Meeting 4

FRIENDS OF ORCHARD WALK

MINUTES OF MEETING

SATURDAY 25.01.25

5 ORCHARD COTTAGES

Attendees

Will Wilson – Chair

Charles Cotton – Treasurer

Helen Brennan – Secretary

Paul Concannon

Hilary Insall

Agenda

1.   Update on progress – Bank account and new funding

2.   Review all current projects/initiatives for possible addition to a tracking sheet.

3.   Launch of new website and communication strategy.

4.   How we invite new members

5.   Communication with Network Rail

6.   Next stage of submission for funds

7.   Discuss approach/timeline for obtaining support/funding from local businesses

8.   Incident reporting to the police

9.   Costings for the mural

10. AOB

Minutes

1. Will reported Anne Owen’s communication re some unexpected cash available from the council which is the tail-end of council funding for the year. This required a bank account to be set up. Unfortunately, Metro Bank refused our application. We hope that this money can still be ring-fenced for us while Charles and Will continue to find a bank willing to take on a community group. Action Charles/Will
2. Paul will set up a tracking sheet on the shared drive
3. Paul has launched the website. All minutes will be posted there. Helen will communicate with the neighbours to guide them to the website so they can update themselves on the latest news. 
4. We agreed some new members would be invited who may have an interest in improving the environment in Orchard Walk. Helen will contact Neil Davies at 5 Clifton Road, adjacent to Orchard Walk and Hilary will contact the people she knows in Aldous Court. 
5. Helen has contacted Network Rail via the website ‘report an incident’ to complain about the fly-tipping, littering and poorly maintained fence. We agreed that the littering problem / poorly maintained fence was high priority and that as many as possible of us should complain on the website.
6. Will will review what is required  for the next stage of the submission for funds (which can be applied for and if successful are released annually in the summer) and we will tackle this at the next meeting.
7. Will offered to contact both Lidl and Big Yellow Storage for support.
8. We agreed that in order to get action from the various agencies we collectively need to ensure we report all incidents that we witness eg drug-taking/dealing . Paul will put as many useful links as possible on the website   
9. Mural – we discussed the various options for a mural: painting vs mosaic/ a Victorian-    style tiled tunnel . There was concern that a mural might look too much like graffiti.It was generally agreed that a cctv camera is much higher on our priority list although this will need a concerted campaign. 
10. AOB. There is an opportunity for committee members to have an Orchard Walk email address to keep committee business separate from personal.
11. We decided we should just get on with the ‘garden’.  Helen is happy to lead this project in the Spring to brighten up the scruffy patch of land at the end of the cottages. If necessary those who feel able will contribute to it ourselves.