The society’s annual general meeting 2004
Chairman’s report
Your committee has met regularly over the past year to conduct the society’s business, arranged by our secretary, Janet Morland. Public meetings have been arranged by Terry Carmen with backup by Anne. We were fortunate to have Teresa Clark to respond to planning consultations, and her departure from the town will be missed. Our long-serving treasurer, Dennis Allen, has been invaluable, as has Ena Allen acting as our newsletter secretary. Adrian Pearse has been a regular contributor to the newsletter, covering lectures, and we are indebted to our editor, Jim Nagel.
Alan Fear has done stalwart work clearing footpaths, together with Neil Stevenson, enabling the Mendip District Council footpath officer to repair and necessary.
Other committee members have contributed time and expertise, such as long-serving John Morland with photography, who now wishes to retire. Thank you, John, and congratulations on your book. Joe Joseph has left the district. We understand his fields at Stonedown will be in good hands.
As always, tree-planting has been a major activity directed by our vice-chairman, Ian Rands, most competently, bringing many helpers together. Your committee carries on but needs new blood, so please come forward!
Notable events during the year included the restoration of the Market Place corbels, in particular the Betrothal Couple, by grant aid and public subscription. The carvings are important.
The footpath from Dod Lane up Chalice Hill is now mud-free, thanks to a £3,400 grant from the Community Access Fund. The new owner of Bushy Coombe is Rory Weightman; making it a wildlife area, he asks dog-owners to clean up after them.
The footpath guidebook, Glastonbury Footpath Walks, was reprinted and continues to sell well. We were consulted by the Levels and Moors Partnership about upgrading of footpaths. Our comments were exhibited at Baltonsborough Village Hall. Out of this arose the bid to the Somerset County Council Community Access Fund to upgrade the Bushy Coombe public footpath leading to the Tor. [Work started in January is now complete.] We are considered a responsible body to administer the £3,400 grant. This has been possible to arrange thanks to the permission of the owner, Rory Weightman, who tells me the work on the gothic coachhouse at the top end of the coombe is progressing well. It was at one time at risk.
Ian Rands and I attended the Green Flag awards presentation at Taunton as guests of the Civic Trust. Very stimulating — a nice lunch and escorted tour of the winning project, Vivary Park. Basically the awards are for the provision of beacon green spaces available to the public with no entrance charge.
Belated congratulations to all who helped with Glastonbury in Bloom, for their success and continued hard work.
Minutes of the meeting
More than 28 people attended the annual general meeting of Glastonbury Conservation Society on November 26 at St Mary’s church hall; most of their names are listed in the minute book.
The minutes of the last AGM, on Friday 21 November 2003, were distributed for reading and accepted.
The Chairman gave his report. Ian Rands reported on trees planted during the year and to be planted this winter, and thanked John Brunsdon for hospitality at committee meetings and Terry and Anne Carmen for refreshments for tree-planters. Dennis Allen presented the accounts for the year.
The officers were re-appointed unopposed [listed below]. The following were re-appointed to the committee: Ena Allen, Neil Stevenson, Roy Coles, Bill Knight, Neill Bonham, Alan Fear, Adrian Pearse, Terry Carmen, Anne Carmen, Martyn Webb. We thanked John Morland, Joe Joseph and Theresa Levell Clark, who have resigned from the committee, for their contributions to the society.
Other business:
- It was suggested that Conservation Society leaflets and newsletters be put in every local estate agent’s office.
- The dying state of Gog and Magog, the ancient oaks at Wick, was mentioned. The society has planted a row of 135 oak trees to replace them, recognizing that they must eventually succumb.
- The newsletter was praised for being informative.
- Richard Raynsford moved a vote of thanks to the Carmens for refreshments.
After the formal meeting, Tony Nott gave an interesting talk on the vanished civic buildings of Wells.