AGM Cancelled

The AGM due to be held on the 29th November has been cancelled, and will be rescheduled. The TRA would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused, but the meeting has been cancelled at the request of Southwark Council.

A new AGM will be scheduled for next year (2012). The TRA will be in touch at some point with a new date.

Minutes - October 2011

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
18 October 2011

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Marcus (Vice-Chair), Megan (Secretary), Cath (Treasurer), Andrew, John, Melissa, Brian

Apologies: Jenny

1. Chair opened meeting

2. Chair’s Report:

a. Tony reported that he has contacted Tim Norris to commission the remedial work on the animal statues in Lorrimore Gardens as agreed at the last TRA meeting. There has been no response to date

b. As agreed at the last meeting, Tony followed up with the Housing Office (Suzanne Matthews) to report that the lay-by area on Lorrimore Rd is, once again, being used as a dumping ground. The housing office has stated that an environmental enforcement team will clean the area and continue to monitor

c. The Housing Office informed Tony that Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) are currently being completed in the area. The prime focus will be communal areas used for storage. Residents and tenants have received letters informing them of the assessments and have been requested to remove items stored in communal areas by 31 October – this will be followed up in November by the Housing Office

d. Tony put Cath in contact with the Housing Office to reclaim the insurance for the park

e. Tony reported that his Stage II complaint to the Council is still outstanding. Tony to chase

f. Tony reported that the feedback on the Heritage signing has been consolidated and will be provided to the project team. Tony reported that as part of the consultation for the masterplan for Pasley Park, there is discussion over a possible name change for the park back to Surrey Gardens. Tony will work with the project team to consider how the Heritage signing might be able to work around this

3. Treasurer’s Report:

a. Cath reported that the accounts for the year are complete and are just awaiting independent audit

b. Cath reported that we are currently owed £1,900 in insurance money from the Council. Cath has emailed the Housing Office to chase and will follow-up

4. Any other business:

a. John noted that the new housing on Lorrimore Road is ready for the bricks to be put up and that no consultation on these bricks has taken place as had been agreed. Tony will follow-up with the planning officers again

b. Andrew reported that a new organisation currently called the Walworth Society will be meeting on the 22nd of November (location tbc). The purpose of the group is to preserve local history, promote the community, provide input to planning, etc

c. Tony reminded the meeting that the AGM is approaching fast. Tony will be standing down as Chair this year. New committee members will be required if the TRA is to continue

d. Cath noted that there is now no pay parking on Lorrimore Road and the parking shop is closed so it is very difficult to access parking visitor permits (as you must be at home when they are delivered). Tony will raise the issues with the council and see if there is any way of booking a specific time for delivery of visitor permits

e. John noted that the hinge is coming off one of the gates to Lorrimore Gardens. Tony is already looking at getting a potential supplier to strip and repaint the gates so will include this in his work request

f. Brian noted that the gardeners accidentally knocked 3 bricks out of the wall of Lorrimore Gardens. Some local children have since knocked more of the bricks out. Tony will raise with Susanne Matthews at the Housing Office and see if it can be fixed

5. Next meeting – the AGM will be held on Tuesday 29th November 2011, 7.30 pm in St Paul's Church, Lorrimore Square

a. This is, by far, the most important meeting in the TRA calendar. Tony requested that everyone do their very best to attend, as unless 15 adults who live in the area come along on the night a new committee cannot be voted in and our funding will be at risk Drinks and snacks will be provided on the night, so it should be a fun evening too

b. The AGM will be leafleted as well as advertised on the website and via e-mail. Tony will arrange for a Housing Officer to attend

6. Thanks from the Chair and close

AGM!

Another year has flown by, and our Annual General Meeting swiftly approaches once again.

The AGM will be held on Tuesday 29th November 2011, 7.30 pm in St Paul's Church, Lorrimore Square.

This is, by far, the most important meeting in the TRA calendar! Please do your very best to attend, as unless 15 adults who live in the area come along on the night we cannot vote in a new committee and our funding will be at risk. It's not all about the meeting though - we'll be providing drinks and snacks on the night, so it should be a fun evening too. Hope to see you there!

Pasley Park Consultation

A consultation is about to kick off on planned changes to Pasley Park. Southwark Council have organised a fun day to kick off the process - with face painting, refreshments, a bouncy castle - and even a raffle to take a balloon ride from the park!

The event will take place in Pasley Park itself, on Saturday 15th October - from 11.30 until 4.00.

Heritage signage

The second set of designs for the heritage signage in Pasley Park are now complete. You can find the designs at www.historyofpasleypark.blogspot.com. The consultation on these new designs is now open (for the next couple of weeks), and your feedback would be very welcome!

This will be the last set of designs open to consultation - so please take this opportunity to pass along your input.

You can post your comments directly onto the website, or send them to the usual TRA address: surreygardenstra@gmail.com.

Minutes - September 2011

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
5 October 2010

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Cath (Treasurer), John, Melissa, Brian

Apologies: Marcus (Vice-Chair), Megan (Secretary), Sue, Natalie

1. Chair opened meeting

2. Chair’s report

a. Tony thanked those who attended the picnic for coming, in particular Cath (for organising the bouncy castle), Megan (for shopping and cooking), Natalie, Andrew, Sue and Tom (for cooking). Tony reported that, despite the weather, a fun time was had – with more parents accompanying their children than in previous years

b. Tony reported that his Stage II complaint to the Council is still outstanding. Tony to chase

c. Tony reminded the meeting that a charity had expressed an interest in moving into the unused garages below the new flats on Lorrimore Sq. Unfortunately, the latest news was that this would not now be happening

d. Tony reported back to the meeting that the first draft of the heritage signage had been fed back on, and redesigned. The new designs were shared with the meeting, with the following key points emerging:
i. Better to remove the map from the timeline
ii. Need to ensure we use ‘plain English’
iii. The lectern versions were well received – could both signs be produced in this style?
iv. Spell out “Surrey Gardens Tenants and Residents Association” in full
v. Remove all telephone numbers and web addresses, as these details age quickly (making the boards seem less relevant)
vi. Tony reminded the meeting that this was the final opportunity for the general public to input into the designs, and detailed next steps as follows: share the new designs via the website and wait for feedback. Share designs with Heritage Lottery Fund for sign off. Feed back any further changes to Browse Bion for a final, third version, to be produced. These will be signed off by the Project Team

3. Treasurer’s report

a. Cath reported approximately £6,500 in the TRA account – of which £4,500 is Heritage Lottery Fund money

b. Cath reported that we are currently owed approximately £2,000 in insurance money from the Council. Tony to forward a Housing contact to Cath to contact regarding the outstanding money owed

4. AOB

a. Tony suggested that the TRA pay Tim Norris to conduct remedial works on the animal statues in Lorrimore Gardens. Approximate cost £500. The meeting agreed. Tony to commission Tim Norris

b. Tony also noted that the gates to Lorrimore Gardens are in need of stripping and re-painting. Tony to look for a potential supplier to conduct the work and report back with a cost to the TRA

c. Tony reminded the meeting that the AGM is approaching fast. Tony will be standing down as Chair this year. New committee members will be required if the TRA is to continue

d. John reported that the ‘lay-by’ area on Lorrimore Rd is, once again, being used as a dumping ground. Tony to follow up with Housing

e. Brian reported that a Council official had been to Lorrimore Sq to inspect communal stairwells for fire safety. Tony to follow up with Housing on the outcome

5. Next meeting

a. October – actual date to be agreed. This meeting will not be leafleted, but will be advertised on the website and via e-mail

6. Thanks for the Chair and close

Heritage signage - feedback

Following the release of the initial designs for the heritage signage in Pasley Park, feedback has been collated and posted onto the History of Pasley Park website here.

Stay tuned for the next set of designs! In the meantime, should you have any further feedback on the project, please contact the team at pasleyparkhistory@gmail.com.

Annual Picnic in the Park

Many thanks to those of you who came to the Annual Picnic in the Park on Tuesday. Despite the weather, the picnic went ahead in the church hall - whilst the bouncy castle was up most of the night for the children. Enjoy the rest of the summer, and stay tuned for our next meeting!

Heritage signage

The first designs of the heritage signage for Pasley Park are now complete. You can find the designs here. The consultation on these initial designs is now open (for the next couple of weeks), and your feedback would be very welcome! Please do let the project team know what you think about any aspect of the proposals - the good and the bad. You can post your comments directly onto the website, or send them to the usual TRA address: surreygardenstra@gmail.com.

More designs to come over the next few months - stay tuned!

Minutes - June 2011

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
7 June 2011

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Marcus (Vice-Chair), Cath (Treasurer), Sue, Natalie, Andrew

Apologies: Megan (Secretary), Jenny, John, Melissa, Grahame, Alison

1. Chair opened meeting

2. Chair’s Report:

• Tony confirmed that the walkabout with the tree section of the Council had yet to take place. Sue volunteered to follow up with the tree section


• Tony has received a letter apologising for the delay in addressing the Stage 2 complaint regarding the Tenant Fund application. This is now due to be addressed by 1 July


• Tony confirmed that Browse Bion (http://www.browsebion.com/home/index.html) has been appointed as the provider for the heritage signage project. A Project Team meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 9 June, which Tony will report back on. It is hoped that first drafts of signage will be ready in time for the annual Picnic in the Park in July


• Tony has received contact from the Council with a proposition to convert some of the garages below Lorrimore Square into an office/sales space for a local furniture aid charity (Furniture Aid South Thames: http://www.furniture-aid.co.uk/). The charity currently has a warehouse in Oval, but now needs to relocate. The Council reports that the garages in question are not currently in demand. They also point out the benefits of having a space occupied and used versus not (i.e. potential otherwise for vandalism, fire etc). The meeting was in agreement that this was a sensible proposal, and in keeping with the ethos of the area – noting that it could also be of use to local Tenants and Residents. Marcus raised the possibility of well-meaning people dumping items outside the property as donations, which could swiftly become unsightly. Tony promised to raise this with the Council, and to e-mail out to the wider TRA group for further thoughts and issues


• Tony confirmed that Tim Norris (the sculptor responsible for the carved animals in Lorrimore Gardens) had been in touch to suggest that the sculptures require some remedial work. Tim suggested this would require approximately two days of his time (c.£500). Tony suggested the TRA should defer a decision on this work until such a time as the Tenants Fund has been paid from the Council. All agreed

3. Treasurer’s Report:

• Cath reported that the insurance money has now been paid, leaving £1,325 in the TRA account (not including the £4,000 HLF money). Cath will pursue claiming the insurance money back from the Council


• Cath confirmed that the Tenants Fund had not shown on the TRA accounts by the time of the meeting, but that this was now due


• Cath confirmed that, due to a missing invoice, the insurance claim for the damaged roundabout from last year had still not been resolved. The insurance company has confirmed willingness to pay upon receipt of an invoice, meaning a further £772.45 (less £100 excess) is also due back to the TRA

4. Any other business:

• Sue requested that the TRA hire a heavy duty drill in order to fix the art in the park that was recently damaged. Tony to liaise with Sue to hire on an appropriate day and Sue to purchase fixings, claiming back from the TRA


• It was noted that the demolition of 113 Lorrimore Square has begun. Tony confirmed that he has already contacted the Council around the further promised consultation regarding materials to be used, but has had no reply. Tony to try again


• Marcus to contact the Council regarding the graffiti that has appeared on the doors of the electricity sub-station in Lorrimore Square


• Andrew reported back from the Housing Area Forum. Several TRAs suggested that the Tenants Fund would not be paid for a year. Tony to check with Council Officers


• TRA Annual Picnic In the Park – it was suggested that the Annual Picnic in the Park be delayed by a few weeks, so as to allow sufficient time to plan. All agreed. Budget for food, wine and provisions set at £100. Natalie, Sue, Cath, Andrew and Tony to share food preparation and purchase. Tony to e-mail out tasks to all and to confirm availability of picnic tables with Fr Grahame. Cath to organise a bouncy castle

5. Next meeting: – the next meeting will be the Annual Picnic in the Park, to be held on Tuesday 19th July, from 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm in Lorrimore Gardens, Lorrimore Square. This meeting will be leafleted and advertised via the website and e-mail

6. Thanks from the Chair and close

Minutes - May 2011

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
3 May 2011

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Megan (Secretary), Cath (Treasurer), Jenny, John, Brian, Natalie

Apologies: Jenny, John, Melissa, Andrew, Marcus (Vice-Chair), Adrienne

1. Chair opened meeting

2. Chair’s Report:

• Park closure – Tony has contacted the council regarding having the park closed in the evenings. He has had no response from initial communications, but has now escalated to the Head of Parks


• Tony has contacted the council regarding Tree Works in the square. Trees have been pollarded and there is concern that these will not grow back. The Council has offered a walkabout to address concerns. This is yet to be arranged


• Tenants Fund – Tony has contacted the council regarding the tenants fund multiple times. Since our last meeting, Tony has written to the local Ward Councillors, and escalated his formal complaint to a stage 2. The council has said that there are new forms for claiming for the Tenants Fund, and the Surrey Gardens TRA is participating in trials of new forms. Tony has completed and sent these in and is waiting for a response


• Tony met with Christine Wildhaber (from Southwark Council) and Judy Aitken from the Cuming Museum. Christine has quotes for the signage. Tony has researched and drafted the original park on a current day map as an input to the sign (including notes of key points of interest) and sent to Christine and Judy. Next steps are to appoint a company to complete the signage and to commission the first draft designs for further consultation. Tony to update at next meeting

3. Treasurer’s Report:

• We have more than £6,000 in the bank, of which £4,500 is Heritage Lottery Fund money, whilst just under £2,000 is required to pay the insurance for the park (to be refunded by the Council)

4. Any other business:

• There was no other business

5. Next meeting – the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 7 June 2011, 7.30pm in St Paul’s, Lorrimore Square; this meeting will not be leafleted, but will be advertised via the website and via e-mail as normal

6. Thanks from the Chair and close

Walworth Garden Farm: Spring Plant Sale

It's that time of the year once again: for every Saturday and Sunday in May, Walworth Garden Farm will be running the annual plant sale where a variety of bedding plants, herbs and small shrubs (all grown by trainees and volunteers at the Farm itself) will be available to buy at great prices.

The Farm itself is a registered charity, and relies on funding from sources such as the plant sale in order to keep running. So go along, help out your local charity, and get gardening whilst the weather stays nice!

Free one-day workshop: Introduction to herbal medicine

Walworth Garden Farm is offering a free workshop (to anyone aged 19+) on herbal medicine.

This one-day workshop will take a brief look at the history and politics of western herbal medicine, then look at traditional uses of some common kitchen herbs and wild growing plants. The workshop will explore one herb more fully in depth and then look at the different ways of preparing and using herbs, including making an ointment. Places are limited.

The workshop will take place on Tuesday May 10th and June 14th, 10 am to 3pm, at Walworth Garden Farm.

To book please phone: 0207 582 2652
or email: womenshealthproject@yahoo.co.uk

Minutes - April 2011

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
5 April 2011

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Cath (Treasurer), Jenny, John, Brian, Melissa, Andrew, Natalie

Apologies: Marcus (Vice-Chair), Megan (Secretary), Alison, Trenton

1. Chair opened meeting

2. Chair’s Report:

Whilst not a TRA event, Tony thanked all those who attended for going to the Picnic in Pasley Park on Saturday 2nd – and reiterated thanks to Alison for all her hard work organising the whole thing. There was a great turnout, helped by good weather. Alison has confirmed an interest in helping with the TRA’s picnic in July

Tony confirmed that the Heritage Signage project for Pasley Park continues to be delayed due to the TRA’s main contact with the Council (Emma Longman) having, unfortunately, been made redundant. Tony confirmed that costs had been sought from three companies but, due to some of these not being able to supply a cost, the Council would have to approach at least one more company for a quote. Tony confirmed that a meeting is due to take place with the Project Team and Emma’s former manager next week (either Monday or Tuesday to be confirmed)

A local resident has e-mailed the Chair regarding potentially closing Lorrimore Gardens overnight, every night. Whilst the TRA agreed it did not have capacity to handle this via members, Tony did agree to approach Southwark Council about getting the park on to the rota for regular closure at night. Tony to action

Tony confirmed that, despite numerous e-mails to Southwark Council, there is still no news regarding the Tenant’s Fund for 2011. Tony informed the meeting that, ordinarily, the TRA would receive application papers after the AGM in November and that the process would typically be resolved by March. Cath suggested that some other TRAs had already reported receiving their money for 2011. Cath also reminded the meeting that the Tenant’s Fund is paid for by all local Tenants and Residents and that therefore, in effect, the TRA is simply asking for that money to come back into the community as is owed. Tony to follow up with the Council once again and report back. Andrew to ask other TRAs if they have received funding at the next Housing Area Forum, and to ask what support they might be able to lend to our TRA in discussions with the Council

3. Treasurer’s Report:

We have £6,819.41 in the bank, of which £4,000 is Heritage Lottery Fund money

Cath reminded the meeting that insurance for Lorrimore Gardens is due to be paid next month – this would typically be paid from the Tenant’s Fund, which is now overdue

4. Any other business:

There was no other business

5. Next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 3 May 2011, 7.30pm in St Paul’s, Lorrimore Square; this meeting will not be leafleted, but will be advertised via the website and via e-mail as normal

6. Thanks from the Chair and close

Woodcarving for beginners

Stuck for something to do on Sunday? Why not try your hand at woodcarving? Walworth Garden Farm are offering a free "woodcarving for beginners" workshop, this Sunday (April 3rd, 11 am - 3 pm) - for everyone aged 8 - 80!

Tim Norris (who sculpted the animal totem poles in Lorrimore Gardens) will be accompanied by Arthur Demowbrey (sculptor in residence at the Farm). It should be a great opportunity to learn a new skill.

Please contact rebeccascott@walworthgardenfarm.org.uk (or phone: 020 7582 2652) to book your place.

Art for Pasley Park

Though not a TRA project itself, it may interest you to know that following our consultation session (run by the TRA for the history signage project) that a decision has been made on the artistic seating for Pasley Park.

Reflecting the history of the site, and following a final vote at a recent Friends of Pasley Park meeting, one of the 'ostrich' options has been selected to be developed.

It should be a great addition to the park!

There will be a further meeting on 4th April from 6.30 pm at the Cuming Museum, where a clearer idea of the finished product will be presented.

Art in Pasley Park

Aged between 8 and 17 and fancy something to do on Monday afternoons/evenings? A new programme of mosaic making, outdoor art and planting is kicking off in Pasley Park - from 5 - 7, every Monday (meeting at the Pasley TRA Hall, Stopford Rd). See the flyer below for more details!

Picnic in Pasley Park

Local resident Alison, who lives on Carter Street, is organising a picnic in Pasley Park - so that the community can get to know each other better. There will be lots of activities for the kids (including face painting and balloon animals) - all you need to do is bring a dish!

The picnic will be held in the park itself (or in Pasley TRA Hall on Stopford Rd if wet) on Saturday 2nd April, from 12.00 until 2.00 pm.

If you would like to attend, please contact Alison on locallunch@yahoo.co.uk.

Heritage consultation

The main stage of the consultation around heritage signage is now completed - thanks to all who attended! In particular, there was a fantastic turn out to the TRA meeting/consultation session on Tuesday 1st.



Themes emerging from the consultation have been collated together in a short report. See the heritage signage website for more details, and stay tuned for next steps.

New consultation dates

There are even more opportunities to learn about the history of your area over the course of the next month, with the announcement of the next set of consultation dates for the heritage signage boards in Pasley Park.

Drop in sessions will be conducted at the Cuming Museum on both Saturday 15th and Saturday 22nd January providing opportunities to ask questions, see original materials and input into the design and content of the signage itself. In addition, the first TRA meeting of the year will become a dedicated consultation session to starting, as normal, at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 1st February in St Paul's, Lorrimore Square. For further information, please e-mail: pasleyparkhistory@gmail.com