Thursday 9th January 2025 at 7:30pm
Meeting by Video Conference
Attendees
Charlotte Cook (Chair), Alan Cooper (Deputy Chair), Ciaran O’Keefe (Formal Parks Manager, North London), Roger Jones, Ron Innell, Marion Innell, Eugene Czauderna, Lucia Rios-Steele, Andrew (Funk Crawl), Ute Saatz, Dries Indesteege, Farzana Bhunoo-Nadeem, Ian McDonald, John Rands, Yvonne, and Lyndsay Jones
Apologies
Ricky O’Garro (Senior Park Ranger), Nicky Brown
Introduction
Charlotte welcomed everyone to the meeting, and thanked Andrew who is helping to organise the music event for our 151st anniversary celebration
Minutes of the last meeting
Minutes from the meeting on 14 November 2024 were agreed as a correct record
Treasurer’s Report
We received a donation of £500 from George Irwin’s Funfair, and now have £2,500.31 in hand after paying for the plants for the Playground hedges and the Glow Sticks for Park in the Dark
Report from Formal Parks Manager
The updated Management Plan is not yet complete. Once it is received, we will be sent a copy
At the last meeting of the CoLC management committee it was decided to set up a system for staff to report anti-social behaviour affecting staff, the public or the environment. Ciaran sees this as a supportive measure, making it easier for the staff to keep everyone safe. It is planned to engage support from ParkGuard over the summer, as last year
Consideration is being given to providing courts for the popular new game of Padel
High winds have led to the park being closed for all, or part of, eight days since November 23rd. The rule is to close when winds of 40mph or above are forecast by the Met Office. The trigger points for such closures are, however, going be re-assessed by CoLC. Veteran trees are particularly at risk and pose a danger to the public in these conditions
Ciaran is hopeful that the much needed redevelopment of the public toilets will be started by the end of this financial year. A programme or repair and replacement of the benches is under way.
Yvonne asked that everyone write to their MP to encourage him or her to support the Environment Bill currently going through parliament. She agreed to forward a link to Charlotte for circulation
Publicity and Media
Newham Voices
Lyndsay will write about the hedge planting schemes and their environmental benefits for March. Articles need to be with Nicky by 15th of the previous month
Publicity material for the Eyes to the Skies weekend has been circulated
Our Facebook page has had 8,300 views, and Instagram 4,500 views over the past month
151st Anniversary Celebrations, 13th July 2025.
Roger and Lyndsay will lead the co-ordination of this event, as last year
There is a lot of enthusiasm from local musicians, and the programme is being agreed. Andrew asked for consideration to be given to extending the performance licence until 7pm, and to enabling musicians to store and access their equipment more flexibly than last year. Ciaran will look into both these issues
Lucia and Thatcha, from the Learning Team, are arranging a variety of workshops and children’s activities
It was agreed that Roger would prepare a draft plan and schedule to present to CoLC, and ask about funding availability. This will be sent to Ciaran w/c 13 January. We would hope that they might fund the provision take of gazebos, portable toilets, etc, like last year. It was agreed that no extra security would be needed this year
Ongoing Activities
Vegetable Garden
Winter is a quiet time, but all is well and volunteers will continue to visit
Bird Surveys
Lyndsay thanked Peter and Jan for agreeing to take on a larger area, and Charlotte for volunteering to join the team. The London Bird Recorder is keen that we continue to send in our records
Health Walks
Up to 15 people attend every week, some supported by Newham Mental Health. Farzana suggested the walks be called “Health and Nature Walks”, as she enjoys learning about the trees, birds etc as they walk around, and this might attract more participants
Ian drew our attention to “Time to Talk” day, which is 1st February, Ron will liaise with him about marking this event
Litter picking is done more informally, and there does seem to have been a general reduction in the amount of litter, which is very pleasing
Ad hoc activities and Future Events
The hedge planting around the Playground will go ahead on 19th January. The plants are now paid for and will be delivered a few days beforehand. Lucia has the school planting days arranged for the following week
It is essential that we agree and order the planting for the mounds, before the time limit on the grant money runs out. Ciaran is aware of this
Ciaran is making contact with the local Air Cadet unit, in the hope that this might be a better way to engage with teenagers, as it is already an out-of-school-hours activity
The ‘Eyes to the Skies” events will be Stargazing on Saturday evening, 18th January, and Birdwatching on Sunday 19th before the hedge planting event.
Links and Affiliations with other Environmental Groups
Alan and Roger will attend the annual LFGN Social event on 13th January
Alan reported that the 2025 Green fair, run by Sustainable Newham has hit a problem, as the Applecart Arts Group, which was helping to run it, has collapsed
The upgrade of the Park’s SINC status to Borough, rather than Local importance, still rests with LB Newham. We hope it will be in their updated Local Plan
Future Meeting Dates in 2024
Second Thursday every other month
Thursday 13th March
Thursday 8th May
Thursday 10 July – AGM.
These will all be Zoom meetings except the AGM, which will be held on the Bandstand
AOB
Dries has sent a draft proposal about the Free Libraries scheme, which will be circulated for further discussion
The meeting closed at 20.43