP advised meeting of the Mayors receipt of a tree from HRH to plant in a prominent park in Havering. The Mayor has asked if the Black Poplar could be planted in Raphael Parks pleasure ground close to the lake as it needs a damp and moist environment. The only reservations the Project Board may have is that this tree can grow to 100’ tall. This will be discussed at ournext Project Board meeting and JH will inform FORP of outcome.
Robert McWilliams (RPRFC) confirmed that the club had met with Martin Stanton last month and they took a look inside another parks pavilion to see layout to get an idea what can be done in our pavilion. Robert and John are waiting to hear back from Martin.John will contact JH to update FORP of outcome and application for funding from Veolia Havering Riverside Trust.
Date of Next meeting
Monday 21st May 2012 - confirmed
Town Hall, Main Road, Romford
Attendee & Absence List
Julia Herold (JH) FORP Chairman
Len Oatham (LO) FORP Treasurer
Nigel Oxley (NO) LBH Historic Building & Landscape Officer
Robert McWilliams (RM) Raphael Park Rovers Football Club – Chairman
Trevor Preedy (TP) FORP Volunteer & Website Coordinator
Theresa Miller (TM) Volunteer
Tom Hollinrake (TH) member of the public
Betty Hollinrake (BH) member of the public
David Drury (DD) FORP Lake Regeneration Manger
Andy Storey (AS) member of the public
Geoff Pepper (GP) LBH Parks Services
Peter Farrell (PF) member of the public
Apologies
Richard Hollis Webmaster
Don Hodgekiss FORP Editor & Press Officer
Don Stewart LBH Project Manager
Sue Mackenzie FORP Secretary
Martin Stanton LBH Head of Parks
List of Committee Members – No particular Order
Julia Herold Chairman
Len Oatham Treasurer
Trevor Preedy Volunteer & Website Coordinator
David Drury Lake Regeneration Manger
Richard Hollis Webmaster
Don Hodgekiss Editor & Press Officer
Sue Mackenzie Secretary
Tuesday 13 March 2012
Monday 5 March 2012
Year Ending 31st December 2011
ANNUAL REPORT – A word from the Chairman
For the Friends of Raphael & Lodge Farm Park, this year has been amazingly successful. We have raised a huge amount of money hosting events and fundraising through large corporation, it is without doubt that our incredible team of volunteers had pulled out all-stops.
Three years of planning, discussing and striving came to a head in July this year when we together with the London Borough of Havering, were given the fantastic news that the Raphael Park, Stage II, Heritage Lottery Fund £1,787.700.00 application had been successful and that Veolia Havering Riverside Trust had pledged a further £200,000.00. Thanks to Havering, for putting this bid together and for believing in our Park and Friends Group. Together we will make a difference.
So to summarise over the next three years our park is to receive a *£2,693,365.00 restoration and a ten year maintenance plan. The £6,607.00 we have raised from our quiz nights and summer concert will compliment these restoration works with a picnic area in the woodland. We are extremely proud of our great team of volunteers, who are dedicated to our aims and objectives, to ensure that Raphael & Lodge Farm parks, are a fun and safe place for all to enjoy and, to protect and preserve for future generations.
We would like to thank our great team for all your effort and dedication. Thank our sponsor A.C.Preou Limited for their unwavering support. Thank The Heritage Lottery Fund, Veolia Riverside Trust and London Borough of Havering for helping us realise our ‘2004 Wish List’. Finally we would like to thank all the park users and those that have attended our fund raising events who have helped make this all possible.
For a full detailed list of our activities through out this year please see the attached Activity and Achievement Annual Report.
Yours truly,
Julia Herold
Chairman
*It should be noted that these large sums of money are not banked with the Friends group, they are held in named accounts by the London Borough of Havering
Annual Report 2011
Activates & Achievements
Litter Picks
Mid-week litter pick: takes place at 10am, 1st Tuesday of each month, Len Oatham meets volunteers at the Café.
Weekend litter pick; takes place at 10am, 3rd Sunday of each month, Trevor Preedy meets at Raphael Park playground.
We are in our fourth year of litter picking in both Raphael and Lodge Farm Parks, with a regular attendance of 9 people on a Tuesday. Trevor’s started our weekend litter picks in July this year, it takes place 10am on the 3rd Sunday each month, the team is building nicely with 3 to 4 regular helpers.
Linking up with the Younger Generation & Other Volunteer Groups:
On the 1st June, Len assisted HAVCO with the Pact Youth Group in Raphael Park’. Len helped the children litter pick and having recently completed his guided walk training Len was able to entertain the youngsters a short history of Raphael Park.
Len also arranged litter-picks with a group of autistic children supported by HAVCO volunteers.
Len also arranged a litter-pick with the Beaver colony from 3rd Squirrels Heath. Len said it was very gratifying to have the children help and see them having fun too.
We were also very grateful to the children of the Cubs and Scouts from the 3rd Gidea Park Group, who with the help of their Leaders and Len tidied our flowerbeds and took part in numerous litter picks throughout the year.
The Friends & Havering
Park Olympic Sports Day
Sport Havering held a pre-Olympic Sports Day in Raphael Park in May this year, to help out we provided shelter and refreshments for the competitors. We also took the opportunity to enlist a few new volunteers too.
Havering Green Spaces
Havering Green Spaces forum is now holding regular meetings; we are being represented at these by Len.
Havering Guided Walks Project
We were approached by the Regeneration and Strategic Planning Dept. who with the aid of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund was developing guided walks in Gidea Park, Hornchurch and Harold Hill. Len took up the challenge on behalf of FORP to research Gidea Park’s rich heritage. When the guided walk routes were officially launched Len donned a costume to walk one of the three new routes. We hope to have our quarterly guided walks up and running late 2012.
Mayor of London – Community Reception
Julia attended the Mayor’s community reception on May 10th. It was a great opportunity to meet and network with like-minded people.
Fund Raising & Raising Awareness
Quiz Nights
This year we held two quiz nights at St. Michael’s Church Hall. Included in the ticket price was a Fish and Chip Supper. Both events were fully supported with over 140 people at each, in total raising a whopping £2000.
Music in the Park
Our summer fundraiser this year, “Music In The Park 2011” was a huge success. We were inundated with many compliments to our team of volunteers for hosting such a well-organized and extremely enjoyable day. We are very proud of our fantastic team achievements and thank them for their time and dedication. We raised £2400.00. Which will enable us to continue to support our aims and objectives; to ensure that Raphael & Lodge Farm parks are a fun and safe place for all, and of course to enable us to host events such as this.
Heritage Lottery Funding and Veolia Havering Riverside Trust
It is with great pride that the Friends of Raphael & Lodge Farm Parks were able to announce together with the London Borough of Havering that the Raphael’s Park HLF Stage II Application for the £1,787,700.00 grant was successful. Together with further funding from Veolia Havering Riverside Trust and the London Borough of Havering, bringing the total refurbishment budget to £2,663,365.00. We are very proud to be part of the project team and are delighted that our park will most definitely be preserved for future generations.
Environment Agency
Further to many meetings with the Environment Agency, we were awarded with a £10,000 grant to start work on regenerating the park lake. A further £10,000 has been promised for year 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. This grant is all down to our David Drury’s determination to get our lake back in tip-top condition. Works will start mid to late 2012.
Official Friends Group Project
Our chosen project, the Raphael Park Picnic Area came second in the this years £5000 funding competition. Whilst we missed out on the funding to Harold Wood Park Friends group were still consider taking our project forward with our own monies, although we did not nearly have enough money to complete it as we wished. However late this year the winning Friends Group returned the funding to Havering who then passed the monies onto us. We were absolutely delighted and can confirm that Nick Butterworth has given us permission to have a carving of Percy the Park Keeper and some of his woodland friends. Nick has also very kindly agreed to provide us with drawings to enable our first class carvers to bring Percy back to the Park. Our carvers are based at Knebworth House and will provide an on-site carving day for park users to watch them at work, later in next year they will be displaying some of our commissioned works before they are delivered to us. The final fix will take place once the pathway refurbishment works get underway.
Park Maintenance
Friends Sponsored Flowerbed
We are now in our second year of stocking and maintaining our sponsored flowerbed in Raphael Park. Len and Don together with the scouts ensured that our beds were in tip-top condition.
Friends Sponsored Water Lilies
Len and Don along with Gary from Parks Maintenance Team, took to the water and planted ten water lilies at the northern end of the lake. We hope to see a colourful display of lilies next summer, we just hope the young plants haven’t been eaten by the lakes inhabitants.
Bulb Planting
Again Len and Don donned their gardening gear and stuck into planting over a thousand daffodil bulbs in the woods and various flower beds.
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