HALSTEAD  IN  BLOOM

Minutes of a meeting 31st October 2019  7.30p.m. at Halstead Icing

 

 Chairman, welcomed all present and accepted apologies from those who could not attend.

MINUTES of  26th September had been circulated and were adopted

Chairman congratulated all the team on the excellent results in RHS Britain in Bloom 2019.  She said that this is all down to team working and willingness to help and assist where required.  Well done all!!

NEWS:   *River Improvement Group: Volunteers cleared the major vegetation from the river bank over 3 weekends.  Braintree DC kindly provided green bins for the green waste and took it away for composting. The remaining tree stumps will be treated by Environment Agency to prevent re-growth and the R.I.G. have been given permission to top the remaining trees to give better visual access to the Mill area.  E.A. is now providing a plan for further clearing and sculpturing of the river bed over the winter months.  *Quiz raised a total of £612 for funds – thank you to David T and Annie, Mick and Margaret T for their work.  David reported that the Con Club were pleased with the turnout as they gave the venue for free.  *Co-op Store (Colchester Rd.) – we have been advised that there will be a further payment to HiB and a celebration event sometime between 20th and 23rd November – details will be circulated.  Halstead in Bloom has again been nominated as a chosen charity partner by the Co-op for 2020.  *Priory Hall.  Jean had arranged a coffee morning to fund raise for HiB and it was a great morning.  A total of £331.65 was raised.  Thank you Jean and the residents at Priory Hall Village.
EVENTS:  **RiverCare.  Next event is Sunday 3rd November  Meet 10am at Sainsbury’s Car Park. *Next Community Litter Pick. Sunday 24th November.  ALL WELCOME.  Meet 10.30am at Sainsbury’s Car Park.    *Guys in the Park event will be on Sunday 3rd November. *Local Garden Awards Evening – 8th November at the United Reformed Church.  Team will bring refreshments as usual – hall will be open from 6.45pm  *Halstead Road Runners will be holding a fund raising event on SATURDAY 16th NOVEMBER at Queen’s Hall.  Doors open at 7.30pm. Local Band MAIN  STREET will be playing. Tickets cost £10 including jacket potato with choice of filling.  Please support this event if you can.  *Christmas Tree Festival will be at St. Andrew’s Church on 30th November and 1st December.  HiB will have a tree – not sure what the decorations will be as yet!! *Christmas Fayre  will be on 30th November.  We will be outside Costa from 9am to 4pm.  *Annual Torchlight Procession will be on 4th December – volunteer marshalls please be at the Halstead TC gazebo from 6.30pm with high-viz jackets.  *Talk at West Bergholt-20th January 2020 8pm.  PowerPoint presentation to be re-vamped before then, Team to have a run-through in the New Year.  Annie to be involved – Margaret T gave apologies.  *Talk at Tollesbury 20th April 2020.  *HiB AGM for 2019 will be held on 20th March 2020 at the United Reformed Church. *HiB ‘Christmas’ meal will be at St. Andrew’s Hall on 14th February 2020.  Cost will be £21.00.  Menus to be circulated in the next few weeks.
ANGLIA  IN  BLOOM’19 Autumn Seminar is on Wednesday 6th November.  Meet at the Butler Road Car Park from 7.45 – the mini-bus will leave at 8am.  Cost is £15: pay on the coach.
RHS BRITAIN  IN  BLOOM ’19  . Chairman congratulated Graham on bringing home the Wise Ways with Water Award.  Graham has worked hard to make sure that Halstead does not use precious water resources but uses river water whereever possible – the RHS judges noted this.  Halstead was nominated in the Working with Young People discretionary award – only 4 nominations were made in this group.  The Judges commented on the excellent knowledge of the young people they met at Holy Trinity Gardening Club and the Guides Allotment and were pleased that, even during summer holiday, children were there to speak to them.  The Judges’ report was very positive and they noted that Halstead scored consistently high marks over all the judging criteria.  They said that it was very difficult to pick a ‘winner’ in this category as the top couple of towns scored very evenly.  Haddington (Scotland) was the eventual winner – Scotland did sweep the board a bit over all categories this year.  There were some areas where the judges felt improvements could be made, and these were noted.  Some of the team had looked at Haddington’s web site and noted that their portfolio was on the web site; maybe we could do the same another year?  All agreed that Halstead’s results were very good and something to be proud of.

WORKING  PARTIESFor all working parties meet at 2pm. on Town Bridge/Halstead Icing car park unless advised otherwise 2nd November will be plant sorting – meet at Gate House at 10.15am.  3rd November is planting day – meet on the Bridge at 10.15 for planting (those setting out please be there at 9am).  All other working parties will be planting – 7th November the tributes to fallen service men will be placed around WW1 memorial and WW11 memorial.  26th & 28th November will be decorating Christmas Tree in Holy Trinity Church.  Some work will need to be done on maintenance at the Doctor’s Surgery (to be arranged).  Artwork for the Surgery Garden should be available within the next couple of weeks.
CALENDAR  SELLING:  1st November: Thank you to all who sold to-day – 13 calendars were sold plus 23 packs of cards – and 1 mug!!.  8th November: 9-10 Chris and Joan. 10-11 Jenny and Iola. 11-12 Alan and Margaret T. 12-1 Ian and Margaret E.  9th November 9-10 Sue and Joan. 10-11 Annie and Mick. 11-12 Carol and Debra. 12-1 Alan and Nicky.  15th November  9-10 Linda and Pat. 10-11 Jean and Jenny. 11-12 Iola and David. 12-1 Ian and Margaret T.  16th November. 9-10 Carol and Sue. 10-11 Margaret C and Annie. 11-12 Alan and Chris. 12-1 Ian and Margaret E.  22nd November. 9-10 Joan and Sue. 10-11 Jenny and Margaret T. 11-12 Pat and Joyce.  12-1 Alan and Ian.  23rd November 9-10 Joan and Carol. 10-11 Margaret C and Linda 11-12 Annie and Mick 12-1 Margaret T and Fiona.  29th November (outside SOLAR) 9-10 Joan and Sue. 10-11 Jenny and Fiona. 11-12 Chris and Debra. 12-1 Ian and Margaret E. 30th November(Fayre). 9-10 Joan and Linda. 10-11 Debra and Sue. 11-12 Iola and Wendy (?) 12-1 Ian and Margaret E. 1-2 Alan and Joyce. 2-3 Nicky and Joan. 3-4 Graham and Julia.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:    *Discussions took place about a theme of Recycling for 2020. Annie has an idea for the Loom garden that all thought could work well. Annie gave some statistics about plastic: There are 8m pieces of plastic in the ocean – 19bn Lego bricks are made each year, etc. It was hoped that we can give some information about reduction of plastic use, re-use of plastic items and what can be recycled. Further plans to be made for the New Year.  Chris spoke about purple bags – it was suggested that perhaps BDC would consider putting a green bin somewhere for use by HiB for green waste only and this could then be collected for composting.  This idea will be explored.  Team noted that crisp packets can be recycled, but it isn’t known where this happens in Halstead.  All are keen to take the idea of theme of recycling further.  Margaret T thought that perhaps the Children’s Competition 2020 can be for making a Flower Pot Man, or other artwork made from recycled items.  *Margaret T noted that the Town Sign at Bluebridge had been moved – or broken?  *Theme for decorating Christmas Trees was discussed and it was thought that perhaps recycled items could be used. *Volunteers were urged to continue noting their hours of work.  *New logo for HiB was discussed – all to think on this theme, please!  *Joyce was keen to paint the street furniture at Pendle’s Court (outside WHSmith) but it is thought that the benches may have to be removed when remedial work is done to the surface under the tree. Joyce also said she would be visiting local shops to urge them to paint the exterior of their property.  Margaret T spoke about an idea for a Youth Workshop after Christmas to show how useful items can be made, how to be a successful litter picker or river cleaner.  Possibly a visit to the Air Ambulance at Earls Colne could be arranged and a Fun Day can be arranged.  Margaret T and Christine will discuss and bring to next meeting. *Margaret C had sent details of a musical evening at the United Reformed Church when the Bocking Brass Band will be entertaining.  Date is 21st December 7pm-9pm.  Margaret C also advised of entertainment at Holy Trinity Church on 3rd December – The Snow Queen producing will be at the Church from 7pm (for 7.30pm).

*Annie reminded the group that Suffolk Free Press has asked for a photo shoot on the Town Bridge on Tuesday 5th November at 2pm.  Please come if you can, bring high-viz vests and the certificates/trophies gained by Halstead this year will be there.  *Iola spoke about a Soup Lunch arranged by the Townswomen’s Guild on Thursday 7th November at 12pm at the United Reformed Church.  £5 for a bowl of soup and a bread roll.  There will also be a Bring & Buy stall.

 

.**********             There being no other business the meeting closed at  9.06  p.m.

 

Next team meeting on   Thursday 28th November   2019     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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