HALSTEAD IN BLOOM
Minutes of a meeting 31st May 2018 7.30p.m. at Halstead Icing
Chairman, welcomed all present and accepted apologies from those who could not attend.
MINUTES of 26th May 2018 had been circulated and were adopted
NEWS: *May Day and Plant Stall. Both events were well supported. Letter had been received from Friends of Halstead Public Gardens re. the May Day Event. HiB took £27.30 selling donated books and planting sunflowers and received donations of £6.50. Donated and purchased plants raised £170.50 on the plant stall; plants cost £58.00 (not all were sold, some will be used around the town) and donations amounted to £36.45. *Halstead Marathon was a successful event with some determined runners! All HiB volunteers enjoyed the day and are prepared to volunteer again next year (12th May 2019). *Plant sorting/planting day a different way to sort the plants into areas was discussed and will be tried on Saturday 2nd June. All who can help to sort please meet at Gate House 10a.m. Planting on Sunday will be at 10am; those who can set out plants please meet at 9am. *Calendar 2019 Several photos have now been submitted and need to be sorted. It was agreed to meet on 7th June at Annie and Mick’s house 9.30am. (thank you Annie and Mick!). *Phone lists updated phone list is available – those who haven’t given permission for sharing have been redacted. *Halstead Colne Tangent had made a donation to HiB of £100 and a letter of thanks has been written. *Reptile Survey is being carried out on the River Walk – Parsonage St. to Colchester Road. Several ‘carpet tiles’ have been laid, if you see one please don’t touch it and disturb any reptiles that may be underneath. Amberol Photo Competition This is advertised on their web site and runs most of the summer. Please visit their web site for more details. *Halstead Rotary Award. Margaret E was invited to a Charity Evening at Halstead Rotary which was a very enjoyable evening. Towards the end Halstead in Bloom was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation – the highest Rotary Award that can be given to an organisation. Margaret was dumbfounded! but managed to say thank you and has written to the Chairman of Halstead Rotary to express the thanks of the group. At the same event our President, David Hume was also presented with a high award.
EVENTS: *Next RiverCare event will be 3rd June. Meet at 10am at Sainsbury’s Car Park. *Next Community Litter Pick will be 24th June. Meet 10.30am at Sainsbury’s Car Park. Junior Bloom high-viz vests will be available. Litter pickers and bags will be to hand. . *Armed Forces Day. 30th June. HiB will have a stall with a ‘name the monkey’ game. We will have books to sell. It was suggested that a recruitment poster ‘Your Town Needs You’ be displayed. Joan explained about the plane that has now flown from the Public Gardens to Weavers Court but may return or may be replaced with a replica Sopwith Camel bi-plane. Raffle tickets for the RBL draw are on sale now at £1 per ticket. First prize £100, 2nd prize £75, 3rd Prize £50 with many other donated prizes. Tickets will be available on the day. *Halstead Flower Festival. Janet Amos attended the meeting and explained that the dates are confirmed as 13th-15th July at St. Andrew’s Church. Refreshments will be on sale all day so helpers for the refreshment stall are needed and also stewards in the church. Several HiB team offered assistance but the Friends of St. Andrew’s Church are looking for more help. Please contact Jan on janet.amos40@yahoo.co.uk if you are able to attend for a couple of hours on any of the days.. *Sci-Fi Trail. To celebrate the first airing of a Sci Fi programme on the BBC (Rossums Universal Robots, a play by Karel Capek first aired on 11th February 1938) we are planning our ‘trail’ for young people (and parents!) over the summer holiday. Oswick Estate Agent will take the sonic screwdriver plus a Dr. Who photo. Hardy Men’s Outfitters will have the long Dr. Who scarf and may be able to find a suitable hat to go with it! Crossways Garage will have the WHO 1 numberplate with photo of ‘Bessie’ and Billson Optician will have the Brains’ Thunderbirds glasses and will probably make a Thunderbirds window – Margaret C has a Thunderbirds annual that will contribute to the window. Lobbs Cycles and Hards of Halstead have also agreed to help as has Peter Robertson and the shop next to Dale Hire. More artefacts are still required if you can help, please contact us.. *Local Garden Competition. Judges have been contacted and so far there are 5 positive answers. We probably need at least 1 and possibly 2 more judges – from outside Halstead. One Gold entrant from last year’s competition had a very successful Open Garden event at Howe Chase on 20th May and raised a fantastic £525 for Charity under the National Garden Scheme. They will be having another open day in September. *Quiz. David has booked the Con Club for another Quiz on Friday 12th October, More details later. *Hampton Court. More details are now to hand – there will be a seminar from 9am to 12noon and then a lunch and garden has to be vacated by 3pm. Two places have been booked for HiB.
ANGLIA IN BLOOM’18. JUDGING DATE NOW CONFIRMED AS FRIDAY 13TH JULY.
Tour will begin at 10.30am (now confirmed) as judges will be visiting Gosfield Village first starting at 8.30am. Route was discussed and it is pleasing to note that Braintree DC is putting in hand much of the work that was identified as outstanding including new road signs and some weed killing.
It was decided that Judges must visit Weavers Court to see the display celebrating 100 years of the RAF and that the judges will visit Halstead Public Gardens and Halstead Cemetery to judge them during the Town Tour. Timed routes to be worked up and distributed as soon as possible.
Margaret T said that so far 8 entries for the ‘build a bee box’ had been received and asked that Charles Soule be asked to judge the entries which will be displayed in the Public Gardens.
Jobs to be done before judging: Grass at The Centre needs to be cut back – Graham to be asked to strim if he can. Some weeds will need to be sprayed – the walkway from Winston Way to Coggeshall Pieces needs attention. A broken seat in Halstead Public Gardens near to the bandstand was noted and will be reported. Most of the sweeping/cleaning will be effected between now and judging day.
WORKING PARTIES : For all working parties meet at 2p.m. on Town Bridge unless advised otherwise: PLANTING in various areas for the forthcoming Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. After that other works will be undertaken. Some vine weevil at the drinking fountain, Mount Hill was reported. Joan asked for more compost and Annie asked for 1 bag to be left with her for the Hospital. Joan and Christine will help with the Essex Regiment badge on Wednesday 6th June.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS: *Linda reported that the seat at the Churchyard facing Parsonage Street is very dirty with pigeon droppings that are also piling up on the ground. Linda will report to Halstead TC.
*Joan asked for assistance with distribution of Chamber of Trade forms for the Window Competition that will be available from next Wednesday. All agreed to assist. *Oliver said that he has been offered a projector, free of charge and he will collect this as soon as he can. *Joyce asked that Braintree DC be thanked for clearing the walkway to Clovers. Joyce also noted that Mount Hill is becoming almost impassable now as the hedges are hanging down over pavements. This is a route used by school children and is becoming dangerous. Has been reported but will try and report again. * Margaret T noted that weeds and brambles are over the pavement opposite the Cinema and when cars are parked there is little option but to walk in the roadway. Will be reported. Margaret T said that road signs and a bollard have been left in New Street, near to the entrance to Clarke’s Funeral Directors. Will be reported. Margaret said that Greenfields need to be advised that brambles are now encroaching on pavements at Elizabeth Way and causing problems for residents. Will be reported. Margaret asked for some signs that can be displayed on working party days to advise motorists that residents are working on pavements and in gutters. Signs will be made. *Annie said that the beds at Bluebridge need to be weeded and cut back – Joan said that this is on a schedule of work. Annie said she is still on a mission to get builders’ rubbish cleared from the site of new houses near to the Little Book Cafe – at present the builder can’t be located. *Iola reported receipt of an email regarding fund raising through Give as You Live and will pass on this information. *Wendy noted that grass has been strimmed on only one side of the Colchester Road Entry Bed and the other side needs to be cut back and strimmed. *Margaret C suggested that a small advertisement be taken out in the local paper asking for volunteers on 1 afternoon per week, for a couple of hours, during June and July. Agreed this is an excellent idea and will be put on Facebook and the Web Site too. *Mike asked if anyone had knowledge about a visit from Little Waltham recently. It was said that this was probably a History Society visit – those who came really enjoyed the day apparently!!
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There being no other business the meeting closed at 9.05 p.m.
Next team meeting on Thursday 28th June 2018
7.30p.m. at Halstead Icing.
All welcome
Contacts: Margaret Eskins Chairman. 01787 269443
Julia Smith, Secretary. 0776 2587141 / 01787461806. e-mail jaygrey@btinternet.com
Joan Gibson, plants and working parties. 01787 473070
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