No. 43 - January 2002 edition
In this Issue:
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all M.V.C.G. members and friends! Not a very original start to a January Newsletter, I know, but sincerely meant for all that. In fact, there's quite a bit in this Newsletter which looks a lot like the January 2001 Newsletter. Inevitable, really, since many of our activities do follow an annual cycle - not least the Annual General Meeting which you can read about on page 2.
We try to do three things at our A.G.M.s. One is to report back to members what we have been doing over the year, especially those things which didn't appear in the Newsletter. Secondly, we try to have a speaker who can talk to us about a special subject, not at length as at a 'normal' meeting, but in a condensed, thought-provoking way. This year you can have your say on the future of Manor Woods. Last, and certainly not least, we celebrate M.V.C.G.'s birthday with some modest refreshments and build on the very agreeable social side which is a feature of all M.V.C.G. meetings.
Another time-honoured tradition at this time of year is to draw your attention to the membership renewal form. M.V.C.G. membership runs on a calendar year basis, so you will find enclosed the renewal slip unless (a) you are one of the individuals or groups to whom we are delighted to send a complimentary copy of the Newsletter, or (b) you joined after last September, in which case your membership runs through to the end of 2002.
Last time we enclosed with the Newsletter a flyer about the Dundry Hill Group. That included notice of the meeting at Dundry Village Hall on 21 February. That notice, with more details, is repeated on page 6. I urge all M.V.C.G. members to support D.H.G. and come to the meeting if you possibly can.
ANDRÉ COUTANCHE
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND BIRTHDAY PARTY
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of Malago Valley Conservation Group will be held on Tuesday 19 February at St Peter's Rooms, Church Road, Bishopsworth, starting at 7.30pm. The Officers and Committee members retire each year but are eligible for re-election. The names of the current Officers and Committee members appear on the back page.
According to the M.V.C.G. constitution, nominations for either Officers or Committee members should be made in writing at least 14 days before the A.G.M. They must be supported by a seconder and the consent of the nominee must first have been obtained. Nominations can be made to the Hon. Secretary, Lis Pibworth, at 9 Cowler Walk, Withywood, BS13 9AY or to the Chairman, André Coutanche, at 14 Queens Road, Bishopsworth, BS13 8LB (phone numbers on back page).
However, anyone thinking of volunteering to join the Committee should not be put off by these formal requirements. If you think you may be interested, please contact any existing Committee member for an informal chat. New members are always welcome!
The formal A.G.M. business will include a report-back to members on the year's events, and this will be followed by our Guest Speaker, who this year is WARREN DOE, who is in the Forestry Section of Bristol City Council. He will talk to us about the Management Plan which is being drawn up for Manor Woods. The Council will soon be publishing the management plans for Manor Woods and other areas and inviting comments; this is an opportunity to put in your ideas and help shape the future of our most important open space.
We will finish with wine/orange juice and cheese/other nibbles to celebrate our birthday. All members and friends of M.V.C.G. are invited to come to our birthday party.
LIS PIBWORTH
Hon.
Secretary
HERE ARE THE ACCOUNTS which will be presented to the A.G.M. on 19 February. If you have any queries or comments on the accounts and cannot be at the A.G.M., please contact me on 964 5780 or e-mail beryl.danny.heaton@talk21.com.
Income | £ | Expenditure | £ | |
Membership | 274.00 | Postage & stationery | 11.00 | |
Functions Income | 88.18 | Refeshments | 20.75 | |
Refreshments | 14.00 | Hall Hire | 140.00 | |
Other Income | 243.10 | Printing | 78.00 | |
Bank interest | 1.49 | Speakers fees/donations/expenses | 57.00 | |
Christmas meeting | 21.18 | |||
Other Expenditure | 198.40 | |||
Total | 620.77 | Total | 526.33 |
£ | |
Excess of Income over Expenditure | 94.44 |
Brought forward from 2000 | 778.77 |
Balance carried forward to 2002 | 873.21 |
Made up of: | |
Cash in Hand | 9.29 |
Bank Account | 863.92 |
Detail of Functions Income | £ | Detail of Other Expenditure | £ | |
Coffee Day | 72.65 | Bulbs | 160.00 | |
Christmas meeting | 15.00 | Tree tie etc. | 7.50 | |
Finds | 0.53 | Eco House visit | 22.50 | |
88.18 | Recycling bin | 6.00 | ||
Photographic archives | 2.40 | |||
198.40 |
Detail of Other Income | £ | |||
Donations | 25.00 | |||
Sale of scrap metal | 56.70 | |||
Sale of aluminium cans | 129.90 | |||
Sale of My Manor Woods Book | 25.50 | |||
Recycling bin | 6.00 | |||
243.10 | 115.93 |
BERYL HEATON
Hon. Treasurer
THE FESTIVE SEASON was put in motion for members attending the Christmas meeting on Tuesday December 18th. We were welcomed with a glass of mulled wine and then asked to take part in a quiz which tested our knowledge of flower names. This we were able to do in our own time whilst waiting for everyone to arrive. The winner was Beryl Chappell.
Later we played a game where we were each given one half of a recycled Christmas card and asked to find the matching half which was in a pile on the table. Organised chaos ensued whilst members elbowed and jostled around the table trying to find their particular piece. One nostalgic comment I overheard was 'this reminds me of when I was in the guides'. It was great fun, we sang carols whilst we searched and tensions grew as we raced to match the most cards. Once again Beryl was the champion.
Order was restored - we sat around the table and under the direction of Wendy Reed we were each given the materials to fashion a poinsettia from fondant icing. Much concentration was needed to roll, mould and shape the icing. Amid lots of hilarity everyone made a very good replica of a poinsettia but there can only be one winner and in this category it was Royston Griffey.
We sang 'Here we come a-wassailing', partook of a glass of punch, and the excellent food from the buffet table. The evening had all the ingredients of a party night - pleasant company, humorous conversation, good food and wine, a little singing and a few games.
Our thanks must go to Lola Hardingham and Beryl Heaton who were responsible for the organisation of a most enjoyable evening.
MAVIS PALMER
IT WAS a very dull afternoon when seven of us met outside Bishopsworth Swimming Pool to begin a garbage raid. We set to work with the usual gusto. Having filled a couple of bags we split into two groups, one to go in the direction of Headley Park shops and the other to Perrycroft Avenue. The second group was assisted by a helpful young paperboy (and his dog), and Matthew has now become a member of M.V.C.G. (welcome!)
We made our way back to Queen's Road where André and Marie Jo had kindly invited us for a 'cuppa'. Accompanying the tea we were treated to the delightful French Epiphany custom of the Galette des Rois - the 'Kings' Cake'. André, being the youngest, decided who was to have each piece. In France it is usually a child who does this and they hide under the table, but in the absence of any children we did the next best thing. We allowed André just to close his eyes as it was rather a low table! The reason for the secrecy is that hidden in the galette is a 'bean' - similar to the traditional silver threepenny bit in a Christmas pudding. Mary was the one who found the bean (as she did last year) so she was entitled to wear the crown.
We all agreed it was a lovely way to end a garbage raid, especially on such a dark damp evening.
BERYL HEATON
PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS
MALAGO VALLEY CONSERVATION GROUP'S own events are shown by the symbol. The regular evening meetings on the third Tuesday of each month are held at St Peter's Rooms (by the side of St Peter's Church), Bishopsworth, and start at 7.30pm. The Greenworks Project of CSV Environment are carrying on the Dundry Hill Group programme of walks until D.H.G. re-establishes itself. These events are shown as (DHG). All welcome!
Monday 28 January: Garbage Raid. Meet at 3.45pm at Withywood Post Office.
Saturday 2 February: Snowdrop Walk. Meet at 10.00am at Hartcliffe Library to see the first of the spring flowers in bloom at East Dundry (DHG).
Tuesday 19 February: Our Annual General Meeting and Birthday Party. Guest Speaker WARREN DOE, on the Manor Woods Management Plan, followed by celebratory wine and cheese. See page 2 of the January 2002 Newsletter for more details.
Thursday 21 February: Dundry Hill Group Public Meeting at 7.30pm at Dundry Village Hall. See page 6 of the January 2002 Newsletter. Please come!
Monday 25 February: Garbage Raid. Meet at 3.45pm at the 'Elm Tree'.
Sunday 3 March: Crox Bottom Walk. Meet at 10.00am at the Gatehouse Centre to discover what is living in the pond and stream at Crox Bottom (DHG).
Tuesday 19 March: Geology, Landscape and Natural History in and around the Gordano Valley by CHARLES COPP. A talk with slides of aerial photographs.
Monday 25 March: Garbage Raid. Meet at 3.45pm at Symes Avenue.
Tuesday 16 April: JIM O'SHAUNNESSY with the latest news from The Forest of Avon.
REALLY WILD! The mention last time of some interesting wild-life sightings locally has brought a response. Angela James, a welcome new recruit to the Garbage Raids, reported that last autumn she saw not one but two KINGFISHERS along the Malago in Manor Woods. And the day before this Newsletter went to press, there was a SPARROW-HAWK in our back garden, perched in amongst the forsythia, devouring his catch (a collared dove, I think). He was beautifully visible, especially with binoculars, and my fingers are crossed for the photos. There's more about than you might think! Keep your eyes open, and please let us know your sightings of interesting or unusual wildlife in our surprising part of Bristol. ANDRÉ COUTANCHE |
Malago Valley Conservation Group
Committee Members Anton Bantock, Don Bartlett, Brenda Docherty, Royston Griffey, Mavis Palmer Co-opted Members Tania Case, Valerie Gay, Peter Hall, Audrey Milton, Ted Thomas, Sue Walker, CSV Environment, Cllrs Bernard Chalmers, Peter Crispin, Richard Eddy, Ron Hodges, Dave Johson, Mary Sykes (All the City councillors for Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe and Whitchurch Park wards are invited to become co-opted Committee members). Newsletter edited by André Coutanche, 14 Queens Road, Bishopsworth, Bristol, BS13 8LB; telephone 964 3106; e-mail andrec@mvcg.cjb.net; web address www.mvcg.cjb.net. Letters, articles and suggestions from readers are welcome. The opinions expressed in this Newsletter do not necessarily represent those of M.V.C.G. |
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