Item No :6 (c)
Date: 22 February2017
Report:Surrey Hills Society September 2016 – Feb 2017
Written by:Chris Howard (Chairman)
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Purpose of Report
To report on the activities of the Surrey Hills Society
Summary
The Surrey Hills Society continues in its main role of promoting and engaging with the public and raising awareness of the issues facing the AONB. This report covers the winter period.
The SHS Strategy
The HLF Tales of the Tillingbourne project is drawing to a close now. Rob Fairbanks managed to get an extension until the end of March 2017, so as Dr Sassin can complete the project. This will include getting the information all up on the website, and looking for how the project will continue onto the future. The Society has agreed to take ownership of the walks leaflets and find a suitable sponsor for re-prints in the future and monitor distribution. The Puppets are now housed in their own dedicated TTTV area on the new mezzanine level of the Museum. We are discussing with Guildford Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre Director how we can keep the schools programme running. The support for the website still needs to be clarified.
The Society has also been busy supporting the Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Gordon Jackson and Chairman of Mole Valley DC, Cllr David Mir,in their efforts to raise funds for the Surrey Hills Trust Fund. The Mayor of Guildford is organizing a major fund raising Ball on 29th April at GLive. The Surrey Hills would like to have a big table of supporters there. Please see Chris Howard if you would like to join us.
The Society also created a Mayor’s sponsored walk for the Mayor of Guildford, similar to the event held for the Mayor of Waverley, Cllr Mike Band, last year. This year we walked the North Downs Way across the Guildford borough on Wednesday 5th October. The walk raised over £1000 for the Trust Fund.
The Society is also supporting Ali Clarke with a series of walks associated with the Inspiring Views project this summer- Sunday 5th March, and in June.
The photographic competition we ran with Vantage Point magazine proved popular, with the three winners receiving a bottle of Surrey wine and a free framing service from otter Pools in Guildford. The top 8 entries will form the basis of our next set of notelets. The photos are valuable additions to our photo pool for use on publicity.
Core Funding and staffing
The Society Trustees have negotiated for MarikaElzinga, the Society Co-ordinator to now work fifteen hours per week. Dr Sassins contract will end at the end of March 2017.
Communications and Publicity
The autumn/winter newsletter is now in circulation. It will be distributed via the library service and our own distribution network. The newsletter is run by volunteers and is self- funding via corporate sponsorship.
The Chairman continues to write a Surrey Hills article and the walks pages in Surrey Life magazine each month.They now have a new Editor, Rebecca Younger, who is keen to develop the relationship with the AONB and for us to continue to write for her.
On Saturday 18th March the Society is running a practical volunteering day at Gatton Park, as part of the HLF project there. Please consider joining us there.
The Society has also agreed to back the production of a Surrey Hills AONB 60th Anniversary book that Ken Bare will be presenting on at the Board meeting. We are also discussing with Rob Fairbanks how we can support the 60th Anniversary and the 10th Anniversary of the Trust Fund in 2018.
Shows and Talks
Ken Bare continues to deliver a series of talks to various groups across the County. This not only fulfills out charitable aim to promote the SHAONB, but also brings us an income as often the organizations we speak to make us a charitable donation. He has now been joined by Dr Andrew Povey, who has also agreed to assist on the Shows team and has recently become a Trustee of the Society.
Walks
The Society continues to run a monthly free walk to engage particularly young people to get out and enjoy the Surrey Hills and learn more about the AONB. We now have between 40 - 50 people attending each walk!
Events
Our AGM was held on Saturday 29thOctober, in the Wilfrid Noyce Centre, in Godalming at 2pm. We were grateful for the support and attendance by Cllr David Wright and Cllr Mike Goodman. There were 60 members in attendance.
Please consider supporting the Mayor of Guildford’s Ball on 29th April at GLive. An invite will be circulated.
Recommendations
The AONB Board is asked to note of the report.
Chris Howard, Chairman, Surrey Hills Society 15-2-1
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