Attendees:
- Lee Webster (Chair)
- Helen Baker (Secretary)
- Mike Whitley
- Pete Buckle
- John Boyes
- Kellie Hawksworth
- Isabella Hawksworth
Updates on actions from last meeting and other updates.
Actions from last meeting
Planter sited with thanks to John and Paul for digging out, then to Ian as well for laying pavers. Plants tidied up by Vicki, Helen to continue to water. Helen commented that quite a lot of people have been stopping and looking at it as they walk by. Ian and Val had also donated a climbing plant to grow up the trellis.
Plaques are now in place on the wishing well for thanks and to name it.
Station Road bug house is complete and the large bug house at the Flaxmill Walk road end just needs some further logs for sides.
New updates
Finances. Lee ran through the group expenditure, explaining all costs to everyone and what was left (approx. £107) and what this was to be used for (remaining plaques mainly).
The Goole Times article with the donation handovers from Johnston and Jeff was discussed and shown to all.
Planting and bird house siting morning had been successful and all had enjoyed the community feel. Photos had been sent to the garden centre and Johnston and Jeff for them to share on their own social media too. Most of the bulbs had been put in at the Station Road end of the pond and all bird boxes (except the swift boxes) had been put up. Everyone was thanked for their hard work.
Helen had thought that it might be a nice gesture to ask the garden centre and J&J for banners that we could put up when we are working, just as extra advertising for them. Both have said they have banners we could use in the future when we are working as people often stop and look.
Lee and Helen advised that the aeration pump in the pond should hopefully soon be working as the Parish Council now had the part needed.
Also advised was the Parish Council Services Committee discussion around improvements to inclusive access around the pond. The Services Committee were to think about this but this was not an issue that the JPWG would have to do or spend their budget on. The Services Committee meeting had also discussed replacing the life preserver rings and this was to be discussed further by the Parish Council. Again, if this was agreed, it would not be the JPWG responsibility or cost.
Pete said he had historical water readings and had his phone with him. Pete said water was last tested July 2023 with oxygen quoted at 50-55(%)? and the person who tested the water had said “there are too many ducks, which is reducing your water quality”. Possible purchase of own testing kits discussed again, however group noted that we were not experts in these readings and whether this could cause an issue. Discussed that we could just test and pass on figures to the Clerk without giving any opinion or recommendations. John advised that the water quality figure should be displayed anyway, as some members of the public may know how to interpret that information.
The matter of a donation box in the wishing well was discussed and Lee and Helen said they proposed for any donations (probably only minimal amounts if any) to be given to the Wildlife Alliance that has attended several injured birds at the pond previously. Lee and Kellie said they were aware of some difficulties the charity was having so it would be checked if they were still operating first and if ok, Lee said he may be able to get some sort of donation sign from them to display.
The island had now been ordered and paid for and was being made, hopefully to be delivered and installed the following week. John was also getting a boat that could be used for pond work.
The old island had come loose again in the strong winds. It was discussed that this would be tied back into the far side edge of the pond as soon as John had access to the boat.
Lee and Helen discussed that they had been to Gilberdyke Garden Centre for a couple of meetings about further donations and involvement. GGC had initially stated that they could donate whatever we thought we might need for the site and also said for us to return to speak to their horticulturalist for some advice as that was an area we were lacking in as we didn’t know what to plant where and when etc. We were now waiting to hear back from them but they were currently busy with their “Christmas Build” prep.
Lee advised that the Environment Agency was donating 3 coir mats with vegetation already embedded to be placed into the perimeter edges of the pond. These should be arriving on 20th Sept and would help until reeds could be gained. The person that was originally providing reeds is ill in hospital so Lee had been in some talks with Marr Grange Fish Farm (aquatics/pond supplies) to get some reeds in the near future from there for the time being.
A bird feeder table had also been made, donated and put in place by a resident last Friday. Some concerns had been expressed by a few Parish Councillors that it may be in the way of the cables to the aeration pump. The JPWG could see no problem with it as it was not needing any building regulations, not breaking any Health and Safety rules and there was plenty of room to access the aeration pump cables if needed.
Lee and Helen had also met with Councillor Victoria Aitken on 4th Sept at the pond to highlight the work of the group and see if she could provide any advice/support re further funding or ideas. Cllr Aitken had visited the pond, had a look round and then put us in touch with someone else via email who may be able to help. She did advise that most grants and funding bids needed to be from registered charities so this may be difficult for us unless we went through the Parish Council. She had loved the pond though and thought we were all doing an excellent job. She asked to be kept updated.
Helen had also had a response from another Cllr Nigel Wilkinson, who was interested to come down to the pond and see us when we were next doing some work. Pete suggested that Cllr Linda Bayram was good to get in touch with.
Within the meeting, next year’s budget was brought up. Helen and Lee advised that we have to put forward proposals for what we would like to do next year with some estimated costings by November to try to secure a budget and asked if people had any ideas. A suggestion was possibly a solar fountain to help with water circulation (Pete said this would have to be agreed by the P.C. Mike and Helen disagreed) and general maintenance and plant growth monitoring were the only things that were suggested by the group at the time, as we had managed to get such a lot done this year. Discussed that it would also depend on what further donations we received from the garden centre. If we didn’t get everything we were hoping for there would be more to purchase eg archway with planters going into large bug house area and possible archway over the large stone near the bench by the wishing well. Helen suggested an interpretation board would be nice showing what wildlife was in the area and some of the history, which are quite expensive as a singular item.
Helen advised and showed photos of a red admiral butterfly and an unusual looking forest bug (after googling what it was) that had been seen in the far corner near to the large bug house last weekend when planting more bulbs. Also advised about the scarecrow festival in aid of the Youth Project on Saturday and there would be a couple of scarecrows around the pond area (Helen was making these.)
Date of next meeting
Agreed that we did not need another meeting anytime soon due to tasks being completed and further small jobs that could be completed with direct contact with one another. Also to minimise budget costs. Helen advised that she had checked room availability for end October or the beginning of November and the room was available on Tuesday 14th November. Proposals for next year’s budget would need to be discussed then so it was agreed to go for that date.
Actions
- Lee to speak to the Wildlife Alliance to see if the charity is still operational and if any signage for donation pot on wishing well.
- Await logo confirmation for plaque from garden centre then Helen to order. Once received, plaque to be placed on planter.
- Possible purchase of water testing kits for own information.
- Await further contact from Garden Centre re donations.
- Helen to order further plaques for J&J and bird feeder table.
- Helen to contact Cllr Linda Bayram.
- Await delivery and installation of new island.
- All to think of possible ideas for proposals for the following year to be put forward to Parish Council with estimates for costs for a potential further budget.
