Annual General Meeting

Besslelsleigh Wood Group

17th November 2011. 7.00pm The Eight Bells. Eaton. Oxon.

Present: Manse Ahmed; Mark Aspell; Mary Snow; Paul Golding; John Page; Richard Snow; Ray Strugnell; Fiona Davies; Neil Clarke; Viv White; Mary White; Tim Jack.

Apologies; Margaret Reading; Claire Salmon; Hazel Brand; Richard Prickett.

The minutes of the 2010 AGM were agreed.

1. Election of committee for 2011-2012

The following committee members were duly elected. Chair: Richard Snow Secretary: Mary Snow Treasurer: Tim Jack Committee members: John Page; Manse Ahmad; Mark Aspell; Ray Strugnell. John Page was elected to be equipment manager for the year.

Ray stood down after serving as treasurer for the past 2 years, and was thanked for his sterling work by the Chair, on behalf of the group.

2. Financial report.

Ray reported Income for the year to 30th September 2011 was £1611.90 and after expenditure of £744.38 the group made a surplus of £867.52.

The group holds funds of £1917.60, up from £1050.08 in 2009 – 2010.

This includes £140 pledged for tree planting, from the Wood Fest, and this will be spent this month together with a further £200 on tree planting.

Spending of approximately £300- £350 had been previously agreed by the committee for essential tools and equipment.

The meeting discussed future spending options as members were not keen to see a build up of funds to no purpose, but rather to use them to fulfill the objects of the group. The management committee was asked to discuss this at their next meeting.

3. Activities

The meeting celebrated a busy year of group activities over the last year, specifically;

• Squirrel control in adjacent woodland.
• Restoration of derelict coppice near the bee tree and in the small coppice enclosure/ mending of fences of this enclosure.
• Cutting and selling pea sticks and bean poles to Appleton Manor.
• Removal of Himalayan Balsam.
• Removal of bracken around November 2007 planting.
• Bluebell walk
• Woodland planning meeting.
• Clearing the Wood Fest site
• Wood Fest.
• Tree pruning
• Mushroom foray
• Firewood production and delivery
• Tree Farm visit
• Preparation for November tree planting

4. Membership

Membership of £1 for the year was collected from those people present. Other members are reminded that dues are due.

5. Agreement of aims and objectives for the coming year.

• Planting previously arranged for 26th November, and tree pledgers as well as BWG members have been invited.
• Further planting of hedgerow along the eastern edge. Possible use of free trees from Woodland Trust.
• Winter work days as and when group members can spare the time. Requests were made for footpath improvement near the Appleton entrance, and to restore some more hazel coppice in this area.
• Squirrel control: Shooting to commence from December by arrangement with VOWH DC.
• Management planning: Update meeting to be arranged at committee meeting.
• Wood Fest: Provisional date previously set for the first weekend in July 2012.
• Jubilee celebration activity.
• Requests from the meeting were made for other learning and doing activities, ideally also reaching out to youngsters from forest schools and local schools. Several members expressed a wish to learn more about their woodland.
• All activities to be publicised on the website and group emails.

Next meeting, a group walk around Colliers copse, after the tree planting on 26th November.