Notes Weds 30th Sept 2020

Notes of meeting of HARTINGTON COMMUNITY GROUP Weds 30 Sept 2020

CHAIR- Liz Broomhead MBE       01298687263        liz@broomhead.net

SECRETARY- Liz Hitch

TREASURER- Leon Goodwin

Present: Liz Broomhead, Liz Hitch, Malcolm Hawton, Leon Goodwin, Kath Williamson, Janet Bray, Sarah Lacey, John Grosvenor, Keith Quine, Al Quine, Adie Crowe, Cat Webley, Sophia Webley, Stuart Hitch

Apologies: Lesley Birch, Richard Gregory, Dorothy Hawton, Sue Bruce, John Dean, June Dean, Lucy Annat, Mary Goodwin, Helen Debes

Liz Broomhead gave a welcome to the meeting and reminded all of the covid regulations to wear a mask, use sanitiser, keep social distance and complete the track and trace list of attendees.

  1. Notes of meeting -12.2.20- LH

Notes of the meeting held 12 Feb 2020 were accepted.

  • Matters arising not on the agenda- LH
  • Advert in N&V for small grants postponed due to covid ACTION Liz B to put advert in next N&V
  • Letter of thanks to Sarah Bates & Anna Wardle – completed
  • Chat to Reg re oral histories – postponed (Lucy)
  • Well dressing accounts – Lucy had sent an email (appended below) – meeting supported suggestion to transfer well dressing finances into HCG funds, to be kept as a separate heading.  Action- Lucy to liaise with Leon.
  • Summary of accounts

Leon talked to the summary of accounts (attached with agenda) from 1.1.20 to 1.9.20.  The balance is healthy and stands at £2652.55.  

  • Grant Applications

There ha d been two applications since the last meeting in February, both agreed by email with HCG members:  £150 for village hall disposable cups and plates and £150 for village hall displays.

Additional item – School, Hallowe’en & wildflower gardens – Cat Webley

  • Cat, in her capacity as school governor, explained that the school is looking for new families to join and for more governors. She asked how they could increase publicity for the school.  Digital Hartington wish to support and asked that messages be sent from school for publicising on the village website and facebook  ie the school needs to ‘own’ the messages.  The next governors’ newsletter comes out for October half term and could be circulated digitally.  The school can also advertise in N&V.
  • Cat raised a suggestion that had been made to her, to develop a village pumpkin trail for Hallowe’en for the younger children to follow around the village, with their parents.  She explained that it was not a trick and treat and there would be no knocking on doors. This was supported by HCG.  Action – Cat will Investigate further and liaise with Digital Hartington.
  • Cat would like to promote more wildflowers in the village.  Action –   Liz B will take the idea to PC to consider potential areas.
  • Village Hall update
  • Keith reminded HCG of the Village Hall of the forthcoming AGM, Weds 14th October, 6pm when the annual report will be presented. Much work has been done, most notably the new roof including insulation and a new tongue and groove ceiling, costing £44,800, which should see a reduction in heating costs.  Keith thanked the HCG for the monies from the JBS Diaries.  There is very little left in the account and the boiler is in desperate need of replacement.  Covid19 has had a major impact on finances and some difficult decisions will need to be made moving forward but they are looking forward to the time when we can allow large groups and mixing in the village hall.  Keith thanked Kath Williamson, Fiona Parsons and Liz Broomhead for all their hard work.
  • Liz B gave a vote of thanks to Keith on behalf of HCG for all his hours of hard work.
  • News and Views- LB

Liz B reported:

  • N&V is financially sound and bringing in some income
  • The new format is going well especially the front page article
  • The change of bi monthly dates due to Covid has been helpful ie now Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec.

Malcolm asked how many copies were produced each time: total 600: 200 for Earl Sterndale, 180 each for Biggin and Hartington, the remainder posted, popped in shops and delivered to outlying farms. In addition, Liz B emails around 40 copies.

  • Rural Social Group

Keith reported that there have been two meetings held since lockdown which have been very well received.  A second Pilates group has developed from RSG and will start Weds 7th Oct.  The next RSG is 27th Oct with Gary Spendelow, an inspirational speaker who is chair of the Derby Royal Hospital organ donation Unit.  Liz B thanked Adie for the sound system which has made a great difference.

  • Digital Hartington
  • Stuart reported that meetings have been largely on hold since covid.  The next meeting is Monday 5th October, held virtually. The Hartington Virtual Open Gardens was very well received with nearly 60 different gardens featuring over 100 days of lockdown.  Leon and Malcolm have trialled live feeds from Well Dressing and RSG respectively.  Adie and Malcolm are completing their training with Rural Action Derbyshire.  The website is being updated regularly – please continue to send items to digitalteam@hartingtonvillage.com  Look out for Hallowe’en (tbc) and Advent Windows.
  • Leon updated the meeting on numbers using the website from April 2020 to present compared to similar period last year. On average all stats are up by 35%. The busiest time was during Virtual Open Gardens.  The Hartington community group facebook page has 353 active members, up 10% in the last 60 days.
  • Stuart reported that the top hits on the website are for Devonshire Arms and the Farm Shop followed by other businesses, indicating it is used lots beyond the village.  However the Facebook pages are far more used by villagers rather than tourists.
  • Liz B thanked Stuart for all his work on the virtual open gardens.
  • Hartington Sings

Liz H reported that Hartington Sings started very well again on Weds 26th Feb but had to close after 3 sessions due to covid.  There was a charge for the 9 sessions of £10 total per person (£5 children) which raised £195 of which £90 was paid to village hall for hire.  Therefore 6 sessions are ‘banked’ with the village hall for future use and £105 is in hand to pay for music etc.  Liz has yet to make a final decision about re-starting after October half term (as planned) but it is very unlikely.  She will contact members once a decision has been finalised.

  1. Remembrance

Sarah reported that this will be an item for the PCC tomorrow evening. It is looking likely that there will be an outdoor service (thanks to the PC for confirming the road closure) with no indoor church service.

  1. Christmas 2020
  2. Stuart explained that Advent Windows will follow the same pattern as last year.  An advert will go in N&V for Nov with a deadline for applications of 5pm on Sunday 8th November. Theme: Christmas in the Countryside
  3. Liz B explained that lantern making is in hand, possibly with a booking system with regard to covid. Helen Debes is leading on this, liaising with Liz B
  4. The lantern parade is tbc
  5. Liz B explained that the PC has committed to providing the Christmas Tree with a light up date tbc at PC meeting on 7th October.
  6. Church services – Sarah is awaiting confirmation at PCC tomorrow; expecting carol service at 6.30pm on 20th December, midnight mass on 24th and 9.30am service on Christmas Day.
  1. Open Gardens 2021

John G has kindly agreed to lead on this again (last one was 2018). The monies raised will go towards the village hall boiler.  He has been investigating dates towards the middle/end of June and suggested 26/27 June 2021 as the previous weekend is Fathers’ Day.  This was agreed.  It will be a two day event this time.  There are still no dates published on the Open Gardens national website so John will put the date of 26/27 June up for Hartington.  Action – Liz B to add parking for the event to PC agenda

  1. AOB
  2. Liz H thanked John G for organising the wishing well bucket on the village green
  3. Liz H reported correspondence from the school thanking HCG for £320 from Christmas 2019 activities and £500 for the seating ‘reflective area’.
  4. Stuart thanked John G for clearing the Stanner
  5. Malcolm thanked Janet B for her work on sorting books etc in the village hall ready for the weekly book swap on Tuesdays between 11am and midday.
  1. Date of Next Meeting – Weds 10th February 2021 at 6pm

Appendix

Email suggestion from Lucy re well dressing account 30.9 20 (matters arising)

As Jane and Roland are I think, the only signatory’s, if anything should happen and they were unable to sign, the bank account would be frozen and inaccessible.  My suggestion is to move the funds into a special ring-fenced account within Hartington Community Group.   Any monies within the Well Dressing section, either for purchases of clay or donations to charities would be at the discretion of Jane and Lucy or other members of the well dressing committee. 

The way to achieve this is to simply make a cheque for the entire existing funds to Hartington Community Group. Funds in the bank at present total £197.33 and with these paid out the account can close. We would simply write to the bank to inform them to close the account.  In addition the recent well donations raised a further £163.33. That cash (mostly in coinage) could be also transferred to the Community Group Well Dressing Account in cash, prior to making a donation to charities. That would give a grand total of £360.66 to go into the Well Dressing ring-fenced account. I will hand over the cash to the Treasurer once Jane has agreed.

We told the public the monies would go towards the £40,000 bill for the village Hall Roof but I know Jane was in favour of the Air Ambulance so I will have to finally discuss this with her. My suggestion is keep £200 in the account for future clay purchases etc. That would leave £160.66 pounds to Charity.