Tuesday 27 April 2010

Spring Plant Sale

It's that time of year again...

For every Saturday and Sunday in May, the Walworth Garden Farm will be running its annual plant sale where a variety of bedding plants, herbs and small shrubs (all grown by trainees at the Farm itself) will be available to buy at great prices

The Farm (located on the corner of Braganza Street and Manor Place) will be open starting this week on the 1st, with staff on hand to chat about the work of the Farm in general as well as to offer gardening tips and advice.

Let's hope the weather stays nice for it!

Monday 12 April 2010

Minutes - April 2010

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
6 April 2010

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Marcus (Vice-Chair), Cath (Treasurer), Jo (Secretary), Megan (co-Secretary)
Apologies: Jenny, John, Sue

1. Chair opened meeting, noted apologies

2. Chair’s Report:

  • Confirmed that he has been in contact with Cleaner, Greener, Safer (CGS), and has confirmed that we want to include lighting. The £15k will be spent on trees, the surrounds, installing lights and cleaning the area (there will be no planters). CGS have responded positively, and we are awaiting an update on timing of the work
  • No update on notice boards; waiting for both Southwark council and Cumming museum to respond with information. Tony to chase
  • Discussion around The Bill being cancelled, and possibility of getting onto a ‘location database’
  • Tony and Megan completed Co-Op bank account form in order to register as signatories. Cath to organise for John to sign, and to take completed form to Co-Op

3. Treasurer’s Report:

  • Nothing to report

4. Any other business:

  • Jo bought Training Skills programme that is offered by Southwark council. Tony to post on website
  • Invoice received for insurance; Cath has filed for the records
  • Art Project. Cath confirmed that Sue will be running the project, and that Sue and Cath have met with the Art Coordinator at the school and have arranged workshops with the children. These will start after Easter, and are anticipated to be completed at end May. The current boards may need to be taken down in the future, Cath will confirm
  • Agreed that we will use the summer picnic to launch the art project, and also the roundel
  • Tony to look into getting ‘Southwark Life’ involved at the picnic; picnic has been confirmed to be held 1st week July
  • Tony to review September meeting date, and confirm when it will take place
  • Marcus confirmed that there has been no response from council regarding the bins

5. Next meeting – the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 4 May, 7.30 pm in St Paul’s, Lorrimore Square. This meeting will be leafleted (Megan to organise) and refreshments will be provided

6. Thanks from the Chair and close

Wednesday 7 April 2010

TRA Training

Southwark Council kindly provide training each year for TRA members, to help with the smooth running of the organisation. Training is currently being offered for:


All sessions will be held at the Nunhead and Peckham Rye Area Office, Talfourd Road, Peckham, SE15 5NY.

If you think you might be interested in attending any of these sessions, please contact the Chair via this link.

Thursday 1 April 2010

Minutes - March 2010

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
2 March 2010

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Marcus (Vice-Chair), Cath (Treasurer), Jo (Secretary), Megan (co-Secretary), Jenny, John
Apologies: Melissa, Jeanette, Simon

1. Chair opened meeting, noted apologies and thanked Marcus for chairing the last meeting

2. Chair’s Report:
  • Tony has updated the Surrey Gardens TRA website with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) pre-application information as agreed at the February meeting. Next step in the process is to finalise the project plan on Monday 8th March to complete the application requirements

3. Treasurer’s Report:

  • Nothing to report

4. Any other business:

  • Marcus contacted the Community Payback scheme to request support in ground clearing at the back of St Paul’s churchyard. Next step is to agree a date with Community Payback and Grahame
  • Marcus contacted the council to request:
  • A bin for the corner of St Paul’s churchyard and;
  • A bin for the end of Lorrimore Rd, next to recycling bins where a significant amount of rubbish is dumped
  • Still awaiting a response from the council
  • The Cleaner, Greener, Safer (CGS) programme have been in touch with Tony and provided the following information:
  • A plan to plant new trees and re-pave the existing area of the cut through around the trees
  • That new lighting cannot be incorporated within the existing budget and plans as they stand
  • That planters can be incorporated
  • Tony agreed to request more information from CGS on how the £15,000 CGS funding will be allocated, and to try and incorporate lighting into the plan – which was felt by the TRA to be an essential part of the original application
  • The mosaic refurbishment in Lorrimore Gardens, Lorrimore Square has been completed. Tony posted pictures of the roundel onto the TRA website. John confirmed that the contractor had been paid upon completion. Jenny has planted some new plants into the borders in Lorrimore Gardens. A big thank you from the TRA to Jenny and John for planning and managing the project, and for the additional planting
  • Artwork for the electric substation:
  • Sue has submitted a proposal for the art project on the electricity substation in Lorrimore Square, with a cost of £1,000
  • The cost depends upon assistance from volunteers to take down and replace the pictures once complete
  • The TRA voted to approve the proposal
  • Tony to e-mail Sue to give the go-ahead
  • Cath to liaise with the school and Sue to plan next steps
  • Cath noted that the TRA need to add an additional cheque signatory for the TRA bank account. Cath will leave the form with Tony to complete, to become the additional signatory
  • Tony noted that scaffolding had been erected without notice outside 16 and 17 Lorrimroe Square. The contractors also had no ID and no proof of their instruction from the council. Jeanette and Tony both pursued this with the council and with Councillor Caroline Pidgeon, who has tried to chase this internally
  • John offered to raise this at the next West Walworth Housing Forum meeting
  • John noted that there is a police meeting in Pasley TRA Hall at the end of March
  • Cath noted that there may not be consistency in council tax banding in the area, and that TRA members can take the opportunity to compare bandings and assess if there is an opportunity to challenge

5. Next meeting – the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 6 April, 7.30 pm in St Paul’s, Lorrimore Square. This meeting will not be leafleted, but will be advertised on the TRA website and via e-mail

6. Thanks from the Chair and close