Present
Andrew Brennand (Chair), Hilary Short, Ian Diffenthal, Ian Procter, Jane Parker, Lynne Wigginton, Mark Tanner, Mick Short, Mike Stevens, Sharon Diffenthal, Sue Nieduszynska
1. Apologies
Geoff Oliver, Sue Pope
2. Minutes from the last meeting
- These were agreed
3. Matters Arising
- LGGS and Local Nature Reserve status – letter sent to Chair of Governors
- Spending of the legacy was raised at the AGM. Ian P thinks he may have a new contact who might be able to progress the purchase of a new field.
- The room at the AGM was discussed and it was agreed that next time we should lay it out differently, have better lighting and have the accounts printed for people to read. A lot of the problems were due to the fact the Storey changed our room allocation at the last minute.
4. Treasurer’s Report
Bank balance
| Date | Account | Amount (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 14.07.25 | Co-op | 62,670 |
| 14.07.25 | Skipton | 85,000 |
| 14.07.25 | Total: 147,670 | |
| 21.10.25 | Co-op | 64,515 |
| 21.10.25 | Skipton | 85,000 |
| 21.10.25 | Total: 149,515 |
Notes
This includes the legacy of £54,760 received in 2023.
Funds
Restricted
First Trenitalia £6995 (Cycle Hub)
Duchy £600 (Benches)
Total: £7595
General
£141,920
Balance
£149,515
Significant Income
- Triangle Fair £762
- Skiddle sponsorship for Festival £250
Significant Expenditure
- Newsletter £312.50
- Raised a PO for Cycle Hub £8922
- Jane has completed the work on the annual cost to run the Association. Over 5 years the average cost was £10,596 and over 3 years it was £10,499. It seems fair to say for fund raising purposes that our annual costs are circa £10,500.
5. FFOG
- We haven’t started winter bird feeding yet as we haven’t succeeded in filling the rota. Need for another two volunteers to take care of the bird feeding station – Ian D and Sharon D volunteered at the end of the meeting.
- Hedge laying has started along the Flora Field, Pony Wood extension boundary.
- Rebekah Keyes has obtained a Tree Council grant of around £850 for saplings to be planted along the eastern boundary of West Field. This will create a wider hedge with a wavy profile. Congratulations to Rebekah on her first successful funding application.
- Bullocks have been sold giving a herd size of 10, all heifers.
- At a meeting with Eden Project Morecambe, we were asked for design input on a small community garden. Ian P and Sue N suggested a hedge.
6. Playground
- Lynne Wigginton came to tell us about her suggestion to install a Little Free Library (https://littlefreelibrary.org/ ) at the playground. Andrew will liaise with her.
- A new sign-language board has been purchased and will be installed by Andrew and Mike.
- The City Council has sent a proposed draft of the new lease. This is essentially the same as the previous one with new provisions about maintenance being conducted by the Council at the cost of the Association. The Council recommend we take legal advice on the draft and the Trustees will discuss this further in November.
- The annual safety report has been issued and the Council has already completed the work at no cost to us since they had spare parts in stock. There were no significant problems reported except rotting benches and a lot of missing bolt caps.
- Agreed to go ahead with replacing all nine benches in the play area. There is a grant contribution of £3300 towards this but most of the money will need to come from FA funds. However, Woodscape will refurbish and install the Cromwell Road noticeboard as part of the deal. The LWT will install the benches, which will save us a significant sum of money.
- In order to prevent the rotting of the new benches it was agreed that the volunteers should include regular weeding of the area around the nine benches and wooden fencing.
- In the light of this significant expenditure it was agreed that the FA estate comes with significant expenses for upkeep. It was agreed that the trustees would discuss the issue of financial planning over a ten and twenty year timeframe so we can plan for future recurrent expenses.
- New bins have not yet been delivered or installed. This is something we need to track.
7. The Triangle
- The Summer Fair was very successful and raised £762. Our thanks to all involved.
8. Website, Facebook, Instagram and Newsletter
- Following a meeting with Lancaster Green Spaces, Mark has helped a number of local green spaces set up their own iNaturalist projects including Greaves Park, The Storey Gardens and Aldcliffe Road. There is also a Lancaster Green Spaces iNaturalist project that will act as an ‘umbrella’ for different groups in the area. So far there are six projects involved.
- Posters promoting the Fairfield iNaturalist project are now up on the notice boards in the play area and the Orchard.
- Suggestion that FFOG could look into the benefits of using bioacoustic monitoring, specifically the British Trust for Ornithology’s free acoustic pipeline, for identifying birds, bats and other wildlife from sound recordings.
9. Education
- Two schools (Dallas Rd and Morecambe Bay Primary) have been invited to a day of activities on Monday 24 November run by Dan Morris and assisted by Andrew. We agreed to subsidise the coach travel for the Morecmabe school.
10. Fundraising update
- Lucy Brook redevelopment – Elizabeth Morgan suggested funding from LEF is likely.
- Footpath repairs – we have estimates of £3500 – £4000 (repairing a number of small areas) and £18,000 – £25,000 for a complete refurbishment. The committee recommended a complete refurbishment on the assumption it would come with a guarantee and a grant or other form of fundraising would be in place.
- QR code project – on hold
- Fairfield Cycle Hub – Mike is ordering a second pod.
- Oral history – ongoing
11. Events
- Apple Day was cancelled due to bad weather. The meeting expressed their thanks to Veronica and Pavlos for all the effort they put into arranging it.
- Carol singing was confirmed for its usual Christmas Eve slot. Duncan and Liz will lead the music as last year.
- No Wassailing in January, but we hope it will make a return in the future.
12. AOB
- None
13. Date of next meeting
- The next meeting will take place at 7:30 pm on Tuesday 18 November 2025 at the Tite & Locke