FoLLNR AGM
Minutes of Annual General Meeting of
Friends of Linford Lakes Nature Reserve
Wednesday 1 May 2024
Start time: 7.00 pm at the Pavilion, Campbell Park
Attendance: 17 people including Sarah Griffiths, Outdoor Learning and Interpretation Manager at The Parks Trust
Apologies: Dave Barrett, Chris Coppock, Peter Loose
Welcome from Tony Bedford, Chair of FoLLNR
Tony welcomed everyone to this the 12th AGM since FoLLNRs formation in 2011 when there were only half a dozen members. Unfortunately due to the effects of Covid and the temporary closure of the Centre Building, the number of members registered on our email list has now reduced to just over 200 from over 300 in 2020.
Tony thanked The Parks Trust for making their offices available for the Friends’ meetings.
Update from the Chair of FoLLNR
The Chair’s report is available to view on the Friends’ blog website: https://fohescnews.blogspot.com
There is also a report on that site from Kenny Cramer on his bird ringing results for 2023. Highlights included an 11% increase in the numbers of birds ringed since the greater number of sessions in 2020, and 46 species compared with 50 in 2020. The most abundant species were blackcap, chiffchaff, and blue tit, and fourth was reed warbler, which may explain the number of cuckoos on the reserve. One cuckoo ringed as an adult in 2017 returned again in 2023 and is likely to be already one of the oldest in the country.
Treasurer’s Report
Pauline Studman said that there had been almost no income at the end of April 2024. In the year beginning April 2024 we sold our strimmer and will replace it with an electric one. The Quiz night was run as an event for members’ benefit, but had resulted in a small surplus of £20, with which we bought some new loppers.
The current balance totals £5928.38. The accounts have been independently audited by a qualified accountant.
Tony Bedford said he was often asked what do we do with our money. We buy tools, bird food, and pay for insurance premiums and other sundry expenses. It would also be nice to use some of our funds to run more events for members and maybe start another major project to improve facilities on the reserve sometime in the next couple of years, such as another bird hide, but this will of course require agreement and co-operation with The Parks Trust.
Election of officers
The following officers were elected.
Chair Tony Bedford. Proposer: Roy Platten; Seconded: Simon Bunker
Treasurer Pauline Studman. Proposer: Keith Gander; Seconded: Ian Bailey
Secretary Janice Robertson. Proposer: Peter Maric; Seconded: Dave Carter
All officers were elected unanimously by a show of hands.
Update from The Parks Trust
A representative from The Parks Trust was invited to the meeting but unfortunately due to holidays no one was available. Tony Bedford and Janice Robertson continue to meet with The Parks Trust every three months to discuss recent events and plans for the reserve.
Sarah Griffiths and Tony Bedford were willing to answer questions from those attending.
Questions from the floor
Keith Hogben asked why there was a delay to starting building work at the centre. Tony replied that the original delay was due to presence of bats and great crested newts; licences had to be granted and renewal of the planning application applied for. The recent delay was because the contractors now had other obligations and had to withdraw. The work will probably have to go out for retender, but costs will have increased, and The Parks Trust will have to agree. Therefore, it is likely to be sometime next year before the centre will be open again.
Keith Hogben said he had met the person who now has the fishing lease on Mr Marle’s land and thought he seemed keen to work with both The Parks Trust and the Friends. Tony said Anthony who now ran the fishing concession had cleared the fly tipping and was hoping to open up a coffee shop in place of the Marle Inn.
Peter Maric asked who is responsible for trimming the vegetation on the access road. Sarah Griffiths said The Parks Trust have no rights and have to liaise with the landowner. The part with yellow painted bollards is to be maintained by The Parks Trust, and the area before would be Mr Marle’s responsibility.
Roy Platten asked what would happen about the padlocked gate if there is to be a coffee shop open to all. Tony said it would have to be agreed with The Parks Trust. Years ago the gates were only locked at night, and it only changed to stop the fly tipping. If there is more presence of fishermen and visitors, it may be possible to return to the previous system.
Ian Bailey asked if the padlocked gates had deterred members from renewing their permits. Tony said there was anecdotal evidence that about a dozen members had chosen not to renew. But he thought the greater influence on reduced members was the overall poor impression resulting from the closed centre, building works, closure of main car park. At our previous Open Sundays we used to have 100 visitors and were able to persuade many to join up. We hope to recruit more members by advertising, notices in the hides, etc.
Sue Bunker asked how long it would be before the centre will be open again. Sarah replied that it would be at least 9 months from start to finish, depending on the contractor chosen.
Close of meeting
The meeting concluded at 7.45 pm.
Chairs Update 1st May 2024
Welcome to this FoLLNR AGM in what is now our thirteenth year of existance.
Sadly the Linford Lakes Centre building has remained closed waiting for the refurbishment work to recommence and has been in a state of disrepair for nearly 2 years - and is likely we are told it is to remain closed until sometime in 2025. This of course means that our ability to hold events has again been severely curtailed and we have still not been able to hold the monthly open days that were so popular and well attended in the past.
Without toilets and catering facilities it has been difficult to organise the various walks, talks and discovering wildlife events that have been a feature of previous FoLLNR event years - although Andy Harding and Keith Gander kindly hosted a winter Duck Walk and Warbler walk for us last spring and will be doing so again this month.
Again because of lack of facilities monthly task days have been reduced although we did manage a few sessions to repaint the warbler hide, build new willow fences, maintain the new blackthorn plants around the boundary and carry out general tidying around the reserve. We are trying to resume a more regular program of work in co-ordination with the PT over the coming year and to this end we are trying to recruit more members to help with these tasks.
In February we also resumed our annual fish and chip supper, quiz night, held at Campbell Park, which was very well attended and of course Keith once again managed to bamboozle us with his array of questions (although we did manage to persuade him to throw in a few easy ones this time).
Although work events etc. have been reduced FoLLNR has also purchased our own Insurance Policy to ensure we have public liability and accident insurance to cover events run by FoLLNR and to protect any money being handled.
We have continued to update our website as far as possible and have continued to maintain a species list thoughout each year. We have also gathered information from the FLICKR site, Ringing Records and members observations to ensure a comprehensive list of records for LLNR is sent to BMERC each year, in order that official records continue to reflect LLNRs status as one of the most valuable sites for wildlife in the county.
FoLLNR representatives have continued to meet with Parks Trust representatives quarterly to discuss, work plans and exchange ideas for the site and it is right that we thank them for their support over the years and work carried out to maintain the site.
As you will know the appeal against refusal of planning permission for the land adjacent to LLNR failed and it was my priveledge to speak on behalf of FoLLNR at the Inspectors Enquiry.
It would appear that at least for now the land owner has shelved his ambitions to develop the land and has agreed a new lease for someone to run the fishing business. I have spoken to the gentleman concerned and he has told me that he also hopes to turn the old pub into a coffee shop where our members would be welcome.
Kenny Cramer has continued to run his ringing programme at LLNR and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for all his efforts and support and for the wealth of information his records provide and once again demonstrate the unique value of LLNR as a wildlife haven. Keith will be presenting more information regarding the ringing program later in this meeting.
I would like to thank also the help and support provided by my fellow committee members:
Neil, Keith, Dave, Roy and Michelle who like myself have been in this for the long term and to also thank our two new members, Peter and Ian for their excellent contributions at meetings and work events.
Lastly I must give special thanks to our Treasurer Pauline for keeping a tight rein on our funds and to Janice our secretary, who does a fantastic job of co-ordinating and communicating with the membership and the Parks Trust and who for yet another year has acted as my sanity and behavioural moderator.
Tony Bedford
Chair
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