Gardens and Art Annual General meeting

22.10.09

 

Committee: Will Green, Mary Wells, Ann Ellson, Karen Lang, Alison Vine, Nick Cryer, Heather McFarlane-Cryer, Celia Emmott

Apologies Paul Crowe, Jackie Welch

General Public: Jackie Paine, David Coleman, Greta Coleman, Chris Burchell Collins, Jo Burchell Collins, Julie Mitchell, Vivienne Fielding, Tracy Smith, Mary Cox, Sheila Over, Adrian Over, Frank?, Rob Bonnington, Moira Bonnington, Wendy Cairns, Angela Manuel, Hazel Grant, Suzanne Fisher, Duncan Edwards, Ellen Hayes, David Hayes, Rosemary Nice, Jerry Nice, Alison Crowe, Jackie Humm, Helen Fyles, Bill Shelton, Mary Holder.

 

Chairman’s Report:    This year was our 10th year and undoubtedly the most successful. It was a very diffuse event with a huge number of people participating. We have now got a very high standard and should be very proud of what has been achieved over the years.

 

Treasurer's Report:   Our income was £5,285.32 this year and our outgoings £4,736.76 leaving us with a balance of £548.56 and a closing balance with money left over from previous years of £1,814.89.

 

Money raised for charities so far came to £11,500.00 our best yet; two gardens yet to give in details of how much they collected.

 

The mini bus, which was the local nominated charity, raised £2,344.00 again the best for a nominated charity so far.

 

20 different charities received donations, these covered local, national and international.

 

The concert helped to improve our fund raising, and thanks go to Mary and Jackie for their efforts

 

Appointment of officers: Alison to stand down as secretary and Karen to take over from her.

 

Changes to other committee members:  Celia to stand down. All other committee members remain the same.

 

General discussion

 

The rest of the meeting was given over to a general discussion on the future of the festival. Will as chair, said that principally the festival is intended to show off the gardens, village and local arts, with fund raising as a secondary element. Over the years the festival has got bigger and bigger and it is important to review this now as we may risk having too much razz matazz and loosing the old English village feel.

 

  

 

 

Points from Discussion

Issue: Complaints about aggressive fund raising in some venues making visitors feel uncomfortable. Main focus is a community event with raising money for charity as a consequence.  Raising money for charity is a very important factor to some venue openers.

Actions

  1. All venues to collect for the official local charity. Where a personal charity is chosen 50% of the collection will go to this charity. Venues must accept that donations may be made at another venue and collect money in the spirit of the event. Committee to provide clearer information and signage to be displayed in venues about the official charity.


Issue: There is a time lag between event and the nominated Charity receiving money. Sponsors and venues slow to pay in to the committee.

Actions

  1. A collection team is co-opted after the event to collect the money, ideally at the end of the second day.


Issue: Concerns that food and music clashes mean venues are left with food or music is spoilt. Too much food is now offered with complaints of spoiling views of gardens. The event is becoming too commercial. Venues feel pressure to be 'all singing and dancing’. Committee is too flexible in its approach and venues do not clearly communicate the level of catering or entertainment they intend to offer, or add in extras after the leaflet is printed.

Actions

  1. Committee to make a decision about curtailing food. To communicate better with venues to get the garden, art, music and food balance right across the village and to operate a tougher cut off date policy to agree what each venue will provide and what will go onto the leaflet and web site.

  2. Committee will endeavour to check that information held on the venues is accurate but there is an onus on venues to ensure the committee has accurate information. Venues need to complete forms accurately, meet deadlines and read the proofs of the leaflet. If proofs are not checked the committee will assume the information it holds is accurate and cannot be accountable for mistakes.

  3. Committee to liaise with commercial food businesses who offer food in return for sponsorship.


Issue: Gardens on the perimeter

 

Actions

6      Committee to promote enclaves of venues, continue to promote the mini-bus better and advertise dedicated parking.

Issue: The event is becoming too big and too difficult to manage; the committee need to know what is happening if it is responsible for the event. More venues mean less space on the leaflet. Question: will the event be as enjoyable if much bigger?

Actions

7      Committee to go back to the basic concept of a garden and arts festival and limit the number of venues through the usual selection process on a first come basis, while managing the geographic spread, clusters and gardens and arts mix.


Issue: "Unauthorised" venues

Actions

8      Committee to highlight that only venues advertised in the official publicity are part of the festival: to ask for parish council assistance to manage the festival: to consider how venue numbers and signs could have a unique trade marking each year.

AOB
Bill Shelton suggested a "grow your own art" competition in partnership with the growers group. Bill asked to submit a plan to the committee.

 

 

Date of next festival: 12th and 13th June 2010