Garden Club AGM Minutes November 2023

STOODLEIGH GARDEN CLUB  AGM November 9^th 2023

 MINUTES of the meeting held at Stoodleigh Parish Hall, commencing 7.30pm, Thurs 9^th November 2023

1. . Members were welcomed to the meeting

Present: Shirley Cope - Chairperson; Amanda Baggott - Treasurer; Jill Chant - Show secretary and 9 members.

2. Apologies: Paula Hullett (Social & Event Organiser), June Jones, Chris Whitehead, Judith Kelland, Jean Marcus, Pauline Gebbett, Ann & Tony Roberts, Ann Smith, Tricia Summers & Trevor Cope.

3. Minutes of the Previous AGM (9 November 2022).

The minutes were circulated and accepted. There were no questions raised or matters arising.

4. Annual Report.

Reporting, Shirley confirmed that the Gardening Club now had 37 members and 2 life members, Pat Pennington and Jennifer Fraser. The Committee were thanked for their hard work in helping the Club to thrive. Shirley mentioned that Amanda, Jill and Paula had worked tirelessly throughout the year. The Leadership Team also wished to thank the Members for supporting the events throughout the year:  Those who had helped with events; with making refreshments, providing items to raffle and sell, enabling them to look forward to next year with great confidence. She also thanked Jill Chant for the planting up and maintenance of the two tubs at Kissing Gate which had provided such a colourful display throughout the year.

Commenting on the many events of the last year, Shirley thanked all those who had invited members into their own gardens and hosted or organised events. She mentioned the great Christmas Party at the Chants plus a splendid summer Garden Party at Amanda, Caroline and the 2 John’s, plus Paula and Pete’s very successful Macmillan Coffee Morning combined with a bumper plant sale. In addition a muddy walk to ‘Snowdrop Valley’ and a dry sunny visit to Marwood Hill were well supported and enjoyed. As was the visit to Cove Nurseries where Paul Fonnereau entertained us with a master class on pruning and Helen provided coffee and homemade cakes to follow.  Craftwork was well in evidence this year with the making of pottery cane toppers and a couple of Willow weaving courses engendering enthusiastic support and a great deal of enjoyment and laughter.  An evening talk on conserving the Hedgehog environment by providing holes, ramps etc to enable access from one garden to another was especially interesting.

Members had continued to ‘Guerrilla Garden’ around the village with daffodil bulbs available for collection at the previous AGM, enabling some members to plant at appropriate locations including the Village signs and the Churchyard boundary. It was hoped that further evidence of the enthusiastic planting would be evident next February. Snowdrops were again planted in April, in front of Kissing Gate wall and along ‘Private Drive’ near to Pat Pennignton’s, where we were kindly offered parking and refreshments.

The main event of the year was The Stoodleigh Annual Show and Shirley thanked Jill, the Show secretary for a very successful event and passed over to her for the Show Report.

.5. Show Report

Jill again thanked all those members who had willingly helped out and the judges for their commitment and hard work at the very successful Annual Show. She especially thanked the two Johns for setting up and later removing of the advertising signage on the verge of the A319 facing the Iron Bridge. It obviously generated interest and contributed to the number of people attending the show.

 As the number of entries grew by over a 100 on the previous year and were of a good standard, she hoped to engage a few more judges next year in order to lighten the load on the original core.  Pat Pennington, our President, presented the rosettes and cups to the winners.

Outdoors the expanded, fenced off area with tables and chairs, stands, gazebos and external floral displays contributed greatly to the show and she again thanked Paula and Pete for their valuable contributions to the setting up and running of that area including the ‘Name the Tractor’ event.

.Finally Jill appealed to members to come up with ideas for further Classes for the next year’s show and a discussion ensued as to how we might involve more of the Village’s children.

6. Treasurer’s Report.

Amanda referred to the Balance Sheet Report and the Show Analysis members had received at the meeting. The opening balance at the start of the Club Year was £ 1588.28 rising to £1857.37 at the end of the financial year on the 31 October 2023, being an increase of £269.09. The total income was £3456.80 and expenditure costs £3,187.71 which included the purchase of display boards, Hall hire, Tutors, Speakers and ancillary costs.

The increased balance included £175 Membership fees and a further £100 from the Tiverton Agricultural Association for 2023, for which we are most grateful.

A magnificent Cheque for £615.20 was paid to the Macmillan Trust. (It being the total raised at Paula’s Coffee Morning and Plant and Seed Bring and Buy Brunch, which everyone felt was extremely well organised and very enjoyable)

In addition the Annual Show costs and profits were ring fenced as agreed last year in order to enable the funding of the next show without the financial burden accruing to the Garden Club. Income this year was £551.60 and Expenditure £401.70 giving a total profit of £149.90 which added to last years of £211.52 produced a total of £361.42 to go forward for expenditure next year.

Membership fees of £5 for the coming year were now payable and the Membership Cards ready to be issued.

7. Leadership Committee.

All four standing members were happy to continue in their roles, which were confirmed. Any member wishing to join the group would be most welcome.

8.Representative on the Parish Hall Committee.

Jill Chant agreed to continue to be the Club representative.

9. Suggestions for next year’s events.

An enthusiastic discussion took place. Suggestions included visits to: -.

Ashley House in Tiverton (NGS snowdrops and private booking inc. lunch). Chevithorne Barton (NGS, October for autumn colours, beautiful gardens and oak wood)

Marwood Hill Gardens and their plant sales in the Spring.  An earlier trip to see Magnolias at Killerton.

A municipal Parks and Gardens Nursery.   Rosemoor in the rose season.  A talk on Bats

Suggestions for craft sessions in Stained Glass, Flower arranging or Watercolour Painting were supported by members present.

Amanda hoped to receive the Blakes Coaches 2024 list of places they visit and suggested that we might have one longer distance trip with them. (Highgrove, The Malvern Show, etc.). Members would continue to car share for all other trips undertaken.   Amanda suggested that a discussion at their home (Wheatland Barn), to be held on Thursday 11th January 2024, at 2pm would welcome any members coming to help out in choosing from the list.  Refreshments would of course be available. An updated events calendar would be circulated to members once it had been agreed.

The meeting closed at 8.45pm followed by refreshments and drinks.