October 2023

Friends of Carpenters Wood (FOCW)

AGM

Monday 9th October 2023, 2pm

at

Whitegates, Shire Lane, Chorleywood, WD3 5NT

Present: Barbara Green (BG) (Chair), Sue Hall (SH) (Minutes), Malcolm Green (MG), Dorothy Freedman (DF), Shamoon Karimjee (SK), Claire Casey (CC), Stephen Hall (SH), Robin Hurley(RH), Jess Hodges (JH) (Community Diversity Officer TRDC)

  1. Apologies: Andrew York, Stephen Ramsey
  • Matters Arising: from last minutes 13.03.23:

Footpath Signs at Whitelands entrance and Barrell arch entrance – These are still awaiting Herts Highways action ie. ‘under review by engineers’. Ref numbers are 401002702130 and 401002702132 respectively.

Broken Disc Markers – JH will raise this matter with TRCD and will feed back by 13.10.23.  It was agreed that FOCW would source and install these unless we hear otherwise from TRDC.  Action JH

  • Viability of the Friends Group

We have recently lost 3 members of the group and Saturday mornings are poorly attended.   DF put forward to cancel these sessions but to have meetings on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, commencing in November 2023.  Agreed

Other ideas were suggested to increase local interest in the group.  These are some of the actions, with follow-ups.  The aim is to recruit 10 new members.

  • JH suggested that TRDC Communications Team might be interested in making a video of our working party to put on their website.  Action JH
  • JH will try and get a PDF of our CMS Leaflet sent through to RH for ease of printing. These can then be corrected (the website info is incorrect) and distributed.  Action JH
  • Tim Venner kindly printed off 200 flyers to be distributed with our CMS Leaflet (with the website details altered by hand).  These were distributed amongst the Group and specific roads allocated.
  • MG suggested more flyers to be printed and then distributed by Group.  200 more are currently being printed.
  • BG to contact Parish Council.  This was done and our Flyer is going on the Parish noticeboards and on their website.
  • SH to contact Chorleywood News magazine.  Contact has been made with one of the journalists and BG has sent a detailed email with more info about the Friends Group.  Response awaited.
  • SK to put up Leaflet and Flyer in library
  • CC to explore ‘social prescribing’ at local surgeries.  FOCW could be one of the volunteer groups used by patients needing ‘outdoor activity’.
  • MG to investigate PhilipsHill Wood Friends Group.
  • MG to contact U3A to see if our Flyer can go in their newsletter.
  • CC to put Flyer in Chorleywood Golf Club.

Roads covered by distribution: Farm Rd, St Peters Way, Carpenters Wood Drive, Blacketts Wood Drive, Whitelands Avenue.

It was agreed that if there is no substantial increase in members by March 2024 then Group may have to be disbanded.  To be reviewed at our March meeting.

  • Interim Green Action Plan 2023/24

No interim plan received for 2023/24 prior to the Plan proper which should come into force in April 2024.   Action JH to feed back to BG

Julie Rees (TRDC) recently emailed to say there are 3 new benches ear-marked in the New Plan.

  • Treasurer’s report 

We have a healthy balance of £833.

  • Report on Progress
  1. Work covered since March 2023
  1. All benches sanded and wood preserved
  2. Paths cleared
  3. Birch saplings and bramble removed from ‘nursery glade’ in Hillas.
  • Tool review
  1. 2nd Battery to be purchased as it appears to last just under 30 mins before out of charge.  Action MG

JH to ask Julie Rees (TRDC) about this and whether there is a problem with the brush cutter Action JH

  1. New saw guards needed.  Action MG
  2.  First Aid course – JH to find out about next course.  Action JH
  • Volunteer work plan for Autumn/Winter
  1. Revisit holly, laurel and boundary paths
  2. Bird boxes to be checked and cleared in November

Action SH & MG

  1. Check tree saplings (new planting)
  2. Julie Rees (TRDC) said help would be provided for removal of big brash after the  tree felling – Upper Hillas.   Action JH?
  3. Hedges along the farm track – do they need to be layered or cut?

Action JH

  • Web-site Update

DF      Up to date pictures have been added, plus sessions amended from Saturday /Thursday to 1st and 3rd Thursdays from November 2023.

  • Table for Quiz Night

This has been changed from 18th November 2023 to 23rd March 2024.

  1. A.O.B.

The petrol-powered brush cutter is being considered for sale but needs repairs beforehand.  Action MG

  1.   Date of next meeting

Monday March 11th, 2024 at 2pm

Note:  Safety Guidelines drawn up by DF will be distributed shortly.