The Friends of Bentley Wood
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Wednesday 14th March 2012
At East Grimstead Reading Room
Starting at 7.30 pm
A G E N D A
1Apologies
2Minutes of the AGM March 2011
3Matters Arising from the Minutes
4Chairman’s Report
5Treasurer’s Report
6Election of Officers (Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary are not seeking re-election)
7Chairman of the Trustees to Address the Meeting
8Questions to the Trustees
9Any Other Business
The Friends of Bentley Wood
February 2012
Dear Friends
It is that time of year again when the AGM is due, subscriptions are payable and the Spring and Summer Programme is sent to you.
On the reverse of this letter is a copy of the Agenda for the AGM, which is again at East Grimstead Reading Room.
We are always looking for new blood on the Committee, so if you can spare a few hours and would like to join us, please contact the Sue Shears a week before the AGM.
To assist you pay your subscription, please complete the form at the bottom of this letter and either bring it with you to the AGM or send the form to the Treasurer at the address shown. If you have an e-mail address could you please include it below, even if you have already supplied it to us.
May we wish you all a happy 2012 and look forward to seeing you in the wood or at some of the events.
Roy Hartwell
Chairman, FOBW
TO PAY YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
To: The Treasurer, 7 Butler’s Close, Lockerley, Romsey, SO51 0LY. Tel: 01794 341462
Please find enclosed my subscription for 2012. £10.00 for Family Member, £6.00 Single.
Name:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Address:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
E-mail:
Amount £
made payable to: The Friends of Bentley Wood
FRIENDS OF BENTLEY WOOD
Spring/Summer Programme 2012
Wed 14 Mar 2012Combined Annual General Meeting and Christmas Party at East Grimstead Reading Room. The hall will be open at 7.00 pm for payment of subscriptions; the meeting to start at 7.30 pm. Refreshments will be served when you’ll have time to circulate and chat.
Sun 29 April 2012Spring Drive Through the Wood. An opportunity to come into the wood and drive the hard tracks. Find areas you’ve not visited before. Enter at Livery Gate and exit at Tytherley Road. Come along for tea at the Barn.
Open at 2.00 pm, gates close 4.00 pm
Sun 13 May 2012Bird Song Walk. An evening filled with beautiful bird song. Experts on hand to help you identify the birds. Start at 6.00pm from the Barn followed by barbecue. Stout footwear recommended.
Sun 24 June 2012Mid-Summer Walk Butterflies will be our interest today. Leave the Barn at 11.00am, bring a picnic lunch, we don’t know where we’ll end up.
Sat 14 July 2012Mystery Walk with BBQ. Even we don’t know yet! Come along and find out. Meet at the Barn at 6.00 pm. Stout footwear recommended.
Sat 8 Sep 2012Autumn Walk followed by our infamous poacher’s supper, locally sourced! Meet at the Barn at 4.00 pm. Stout footwear recommended.
Sun 14 Oct 20122-4 pm – Autumn Drive Through the Wood. Another opportunity to come into the wood and drive the hard tracks. Visit areas you’ve not been able to reach before. Enter at Livery Gate and exit at Tytherley Road. Come and join the committee for tea at the Barn.
Open at 2.00 pm gates close 4.00 pm
Sat 20 Oct 2012Fungus Foray. Salisbury Natural History society invite FOBW members to join them for a fungus foray. More details in the Autumn programme.
The Trustees have asked us to remind Friends that the picking of flowers or collecting of any specimen from Bentley Wood is not permitted.
If you require more information on any of the events organised, please do not hesitate to contact Sue Shears on 01980 862038. Please Note Change To Contact Number
Chairman's Letter
As many of you are already aware, this will be my last Chairman's letter for The Friends of Bentley Wood as I am standing down as Chairman. I have been Chairman for a number of years now, I can't remember exactly how many, and have enjoyed the privilege of being so closely involved with such a wonderful organization and a unique resource. We are all so lucky to have Bentley Wood to enjoy.
However, I am not the only change 'at the top' as Mike Thompson, our Treasurer, has also decided to hang up the account books after 20 years as our Treasurer. I think we can all agree he has done a wonderful job with our finances and kept The Friends on a very sound financial footing whilst still being able to provide for our events and long-term projects within the wood. Can I record my sincere thanks to Mike for his service over the years and my thanks that he has agreed to stay on as a committee member so ensuring continuity. We have been fortunate in persuading Tony Goddard, who many of you will already know, to succeed Mike and I hope you will all find this acceptable at the AGM. Tony comes from a finance background so our coffers remain in safe hands.
Gina Hartwell retired a little while ago after an equal number of years as Secretary. Again my thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow over the years (which you might deduce is more years than I have been Chairman!).We have had two volunteers, Myra Bennet and June Verity, to pick up the reins ( I hope they forgive the pun!!). Again, I hope you will support their acceptance at the AGM. Additionally, Sue Walker, who has long supported us with our events and is much involved with both Bentley Wood and Blackmoor Copse has agreed to join the committee, watch this space!
Can I take the opportunity to thank all the other committee members, Sue Shears, Anne Cozens, Miles Veevers, Andy Webb and Tony Horner who have managed to put up with me and still organize some great events over the years. And we must not forget the 'non-committee' members, the relatives who are roped in to help in running the events, as well as the Trustees who support our endeavors. I hope most of you have at some stage supported and enjoyed events which have been organized and I hope you will continue to support them.
My annual plea of course is that new blood is always welcome on the committee. If you feel you can offer something, however small, please consider joining the committee. Let us know a week before the AGM. Most importantly, if you feel you could offer yourself as Chairman, please contact me on 01980 863035. The committee are fully trained and don't bite...much!!
Finally, it remains for me to thank all the members who have made my years as Chairman so enjoyable. Can I please ask that you continue to support The Friends and the committee in the years to come.
Roy Hartwell CBiol MSB Chairman The Friends of Bentley Wood