AGM - 8th February 2018 - Chair's Report

The key agenda item this year was the members' endorsement of our Risk Assessment Document (which is now available for your reference, via secretary Cate.)

As club funds are in a healthy state the committee this year will look at ways to redistribute some of these funds directly back to members in forms of their choice e.g. garden visit vouchers (Lowther Castle Guided Walks).

We have a current membership of 120 and a short waiting list of 7.

Sadly the 'Joint Gardening Clubs' of Cumbria will no longer hold an annual plant sale in May on Rickerby's forecourt.

Indeed there is also feedback indicting that some of our county clubs are closing for reasons of not only reduced membership numbers but due to lack of members volunteering to take on committee roles.

So aren't we so lucky to have a thriving club!

So this is an excellent time therefore to say special thanks to each committee member; without whose commitment, simply there would be no club.

• Joan & Ruth: our Speaker Organisers - a real before / during/ after support for the speakers.
  
  
• Janice (with Jude's help): – those wonderful day trips & fabulous holidays, many more please...
  
  
• Jude: a real multitasker – helping Janice, organising our plant sales & writing great reviews for both the Cumberland News & Focus on Eden

• Denise & Alice: our raffle ladies who are also first to welcome us all on club nights.
  Enjoy your retirement from these posts
  
  
  
  
  
• ADMIN Team: we'd be completely lost with out these ladies Lesley/Cate (secretaries) & Helen /Anne (exchequers)

After twelve years of commitment both Lesley and Helen are retiring

 We will miss you

• Caroline: it's great to be able to share the chairman's role & have someone to run ideas/thoughts past.

And there are also SO MANY club members to thank too

e.g. Our wonderful Bakers / servers

(& especially to Marilyn for her wonderful selection of home bakes for tonight's meeting)

Tidy Uppers on club nights

Plant Sale propagators / splitters

You know who you are – many, many thanks.

Daylight is now lengthening. So here's to a wonderful 2018 season in the garden.

Trish Rodgers

Chairman

In Memory ...

It is with great sadness that this note comes to you all. Our lovely, longstanding club member Betty Bowley died in hospital on 24th January, following a short illness.
Betty and her late husband, Ken were great stalwarts of the club. Ken was a past chairman and Betty was for many years the Outings' Organiser.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends.

Agenda for AGM ... 8th February 2018

Feb 2018 – Action Plan Summary for Managing Health & Safety Risks during Viaduct Gardening Club's Activities
This is the committee's drafted summary of the action plan (already partially implemented), which has been prepared for AGM – Feb 2018. Overall, as well as the club per se having operative responsibilities for health and safety matters, we as individual members are also very much responsible for our own well being too. Trish Rodgers – VGC's Chairman
Situation		ACTION by VGC
Fire Risk & Safety Muster Points		Organisers are all responsible for signposting club members about what to do in the event of....
A personal, compromising incident occurs to a member during a club activity...		At least 2 committee members should attend specific club events and be responsible for implementing actions recommended by these risk assessments. It is essential that these nominated committee members always carry charged mobile devices. Members will be encouraged to provide the club committee with details of an emergency contact person for them in the event of something significant happening. Nominated committee member/s should always ensure that such details are readily available during club activities ( e.g. Chair / Secretary / Event Organiser) This information should only be shared when deemed appropriate and ideally with the member's permission. It is good practice for all club members to carry a mobile device whenever possible.
Health Issues Known or Unknown & Weather Factors Health Issues Known or Unknown & Weather Factors (Contd)		Club members are responsible for their own health needs whilst undertaking club activities. This includes carrying any specific medications, making one's own assessments / deciding what actions need to be taken. It is for each individual to decide when and what information they feel they need / wish to share with the committee / event organiser. VGC can NOT guarantee the ongoing confidentiality of such information. Every member of the club (specifically all committee members in attendance) is expected to undertake all necessary citizens' duties of care with regard to the health & safety of club members. This includes e.g. promptly calling for emergency 999 support / arranging to take someone to A & E / calling for GP review (local) or NHS 24/7 Tel. 111) A First Aid Box complying to BS 8599 is available for use during all club activities. (This is held by the committee event organiser or other committee member present.) The club is NOT responsible for any medications used by members. Members are responsible for dressing appropriately for outings (bringing extra layers / rain coats / suitable footwear / sun hats etc.) Members are also responsible for their own sun protection and to bring their own fluids on hot days. However on day outings / holidays; along with the first aid kit the club will also carry 3 bottles of sealed water.
Someone feels unwell around the time of the day trip / holiday or needs to cancel their attendance for another reason		Members who are not feeling well on the day are encouraged to make a short notice cancellation to the named organiser of the event. Every club event needs a named LEAD ORGANISER along with their CONTACT DETAILS. (When possible this information will be available on the blog, for your immediate reference.) Consideration will be given as to the feasibility of reimbursing the affected member for any financial loss.
Any unexpected event occurs during a club activity....		The event organiser/ leader needs to take (or delegate to another committee or club member) alternative actions It is essential for all organisers of club activities to provide the Committee (especially the Secretary, Chair/Vice Chair & Treasurer) with clearly written, information prior to the event. Contingency plans should be included. Such information should also be readily available on the day of the event to allow others to deputise at short notice.
HAZA R D S	Hot Refreshment Making Equipment & Ingredients	Village Hall s are responsible for equipment they provide. Care should be taken by members helping with refreshments. The named refreshments organiser is responsible for ingredients being 'in date' and safely stored.
	Equipment specifically provided for use by a club member	It is the responsibility of the club member lending their personal items to ensure such items are in good working order. Item users should ensure that e.g. extension cables on the floor are secured and that meeting attendees are reminded to take heed.
	Tables & Chairs	Primarily risks here are under the assessment for public liability insurance by the hired hall. However club members should consider their own safety and health needs before volunteering to help put out or store equipment.
	Lighting	Committee members are responsible for ensuring that outside lighting is switched on for meetings. It is for Village Halls to ensure that such lighting is in working order.
	Heating	It is the committee's responsibility to ensure that money for heating is available on club nights. The safety of such equipment lies with the hall.

New Year's Party 2018 ... 11th January

  Despite 'Formula One' like roadworks at Heads Nook we met on Thursday to have our annual party. We were sorry that some couldn't make it; on account of the horrid winter viruses & that Antipodean flu!

As usual there was plenty of delicious food, both savoury & dessert.

With full tummies & filled glasses we were then ready to enjoy Derek's Gardening Quiz. 

Quietness descended. It's amazing how focused and competitive we become!

 

John, Tony & Elizabeth  were amused with their wooden spoons  

 while Lesley received a special presentation for her team.

A special thank you goes to Caroline, our Vice-Chair for organising the evening.

 

A Tragic Accident - 16th November 2017

On Thursday our friend and fellow club member, Maureen Smith died as a result of a road traffic accident on the A689, near to the Irthington junction.

Maureen was a keen member of the club and enjoyed attending club holidays. Here she is enjoying a chat with Helen.
 
Maureen was a great grandmother. She was involved in a number of community groups across north Cumbria, including Brampton hospital's league of friends and as a volunteer with Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland.

Our thoughts are with her family at this time.

Winter Treats – Creating a garden that looks as good in winter as it does in summer - 9th November 2017

We were delighted to welcome back Maureen Flett, to speak to us about the delights of creating a winter garden to parallel the summer's zenith. Maureen suggested we change our paradigm: seeing the gardening year as a continuous cycle. As the days shorten perhaps we should view this time not as “the back end” but the beginning of the year.

 

Here are some of Maureen's thoughts and tips for the garden in winter:

• Use plants to create structural features e.g. stems create beautiful silhouettes if tall
• When devising planting schemes consider how the plants will look in autumn & winter, thus giving an opportunity for year round effects.
• Seed heads replace flowers (but beware of seeds that you don't want to self propagate)
• Berries & remaining vegetation provide food & shelter for birds, insects & small mammals.
• Hollow stems become natural 'bug hotels' for overwintering insects such as lacewings
• Die back of vegetation provides natural fertilisation
• Winter flowering plants provide bees with essential sustenance (though bee keepers provide fondant for their over wintering bee colonies)
• Evergreens provide structure
• Do tidy paths etc. for safety and to allow you to walk around your garden
• Lift foliage off the floor as moulds can develop below & affect the plants' health
• Take care with garden centre plants as they may not be fully acclimatised
• Have fleeces available for those precious plants that need protection
• Keep an eye on weather forecasts whenever possible

Maureen advises us to use the RHS plant finder to select plants for winter. However here are some comments about her own favourites:

• For dogwoods to look spectacular they need to be cut hard back to within 6 inches in February of each year. To rejuvenate dog woods, prune 1/3 over three years to avoid demise of the plant.
• Sarcococca confusa (sweet box). This prunes very easily & is not susceptible to box blight. But it is toxic to dogs!
• Ilex crenata (box leafed / Japanese holly) gives good structure; is an alternative to box & is easily pruned
• Perennial Erysimum varieties can flower prolifically almost all year round in well drained soils
• Heucheras, Heucherellas & Tirellas provide ongoing form in winter
• Honey suckle, Lonicera × purpusii 'Winter Beauty' smells wonderful
• Prune your roses for shape. Be careful when making rose hip syrup as the seeds inside the hip have a hairy coating which can be an irritant. Harvesting after the first frost acts as a sweetener
• Hayloft & J. Parker Wholesale – examples of plant suppliers

Professionally Maureen is Sports Therapist, owning her own Sports & Performing Arts Injury Clinic, based at Warwick Bridge. So here are some of her general tips for looking after our joints & skeleton:

• Always pace yourself, physically
• Take care to wear safe footwear, wrap up warmly
• Epsom salts baths: In water, the salts breaks down into magnesium and sulfate. The theory is that when you soak in an Epsom salt bath, these get into your body through your skin. That hasn't been proven, but just soaking in warm water can help relax muscles and loosen stiff joints. If used, try to buy in bulk e.g. WCFs
• Use mechanical gear-powered hand tools whenever possible e.g. Fiskars range
• Gentle stretching of normal hand joints can allow joint lubrication

Maureen is a registered speaker with the RHS, Cottage Garden Society and Garden Organic.

www.gardeningforhealth.com

Creation of a Nursery & Design Service - 12th October 2017

This Thursday's evening meeting saw a return visit by Tom Attwood of Abi & Tom's Garden Plants at Halecat, Witherslack, South Cumbria. 

Four years ago Tom talked to us about the trials and tribulations of rescuing Halecat's plant nursery from the ravages of time. Now, four years on, the business continues to thrive with judicious plant husbandry, expansion of design services and continuing support from committed volunteers. Do check out their new website, which includes a small video of the nursery from drone footage.

ww.abiandtom.co.uk

“Abi and Tom's Garden Plants was founded in the Spring of 2011...

… The nursery today is a fusion of traditional nursery values, with modern approaches 

to the display, growing, use and experiment of the plant material.”

Whilst Halecat's commercial plants are grown in pots, the planted show gardens have to thrive in soil that is often only six to eight inches in depth. Success is achieved by use of enriching composts and other nutrient supplements. The limestone geology of the site allows for effective drainage which is useful in Cumbria's rainy climate; however watering is essential through dry periods.

Design Service

Some hardy perennials