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Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens
Newsletter ~ January 2015
Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens Trust, Chester Road, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, B36 9BT.
Tel/Fax 0121 749 4100
Registered Company No. 1944650
Email:-
Registered Charity No. 516855
mailto:[email protected] Web:- www.cbhgt.org.uk
Castle Bromwich Hall and Garden Trust
Minutes of the 29th Annual General Meeting
Held in the Visitor Centre on 18 September 2014
Present:
Mr Simon Cleaver, Chairman and 6 Trustees, 25 Members and volunteers including
Mrs Sue Brain, Administrator.
1.
The Chairman welcomed everyone and introduced the Trustees present.
2.
Apologies were received from 30 members and volunteers.
3.
The minutes of the 28th AGM, which had been included with the December 2013 members Newsletter, were
approved and signed as a true record. A number of points were raised from the floor and answered by the
Chairman and Treasurer.
4.
The Chairman presented the annual report for the year ended 31 st December 2013 and brought the members
up to date on a number of matters.
a. He said that the last year had not been easy and we had not got over the loss of the services of three
Trustees, Dave Bennett, David Adams and David Hopkins, which resulted in insufficient support for Sue.
b. It had been decided that a reorganisation of the staff was necessary and that a Garden manager should
be appointed for 3 days a week and the position of Head Gardener be redundant; Chris however had
decided to resign. He confirmed that the Monument Trust had agreed to continue to fund the position.
c. Raising further funding for the future had also not been very productive. Management changes had taken
place at Jaguar and matters had stagnated. We were working, with much support from Solihull Sustain,
to obtain Lottery funding for a Marketing / Fund Raising manager. A funding bid to Veolia to refurbish the
visitor centre had failed due to the fact that we were charging for entry to the Garden.
d. Our appointment as an RHS Partner Garden from the start of the season was a fine achievement and
has helped increase our profile and visitor numbers. We also have become a member of Marketing
Birmingham.
The Chairman then asked David Howell, the Chairman of the Gardens Committee, to report on the garden.
a. He started by thanking all the volunteers for their hard work during the year and for maintaining the high
standards. He said he had a real passion for the Garden, and undertook to hold things together until the
new Manager was appointed. He stressed the need for the detailed planning for the garden each season.
b. The mirror pond, for which we had a Lottery grant, now looks splendid and the wild flower meadow will
be better next year.
c. He had recently visited Mrs Chen at the Hotel and promised improvements for next year as the state of
that part of the garden reflects on both of us.
d. The trip to RHS Wisley for the volunteers had been a great success
e. It is now all go to put on a good show for Apple Day
Continued .....
.....continued
.
Richard Easton, Treasurer, then went through the Financial Statements. These are prepared in accordance
with the SORP requirements and the Companies Act, and to help the members to understand the figures
more easily, he distributed a summary of the income and expenditure. He commented on various items of
income and expenditure, and explained how the grant from the Monument Trust for the Head Gardener’s
salary was dealt with under restricted funds. The special projects expenditure mainly consisted of the
renovation of the Mirror Pond and the repairs to the Melon Ground wall. The surplus for the year on the
General Fund at £8,000 was an improvement, and a gain of £8,500 was shown on our investment. He
concluded by thanking all the volunteers for the huge contribution they make, without which the Garden could
not exist financially.
Finally he stated that he had held the position of Treasurer for nearly 20 years and indicated he would
definitely retire at the AGM in 2015. Despite previously appealing for help and somebody to take over, he
hoped that one year’s notice would allow a replacement to be found.
Mr David Treadwell gave a vote of thanks to Richard Easton for all the work involved producing the accounts.
The adoption of the Trustees’ Annual Report was proposed by Mr David Treadwell and Mrs Jane Stanley and
approved by a show of hands.
5. The Chairman stated that although there were two vacancies for Trustees, only one nomination had been
received. This was for Mr Bill Esslemont who was duly elected a Trustee for three years.
6. The Trustees’ proposal for a small increase to the membership fees for 2015 as set out in the agenda was
approved.
7. The appointment of Karen Hanlan, ACA, to carry out the Independent Examination of Trust’s accounts was
approved.
The formal business of the AGM having been concluded, the Chairman opened the meeting to questions and
comments from the members and volunteers attending.
a.
Mr Roy Pearce said that surely a Head gardener was needed. The Chairman explained that with the restructuring, there were no further finances available.
b.
Mr David Treadwell raised the question of the possibility of outside organisations and community groups
adopting and taking responsibility for areas of the Garden after normal opening hours. At the moment
this would be a problem with locking up and security.
c.
Mr David Treadwell also asked whether the Parish Council contributed anything, and whether there had
been any contact with the MP Caroline Spellman.
d
Mr Jonathan Ross asked why we were not selling the apples. DH stated that they were required for
Apple Day and for exchange; some also had to be left for visitors to the garden.
e.
Mr Brian Jennings pointed out that we must maximise the skills of all volunteers and use them more
effectively.
f.
Mrs Veronica Treadwell asked what contact we had with senior schools, because that is where future
gardeners will come. DH responded.
g.
Sybil Mizon-Hind asked about the thick gravel around the Hall especially in the North Garden as this
was causing problems with guided tours and visitors in wheelchairs. This was noted.
h.
Frank Hill mentioned the wish of U3A to bury a time capsule and it was suggested that the Melon
Ground would be most suitable.
i.
A request was made for the names of the Trustees, Staff and members of the Management Committee
to be made available. This was agreed and will be actioned.
The meeting closed at 7.10pm
The Chairman’s Report
Dear All
Welcome to the January Newsletter. You will read more about planned events and what’s been going in the garden in other
sections. From my point of view the main news is that we have now recruited a General Manager. We had a great deal of
interest in the post and some excellent candidates, and I’m sure we have selected someone who can really help us take the
gardens forward.
The new manager will be starting in late February, but I’m sure you will be seeing her around before then including at the
Snowdrop weekend.
In terms of future funding, we had a positive meeting with Solihull Council in November and should hear next month if they
can continue to help support us. The hoped for support from Jaguar Land Rover has not been forthcoming but is something
myself and the new manager will pick up in the next few months.
We continue this year as an RHS partner garden and also as a member of Marketing Birmingham’s Visit Birmingham group.
We just need to ensure we maximise the benefits from our association with these organisations.
Finally I would like to wish you all a belated Happy New Year and hope to see as many of you as possible at the Snowdrop
event.
Regards
Simon Cleaver
Education Project Update
School visits to the Gardens continued into November, after which their attention became focussed on all things
associated with Christmas. The seasonal visits by Audley Primary School started in October with the theme of
Autumn and they will be returning in January for the Winter topic.
As in previous years, the September harvest produced a range of vegetables including carrots, potatoes, onions,
tomatoes, parsnips and runner beans. The cabbages and cauliflowers again proved too tasty to small creatures
and those harvested came with generous portions of extra protein! A mixed box of produce was given to St Mary
and St Margaret's C of E Primary School for its Harvest Festival service.
The bed in the Kitchen Garden which was shared with Hallmoor School produced some nice potatoes along with
a large quantity of Jerusalem artichokes. A range of wild flowers, known elsewhere as weeds, also came up. This
year the area will be divided into several smaller beds for the children to make use of. Already there are garlic
plants being grown by the pupils from Audley Primary.
I would like to extend my thanks to the volunteers who so ably assist with school visits and to the garden staff and
their volunteers for their help.
Ann Brookman
Education Officer
There was no Pennies appeal no-
Million Pennies Appeal
Thanks to your continued support and generosity the total now stands
at an amazing £5,560.15
KEEP SAVING and THANK YOU VERY MUCH
Gardens’ Report
Hi and a Happy New Year to all the friends of our lovely and precious gardens.
Our gardens are looking particularly good at present considering the time of year. The Autumn work schedules
were completed on time thanks to the dedication of our garden volunteers hard work under the guidance of
Gordon and Steve. The topiary clipping which went on well into the Autumn was truly superb, much thanks to
those involved.
The widening of the grass paths within the Upper Wilderness is almost complete, the grass seeding as opposed to
the more expensive turfing being most successful. The paths, hopefully, being fit for purpose by the time we
officially open in April. We propose to make a start on the Lower Wilderness paths come the Spring following
major pruning, removal and general thinning of mainly the heavily overgrown evergreen beds. We hope to see as
many of you as possible over our period of Snowdrop and Hellebors weeks when we will be open on Saturday, 7 th
February and again on Sunday, 15th February, when we will be holding informative talks and garden tours.
Finally thanks to the involvement of J Moody & Sons, we have totally removed all the debris which had
accumulated behind the Green House (Orangery) over the past few years. It’s an amazing result for all to see.
Have a great gardening year and please keep plugging our gardens here at Castle Bromwich.
Our Springtime should be rather special, so please note the date of 17 th April when we will be holding a very
special occasion.
David Howell
Trustee and Chairman of Gardens Committee
Administrator’s Report
The Crescent Theatre returned to the gardens on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 July to perform “My Boy
Jack”. Both performances took place this year at 3.00 pm. Despite some reservations that this play may not
appeal to everyone, both days were well supported and the feedback from the audience was really good, many of
whom commented that it exceeded all other performances they had seen here. The weather was good on
Saturday but the wind created problems occasionally on Sunday, but did not spoil the enjoyment of the
production. The amount raised is to be confirmed.
The Espalier Pruning Course on Thursday 24 July was only attended by a few people who were given an
introduction to the Summer pruning of espalier apples and pears with the opportunity for extensive practical
experience pruning and training our collection of heritage fruit.
On Sunday 27 July the Central England Concert Band returned to play at the Gardens. Thankfully the weather
was a great improvement on last year (well it couldn't have been much worse)! The theme for the afternoon was
“Around the World in 80 Tunes” which they just about managed to complete – well done to everyone
involved! Amount raised £682.26.
The organisers of the Rare Plant Fair decided that they would like to move the month of their event from May to
August. Unfortunately, Sunday 10 August must have been the wettest Sunday for the whole of the Summer which
affected visitor numbers. However 10 nurseries turned up and the display on the Archery Lawn was very colourful
with a good selection to choose from and those who braved the weather were happy and most left the gardens
struggling to carry their purchases. Amount raised £512.99
A Family Fun Day in conjunction with Castle Bromwich U3A was held on Thursday 14 August. Attendance was
good and families enjoyed playing traditional games together. There was also a selection of fun activities, music,
song, dance and a model railway exhibition. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side and a heavy
thunderstorm in the afternoon put a quick halt to the proceeding. Our thanks to Castle Bromwich U3A for their
support. Amount raised £915.19.
The second Car Boot Sale of the year was held on Sunday 7 September. A total of 58 cars and 1 van attended,
which was slightly down on the number in June. However, there were plenty of people interested in buying, much
to the delight of the car booters who attended. Amount raised £600.47.
Apple Weekend took place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October. Once again Saturday was for static displays
only. There were displays of heritage fruit in the Green House and of Potatoes and Vegetables in the Summer
House on both days and visitors could glean expert advice from David Howell, Bill Whitehead and Steve
Phipps. On Sunday there was a static Falconry display and those visitors who were brave enough could have
their photograph taken with a bird of prey on their arm.
The Glorishears of Brummagem performed Molly Dancing and there were also bee-keeping and wood turning
demonstrations together with a selection of fun activities for children and adults. Naturally there was a good
selection of heritage apples for sale together with apple pressing giving visitors the opportunity to taste the
freshest apple juice available in Birmingham!!!
The whole event this year took place on the Archery Lawn which proved more successful than having some of the
stalls in the Keder Greenhouse. There was an extremely good atmosphere with many visitors commenting on
what an enjoyable day it had been. Amount raised £1843.82.
The final event of the year was our ever popular Christmas Event. Weather wise this must have been the
warmest Christmas Event we have ever held which encouraged visitors to attend. Father Christmas was
extremely busy with lots of children paying him a visit and putting in requests for their choice of presents. Castle
Bromwich Singers kept visitors entertained in the Coffee Shop and the Glorishears of Brummagem performed the
debut performance of their new play based on Robin Hood. They encouraged audience participation and a great
time was had by all. There were stalls and activities in the Keder Greenhouse and the West Midlands Wood
turners had a display and held demonstrations in the Workshop. Amount raised £1,563.73.
Opening Times for 2015
Winter opening until 31 March excluding special events will be
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm.
Summer season opening from 1 April to 31 October and admission prices remain unchanged.
Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 12.30 – 4.30 pm,
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11.00 am – 4.00pm.
Admission Adults £4.50, Concessions £4.00 and Children £1.00.
Volunteers Re-registration Form
If you are a volunteer, a re-registration form is enclosed. It would be appreciated if you could complete and return
this as soon as possible to ensure our records are up to date and the rota for the Visitor Centre can be prepared.
Membership Renewal
Membership renewal forms are enclosed with the Newsletter. The increase in fees is very small and if you feel
that you are able to make an additional contribution to help ensure the survival of this unique historic garden your
support will be very much appreciated.
Confirmed Events for 2015 – Please check our website for up-dates and additional information.
Snowdrop Days
Saturday 7 and Sunday 15 February 11.00 am – 3.00 pm
Easter Event
Saturday 4 April 11.00 am - 3.00 pm
National Gardens Open Day
Friday 17 April
1940’s Event
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May 11.00 am - 4.00 pm
National Gardens Scheme
Sunday 17 May 12.30 - 4.30pm
Car Boot Sales
Sunday 7 June and Sunday 6 September 8.30 am - 12.30 pm
Crescent Theatre
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July. Both performances at 3.00 pm
Rare Plant Fair
Sunday 2 August
(Time to be confirmed)
11.00 am – 4.00 pm
Sue Brain
Administrator
Thanks to you all for your help again last year. Your enthusiasm and dedication has been outstanding and
without your support the gardens would struggle to exist.
E-mail addresses
Help us to save money and be kind to the environment
With the ever increasing cost of postage it helps a great deal if we can contact you by e-mail. Please ensure we
know your e-mail address to enable us to keep you advised of developments and events taking place. (Also,
please let us know if you change an existing email address)
Please send us your email address to: [email protected] with ‘CBHG membership’ in subject box.