Minutes of FLAG AGM January 28th 2025 at 7.45pm, St Michael’s Parish Centre
Absent Friends - we need to report that Dick Field (33W) died recently. Dick's funeral will take place on Friday 14th February at 11.30am at Hemel Hempstead Crematorium, Bedmond Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP3 8LL. All welcome.
Apologies - Liz Leicester (31W), Ally (Alison) Turnbull (39W), Anne MacDonald (8W) Julia Wallace (9W).
Present – Bob Grover (57), Richard Cloutman (32), Nigel Gale (5W), Tim Leicester (31W), Ann Rogers and Nick Lemon (15W), Barry Cropper (35E), Brian Songhurst (21N), Guy Marshall (16), Ron Askew (49S), Kevin Withers (27), Joe Mellen (36A).
Agenda
Last AGM minutes
Membership and Treasurer report (below), full accounts attached
Committee report (below)
Site Steward (NG)
Election of Officers Chair – Bob has given up his plot so must stand down. Elect new Chair .
Elect Others. Current members are willing to continue. (Richard Cloutman Treasurer and Membership, Nigel Gale Site Steward, Tim Leicester STAKE and Council Liaison, Brian Songhurst Tool Maintenance and Compost bins, Liz Leicester Wildlife, Malcolm Hull Hedging).
Reports circulated prior to the Meeting:
Membership and Treasurer’s report.
The accounts spreadsheet is attached for circulation plus the revised constitution/rules which include role descriptions.
This year has seen our highest level of membership for the second year running. At the end of 2024 we had 78 fully paid-up members occupying 83 plots compared to 78 members, and 86 plots for 2023. Two new plot holders started during the autumn so their first year of membership will extend until December 2025.
A healthy balance of £1,141 was carried over from the previous year. Major items of expenditure have been, as usual, our insurance policy and NAS membership fee. Unfortunately the fees charged by our website hosting company increased significantly, from £50.40 in 2023 to £108 in 2024. Our bank account also includes an RHS grant of £175 which was received in 2023 but all spent during 2024.
A professional standard mower was purchased second-hand (for £250) for members to use. An old mower was sold (for £60). Our recent purchases of better, more reliable equipment has meant that equipment repairs, and hence costs, have been kept to a minimum during the year. Premixed fuel for the two-stroke machines has been a new expense but has helped keep maintenance down so the continued purchase of this type of fuel is considered worthwhile.
The year ended with £944 in the kitty.
Committee report on 2024 activities.
Thanks for everybody’s efforts to make the site a better place to spend your time. The committee can coordinate things but it only works with your contributions and support.
Site Steward Support This is how we show potential plotholders around and help them settle in. Currently Nigel and Tim do this. The site stewards should know what is going on around the site, who has what sort of problems or issues. This is a shared role, more people please!
Insurance (NG, RC) We believe we do not get value from our current policy, we propose to rely on the individual insurance we get from our individual NSALG memberships to provide (minimal) cover. Nigel’s summary of this is at the end of this email, for discussion.
Hedging. Malcolm has made a long-term plan to improve the hedges around the site for the benefit of wildlife and our security. Malcolm and Nigel have run three working parties so far with the next scheduled for Sat 15th February 10 am. The Russian Vine by the garage gate has been removed, the Hazel hedge along the Oysterfields boundary pollarded and the Blackthorn hedge in the Starling area re profiled. The next task will resume work on the Oysterfields Hazel hedge so come along and look out for more free poles and firewood.
The communal compost heaps continued to be well used, both for depositing green waste and taking well-rotted compost. As always a big “thank you” to Jim and his mini digger and to Richard, Brian and Tim for keeping an eye on all the heaps.
We had a Barbecue. We had two Bonfires (only for non- compostable wood though). We are trying to reduce bonfires by diverting material as much as we can to dead hedges etc.
Ann organised another purchase and delivery of bagged compost from Ayletts.
Tools. Brian maintained, repaired and rebuilt our various petrol tools (and sold off some old ones). He has improved the safety/operating instructions for our tools. We have to insist that you accept you use them at your own risk!
Food bank. We delivered trays of surplus produce every week for six months. Katherine Rathouse is taking over the rota hosting.
Tim has hosted monthly Site Tea And Knowledge Sharing sessions (STAKE) and summarised the conclusions via WhatsApp and the website. For 2025 Tim will send a monthly prompt list of allotment tasks for plot holders to think about doing.
Tim managed an Open day in 2024 as part of the St Albans Sust fest that seemed to be well enjoyed by all who came.
Rewilding, Biodiversity and Bioblitz days. We built and put up several bird- and bat-boxes. Liz organised special visits by Nature professionals to help us assess what lives on site already and what we might do more. Our pond is settling down and developing its own denizens..
Insights:
New Members: The group saw a significant influx of new members, with 68 people joining in 2024.
Engagement: Tim Leicester was the most active member, contributing significantly to discussions and activities.
Common Topics: Planting was the most discussed topic, reflecting the group's primary focus on gardening and cultivation.
Community Spirit: The group demonstrated strong community engagement, with members frequently sharing advice, resources, and support.
Engagement Peaks: The highest engagement was in May, with 306 messages. This is the peak planting season and the need for more communication and coordination among members.
Active Members: The top 10 most active members contributed significantly to the discussions, indicating a core group of highly engaged members.
Diverse Topics: While planting was the most common topic, there was also significant discussion around tools, pests, weather, and harvesting, reflecting the diverse interests and needs of the group.
Challenges: Slugs and weather were the most frequently mentioned challenges, highlighting common issues faced by the members. Theft, although less frequent, was also a notable concern.
Additional Insights:
Engagement by Month:
January: 44 messages
February: 14 messages
March: 173 messages
April: 182 messages
May: 306 messages
June: 156 messages
July: 114 messages
August: 130 messages
September: 84 messages
October: 90 messages
November: 68 messages
December: 34 messages
Detailed User Engagement:
Tim Leicester: 160 messages
Brian Songhurst: 99 messages
Liz Leicester Flag: 89 messages
Richard Cloutman: 77 messages
Juliett: 57 messages
~ Sal: 54 messages
~ Jonathan: 50 messages
~ Chrismoss: 49 messages
~ Liz: 43 messages
~ Nigel: 43 messages
Detailed Topics Breakdown:
Planting: 62 mentions
Tools: 23 mentions
Pests: 23 mentions
Weather: 17 mentions
Harvesting: 13 mentions
Detailed Challenges Breakdown:
Slugs: 20 mentions
Weather: 17 mentions
Theft: 6 mentions
Introduction – Generally the site is in good condition, lots of good things were done over the year, despite the less than ideal growing conditions.
Many thanks to everybody who contributed to the efforts to keep the site looking good for our collective benefit.
Everybody had read the reports and notes sent out before the AGM. No matters arising.
Elections – Chair. Office vacant because Bob Grover has given up his plot. Kevin Withers has offered to take this on; proposed by Brian, seconded by Ann, duly elected.
Site Steward - Nigel intends to step back and is recruiting and training replacements.
Other officers and members all happy to serve again.
Insurance. The Committee thinks we do not get value from the Chris Kmott policy which is in addition to the NSALG insurance that comes as part of FLAG subscription. After discussion the meeting agreed to stop buying the separate insurance, it has just run out. Nigel, Joe, Kevin and Richard will produce and publish revised text to clarify further the status of activities on site vis a vis insurance.
FLAG Constitution. Nigel has brought this up to date, the committee will finalise the proposed text. No objections to the revision.
Proposed Activities in 2025 – we have several people who will lead Work Parties.
Site Steward and deputies. Club house maintenance – Nigel has identified several tasks, will do a WP when better weather. Help new plotholders in their early days.
Hedging and site boundary maintenance. Malcolm will continue his plans with WPs. Next one is scheduled for Saturday Feb 15th.
Wildlife and Wildjam (multi-site group across St Albans). Liz needs help to install batboxes. A second collective pond would help insects etc.
Socialising and Sharing – STAKE meetings. These have been well liked and informative. For 2025 Tim will do monthly/occasional reminders of things-to-do. More STAKE sessions if people are interested.
WhatsApp. Ally has shown how widely this has been used to share current ideas etc. This will keep going for short-term info, jobs etc.
Other ideas – BBQ informal low key social events, perhaps try some Friday evenings? FLAG has our own charcoal grill.
Requests for spending money and general improvements.
Garage end access is a quagmire at the moment. Can we make a better surface?
Kevin to discuss/price with Jim what he could do with the digger and his contacts for material.
Tim will ask Phil Bruce-Green if the council has any funding.
We have a dim memory that the car parking spaces just inside Oysterfields that were built along with the new steps and fences were intended for Allotment use? Tim – PBG.
Metal collection. Brian will organise a new bin for metal bits on the left of the garage end drive in, then a collection day (?May).
Brian will try to find a stronger trailer and two or three water-tap tanks.
Generator – does anyone have a 13amp generator that FLAG could acquire?
Thanks for all the constructive ideas and discussions.
Onwards and Upwards!
Personal Note from retiring Chair Bob: Thanks for all your support and friendship over the many years I have been chair, and for the wine presentation at the AGM.
ENDS
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