Minutes of
Surrey Fungus Study Group
(the Group)
Launch Meeting
Saturday 28th January 2012, commencing 16:10
33 Norman Avenue, Sanderstead
Minutes secretary (for this meeting) – Dick Alder
Those present
Mr Dick Alder (RAA), Byfleet
Mr Alick Henrici (AH), Kew, Richmond
Dr Jane McLauchlin (JM), Sanderstead
Ms Mariko Parslow (MP), Laleham, Staines
Dr Brian Spooner (BMS), West Molesey
Mrs Ray Tantram (RT), Bookham
1 Chairman’s opening (16:10)
Minutes of the First Outline Meeting, 24 September 2011, were approved and signed by BMS, after one alteration regarding initials of Dr McLauchlin (JM) and one insertion re venue of the current meeting.
2 Constitution
The latest draft dated 17/01/12 was adopted (Appendix 1), signed by BMS, and became effective at the Declaration of Foundation of the Group.
3 Membership and subscriptions
Regarding the Group’s annual subscription, two proposals had been made at the First Online Meeting, which were £3 (MP) and £4 (RT). RAA said that these sums were too low and inconvenient to collect, and that it should be £5 instead. MP objected and said that £3 was appropriate. A vote to accept £5 was proposed by RT, seconded by AH, and carried by a majority vote. It was unanimously agreed that the annual subscription is to become due on 1st January each year and to expire on 31st December. Any member who fails to pay at the beginning of the year should receive a reminder before his / her membership is cancelled.
4 Declaration of Foundation
The draft Declaration (Appendix 2) produced by MP was adopted by those present. By reading it BMS then declared that the Surrey Fungus Study Group was founded and that its Constitution became effective (16:26).
5 Elections of Officers
Officers were elected as follows;
Chairman – Dr Brian Martin Spooner (BMS), proposed by MP, seconded by AH.
Secretary – Ms Mariko Parslow (MP), proposed by AH, seconded by RT.
Treasurer – Mr Richard Aston Alder (Dick, RAA,), proposed by MP, seconded by JM.
Publicity Officer – Mrs Ray Inge Ruth Tantram (RT), proposed by MP, seconded by JM. She will also act as the second signatory to the Group’s bank.
Recorder – Ms Mariko Parslow (MP); proposed by BMS, seconded by RAA. In this role she will be assisted by AH and BMS.
6 Accounts
RAA expected to receive Community Account application forms from Barclays Bank within the next week. Completed by RAA and RT, the forms would be submitted at its Byfleet Branch. If approved, the account would be opened within ten days. Initially, transactions will be made by cash and cheques only. MP asked RAA to consider the option of online banking in future. RAA will keep a copy of the membership list, which is held by MP and is confidential. (Action RAA, RT) (After the meeting Founder members’ subscriptions were collected.)
7 Affiliation to the British Mycological Society (‘the Society’)
MP was to send the required Affiliation Form plus a copy of the Constitution signed by BMS to the Society. AH noted that the insurance cover provided by the Society would be renewed in June. MP was to ask the Society if the group would or would not be covered at the time of the Affiliation, and if not would seek for an alternative and temporary insurance cover. (Action MP)
MP announced at this point that the group’s contact details would be as follows:
Surrey Fungus Study Group
c/o British Mycological Society
Jodrell Laboratory
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Richmond
Surrey TW9 3AB
8 Projects and activities
Those agreed at the preliminary meeting dated 24 September 2011 were affirmed.
a) Surrey Fungi Checklist- the priority is the production of a checklist in print by c. 2020.
b) Recording Fungi in RBG Kew - a separate publication on the fungi of RBG Kew was agreed, proposed by BMS, seconded by AH. (Action AH)
c) Recording Fungi of Esher Commons – a separate publication, but the existing list will need updating before it becomes available to be analysed further. (Action BMS)
d) Collating Surrey records - MP outlined her recent efforts to produce a satisfactory database (software) that she will hold. It will have to contain some 100,000+ records within several years and MP must be capable to import datasets in different formats. It must be technically easy to manage. She is in discussions with Paul Kirk (the Society’s data-handler) on how to proceed. (Action MP)
e) Surrey Fungi Bibliography – being compiled by BMS, who requested that a copy or a title of any newly discovered references should be sent to him for inclusion. Any records in the references will be databased at a later date. (Action all)
f) Fungal sites - RAA agreed to collaborate with JM in expanding his existing list of potential and currently known sites of mycological interest. (Action RAA)
g) Forays - it was confirmed that forays were not to be the main activity of the group. MP suggested that we hold two forays per year which is open only to the Members, one of which being in east Surrey. The first foray will be held at Esher Common on 12th February 2012, jointly with West Weald Fungus Recording Group. JM proposed Croham Hurst as the site of east Surrey meeting, in autumn 2012.
h) Annual Report - MP was to produce Report for 2012 for the AGM to be held in January 2013.
i) Website - MP apologized that the prototype design was not ready. Constructing a satisfactory website was taking longer than initially envisaged. The hosting company was not decided. She would try to create a prototype within a month, to be uploaded as soon as possible. Members are requested to provide material for columns, e.g. news items and fungi topics. (Action MP)
9 Recruitment
Membership is now open to those who agree with our aims. RAA said that potential members must be made aware that we shall not hold many field meetings per annum. We shall not encourage members’ culinary interest. Those who are interested only or mainly in such activities would be advised that our activities might not be what they seek. It was unanimously agreed that we might supply them contact details of other groups in the adjacent areas. RT suggested that Sara Shepley should be approached, in respect of her knowledge of the fungi of west Surrey. (Action RAA, RT)
10 Any other business
a) AH requested that material on the database should be easily extractable in a form useful for incorporation into the printed book. He said that this was not the case with the FRDBI.
b) MP said that the Group has received an invitation for a representative to attend this year’s Group Leader’s Meeting of British Mycological Society, to be held in Hereford in June. MP will forward a form to the Society, for BMS as the attendee. The Society will reimburse his accommodation fee, but the Group may bear his travel cost (fuel). (Action MP)
c) MP said that the Mycology Section of RBG Kew (K(M)) welcomed the Group’s foundation and would allow the Group’s activity at its premises. Specimens sent to K(M) from Surrey will be shown to three Group members who are the Associates to the Section (AH, MP, BMS), who will also assist K(M) in replying to enquiries from Surrey.
d) MP wished to record her thanks to those below who had helped her to prepare Group’s prospective projects; Sandra Rickwood, Paul Kirk, and Surrey Botanical Society.
e) MP requested a list of East Surrey parishes from JM. JM said that it was not possible, as Croydon Borough has abolished administrative parish boundaries. MP said that parish boundaries (CE) cannot be abolished and must remain regardless to administrative arrangement of the area. RAA had produced a list of Surrey locations for another project, and is aware of difficulty in establishing in which parish a site is located. RAA and MP will study the place names in Croydon Borough, and decide upon a suitable system to be adopted. (Action RAA, MP)
11 Next meeting
MP called for a technical meeting at RBG Kew. (This took place on 1st February.)
She proposed that a mid-term Administration Meeting was to be held on Saturday 28 July, at RT’s in Bookham. (Later RAA suggested altering the date due to possible traffic congestion on the day because of London Olympic cycle venue to be held in the area. An alternative proposal to bring the date forward to Saturday 14 July has been circulated and agreed.)
She also proposed that the AGM is to be held on Saturday 26 January, 2013; the venue would be decided at the July meeting.
12 Close (18:15)
The Group expressed its thanks to JM for hosting and to MP for organizing current meeting.
Edited by
B.M. Spooner, 8 February 2012
M. Parslow, 8 February 2012
We agree that the inclusions of these minutes are true to the fact in describing what was discussed at the meeting of 28 January 2012 at Sanderstead. Our signatures here will not bind the Group to accept this document at the Next Administrative Meeting to be held on 14 July 2012.
Brian Martin Spooner, Chairman
Address
Mariko Parslow, Secretary
Address
Appendix 1
Constitution of Surrey Fungus Study Group
Appendix 2
Declaration of Foundation of Surrey Fungus Study Group