Floral St Saviour meeting 9 September 2014 at 17:30 in St Saviour’s Community Centre

Present: Andrew Courtney (Chair), Vic de Garis, Bon Martel, Jackie Duquemin, Vicky Kinnersley

Apologies: Jeff and Sue Chapman, Margaret Martel, Lena Chesney, Michaela Guilmotto

ITEM / NOTES / ACTION
Objectives of group and encouraging more involvement / There was general agreement that aiming for a Gold Award at Floral Guernsey is not our driving ambition. We volunteer because we live in a beautiful Parish and are keen to enhance it where we are able. We have limited time available and must concentrate on doing a few things well rather than try to do too many things, having said that we would very much like to increase activities as more volunteers become available.
It was suggested that one way of increasing activity would be to encourage all Parishioners to do something extra in their own garden or area, perhaps a competition could be organized (e.g. best hanging basket) or we could have a theme for the year (e.g. planting to attract Butterflies and tie that into the Big Butterfly Count next summer).
Another idea might be to find areas that would be prepared to enter Floral Guernsey ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ (not a competition but an assessment of progress).
Also suggested was a community vegetable growing theme. Vicky has seen something similar in Germany recently which seemed to work very well and will find out more information on how it is organized.
We could consider running a plant exchange scheme based at the Community Centre. / Next meeting
Next meeting
Vicky
Next meeting
Organisation / The current system of Andrew and Vic running the overall administrative functions works fine, perhaps there is no need to change.
Communications via email are ok.
We lack horticultural direction and need to find someone who is ‘user friendly’ that will provide task lists, planting guides and general management of the Community Centre. This person or team would communicate the requirements and volunteers would then take responsibility for completing them in their ‘own’ area or as part of a working party. Andrew and Vic are meeting the President of St Saviour’s WI and hope they might volunteer to fill that role.
The current system of volunteers ‘owning’ their flower beds or tasks works quite well in most instances. It was agreed this system should continue but that a group meeting once each month for a few hours would be beneficial. It was agreed that on the last Saturday of each month there would be a working party to tackle whatever tasks are required. This would foster team work and serve as a social function as well. / Andrew and Vic
Andrew
Budget / Andrew advised that we have a budget of £5,250pa providing the Douzaine continues to agree that £2,500 be added to the Parochial Rates again. Andrew submits simple income and expenditure accounts to Floral Guernsey each November to support our application for a grant which provides the £2,500 initial payment and a further £250 top up. Up to now the allocation of funds to projects has been fairly informal and on an ad hoc basis. Andrew suggested that we should now take a more formal approach by creating a plan and budget for the year. This can be developed over the next few months. / Andrew
Community Centre update / Irrigation is to be extended to the brick planter outside Maylands Nursery and to the wooden planter outside Reception.
Planting of the formal bed should be reviewed in light of judges comments that it is labour intensive and hidden by cars, generally the meeting felt that the bed was a good feature and are reluctant to change but perhaps different plants could be used. Irrigation should also be reviewed as the current system is ineffective.
The pine trees will be removed at some point when funds are available, it will be good to have a better view but removal will leave the site very exposed. Native trees might be planted as a replacement.
Wildflowers should continue to be sown at the western border of the field as they add colour as well as being beneficial to insects.
The mowing of the field would be a suitable task for a rota.
Maylands Nursery large green wooden planter would be better used for vegetable growing by the children as it is in a reasonably sunny position and is the right height for them. Andrew to discuss with Maylands.
Andrew advised that the Douzaine Room planting contract has been terminated as the building is being sold. When the new Douzaine Room is created at the Community Centre a new planting scheme will be commenced that ties in to the rest of the Centre. / Andrew
Next meeting
Andrew
Andrew
Courtil Sous L’Eglise / The new log seats are a success and are attracting positive comment from Parishioners. We will add wildflower patches by each seat to attract people to them. A plan is needed to prepare the ground for sowing in Spring.
The earth ramp to create the second entrance is almost complete. There has been tremendous sponsorship from several firms and individuals for this project which has taken nearly 5 years to organize. A formal opening ceremony should be held as it is a substantial Parish project. A planting plan is to be developed and submitted to Environment for approval.
Vic will make insect refuge boxes to place at each log seat. We should try to organize the construction of a pallet based refuge by children, this would be a good activity but it is difficult to find suitable times (Saturdays are always busy with sport etc) or children groups. / Andrew
Andrew and Vic
Vic
Next meeting
Ste Apolline’s Chapel / Andrew advised that he had spoken with Liz Pirouet-Douglas about planting for next year. The new planting in ground level beds to replace the wooden planters has been a success. A budget of £150 has been agreed to top up the plants in the beds.
Other Parish initiatives / It had been suggested by a Douzenier that we might plant something at Les Buttes in the grass under the pine trees. Daffodils might be a low maintenance solution that would survive in the difficult growing conditions. Generally, the meeting was concerned that we do not take on additional work unless we are happy we can support it but planting daffodils might be a suitable working party activity. / Next meeting
Publicity / Floral Guernsey judges had pointed out that we are poor at publicizing our activities. The meeting felt that submitting regular articles for Parish Matters in the Guernsey Press (we have had two good articles in the last month) would be a good thing. Andrew will approach John Foley to see if it is something he might be happy to do.
We could consider holding an event starting at the Community Centre and doing the Floral St Saviour Walk followed by tea/coffee at the Community Centre. This would raise awareness of both our floral activities and the Community Centre as well as providing an opportunity to attract volunteers.
We could get leaflets printed that advertise the Floral St Saviour Walk to be distributed to tourist venues (e.g. L’Auberge du Val, Tourist Board) and at the entrances to the Millennium Walk.
We could also speak to Digimap to ask that they add Courtil Sous L’Eglise and the Community Centre to their maps. / Andrew
Next meeting
Next meeting
Andrew
Recording biodiversity / Andrew advised that his grandchildren had participated in the Big Butterfly Count using Courtil Sous L’Eglise as the counting site. It would be good to continue this each year to build up a picture of how our efforts affect butterflies.
We could consider how to record birds as well.
Plant recording had been done in 2005 by La Societe Guernesiaise but they wanted £500 to complete another survey. The meeting was not in favour of spending funds on this. / Next meeting
The meeting closed at 19:00.
Next meeting Thursday 9th October 17:30 at the Community Centre