Apologies for Absence
: Anne Yeulett, Eunice
Stewart, George Hicks, Jean & Brian Ricketts, Geoff & Jean Game,
Kitty Dawes, Andrew Burgum, Reg & Edie Reeve,
Reports from
Officers:Leaders
Report - Bob Francis:We have had eight committee meetings this year where the business of the Group
has been conducted. Thanks to Vera Kelly for hosting our gatherings.Our Indoor meetings continue to be well supported and the subject matter has
been very diverse with 3 speakers new to the group and some old favourites.
Topics ranged from the Wildlife in Quarries to Bird Names and we have been to
Trinidad & Tobago and the Algarve. we have also seen some stunning wildlife
photography from David Boag, Robert Canis and David Featherbe. Attendance has
ranged from 50 - 79 (62 average) including our ever popular Christmas Quiz -
catering thanks to Marion & Norman Parr.All our Published local walks have taken place and have been, on the whole, well
attended (12-41 averaging about 22 people) with many members of the public
attending thanks for all those folk who have led or helped in these events.Support for our field trips has been patchy with the two coach trips being well
supported but attendance at the car trips is poor in spite of new venues being
visited and some very memorable bird sightings experienced. (9-48, average 22
people; car trips attract from 9-15 people).Our editor has struggled to maintain the quality of the Newsletter in the face
of very welcome trickle of contributions from the membership. The bulk of the
items are being submitted by the leader. Thanks to all those who have
contributed.Thanks to Frank Wrigley for producing the labels.
Sales:
Once again we rely on the services of George Hicks
to take on the co-ordination of Christmas card and
gift purchase via the RSPB catalogue in the run up
to Christmas as well as nuts and seeds throughout
the year. It is largely due to his efforts that we
sold £1,912 and were able to donate an extra £669.41
to conservation and I know he would thank all those
members who brought cards from him.
Membership: As of the beginning of this month the Group
membership stands at 227 with 9 new members and looses. However this includes 37
non-payers, so the paid up membership is 194. It is anticipated that some of
these lapsed members will pay up when they discover that their newsletter is no
longer delivered. The membership numbers show a 24% drop over 10
years - we badly need more members.
Other activities:Group members
assisted at the very successful Spring RSPB event 'Aren't Birds Brilliant'
Peregrine Watch at the Tate Modern which attracted over 30,000 visitors . We
also took part in 'A Taste of the Wild' to lanch the new Bromley Biodiversity
Plan. 'Feed the Birds Day' was marked by events at Coolings advocating bird
feeding and making bird feeders at High Elms at the end of September. Our
January Garden Bird Feeding Survey has maintained a strong response 71
households producing 44 species and continuing a monitoring exercise which began
in 1979. In 1998 we put up 33 nest boxes in Sundridge Park which have been
monitored ever since; it was very fitting that Samantha Holder, the grand
daughter of the late Geoff Holder, could help us with the box monitoring and see
the legacy of her grandfather's efforts. The annual Heron Day at the beginning
of April was once again a great success with about 840 people through the
displays. Our website has been rescued from obsolescence by our new webmaster,
Ernie Thomason. Group members continue to work closely with the Countryside
Ranger Service to improve the range of wildlife amenity and the quality of the
natural environment in Bromley. Committee members also attended RSPB volunteer's
seminars and updates.
Treasurer's
Report: -Anne
PeckAlthough the accounts show a loss of £163.79
this figure is distorted by the £2,000 donation to
the RSPB which, when added to our profit from the
sale of non RSPB sales goods, meant a donation of
£2,669.41 for projects at Dungerness and Elmley
Reserves.Indoor meetings were generally profitable; the
hall costs £66.45 to hire and the lectures fees came
to £573.00. Expenses for the Christmas social were
£357.93. Overall the takings from the entrance fees
and the raffle came to £1,971.00, the raffle raised
£362.00 - thanks to Betty Callighhan & Joan Bailey
(the raffle team) and all those who donated prizes
including Coolings Nursery, and Geoff Game for the
notice board.Field trips raised £209.40 mainly on our coach
trip to Minsmere.The sales of plants at the May Plant Fair and
Keston Countryside Day rasied £741.15 an excellent
effort by Eric Ryan and helpers.The cost of printing the Newsletter was just
recovered by the Group Subscriptions but when the
cost of postage & sundry expenses were taken into
account a loss of £54.25 was incurred.The sales of non RSPB goods was mostly due to
the sale of bird boxes, hand crafted by Bob Land
- many thanks for this effort.Although the sale of pin badges does not go
through the Group's accounts we raised £1,412.46
from the sales of barges last year and 70% of this
profit used for conservation.Acceptance of the balance sheet was proposed by
D.Butler, seconded by Vera Kelly and unanimously
agreed.The Committee proposes that the group
subscriptions should be raised to £3.00 for
individual members and £4.00 for family members from
the 1st January 2007.Motion was proposed by D.Butler, seconded by
Pat Holder and passed without objection.Thanks to Richard Draper for Auditing the
Group's accounts and for photocopying the balance
sheet.Questions on the Group's activitiesA' What Coming Up' section in the Newsletter to
give people a prompt and more information about
field trips would be useful. Also the county
as well as the grid reference in the programme for
field trips.Consider a Saturday start for Field Trips.
Leader & Treasurer:
Both Bob Francis &
Anne Peck both were appointed in 1998 on a five year
tenure - if the Group wishes, and the RSPB agrees we
will carry on, however it is the firm intention of
the leader to stand down in the summer of 2008.
Indoor
Meetings Secretary:
Tony Bailey
Publicity Officer:
Bob Land
Group Recorder :
Derek McWalter
Membership Secretary:
Enda Tincknell
Newsletter Editor:
Rosalind Sim
Field Trip Organiser: Jim Fillery
Newsletter Distributor:Richard
Draper
Member: Nick Hopkins
Sales Organiser: Vacant
All are willing to stand and were elected en
bloc: proposed by Vera Kelly and seconded by
Anne Dully
In conclusion the leader
would like to thank all the committee for their hard
work and support. Also thanks to all the fund raisers
for their efforts from the birds and the environment,
and to the members for supporting Group events.After the meeting Daphne
Butler gave a talk called Wildlife Gardening based on
her prize winning garden in Orpington.Bob Francis