Annual General Meeting 2008

Dear Friend

I am writing to you on behalf of the committee of the Friends to invite you to the Annual General Meeting of the Friends. The formal agenda for the meeting is attached to this letter.

Each year I write to you to remind you of the importance of the AGM. I know these meetings can be a little predictable and not too exciting in some ways but they are an essential part of the democratic running of the Friends and they are an opportunity for all our members to show their support for what we are trying to achieve in the Copse. So much work is done by a few people on the Committee and this is your chance to find out more about what we are doing and to give us your support, so please do come along. If you have any problem getting to the AGM, please get in touch with one of the committee and we will try to organise some help for you.

This is a particularly important time for the Friends and we want to discuss some of the priorities with you at the AGM. As well as electing/re-electing key officers and members of the committee (yes, there are some vacancies and we would be delighted to hear from Friends who would like to join the committee; why not make this the year when you step up and give a small amount of your time to help us), we will be making a presentation to you about the importance of the field margins around the Copse and the natural links between the woodland and the meadows. This has been highlighted by the recent ploughing up of the large field to the south of the Nature Reserve.

At the time of writing there are a number of continuing threats to the fields and field margins. One is, of course, the continuing saga of potential housing development on and around the fields. Another is the concern that while set-aside has been suspended that ongoing cultivation of the big field will substantially reduce the biodiversity value to the Copse of the natural link between grassland and woodland edges. Please come to the meeting and tell us what you think.

Another important, and linked, item on the agenda is the review of the subscription. The current rate has been in place since the creation of the conservation group in the late 1980’s, so it has become exceptionally good value. However, the Friends are now necessarily becoming much more than just a group doing the important work of practical conservation. We now have to face the real costs of being an active environmental group in the 21st Century. Although we have remained solvent through careful financial management, this cannot continue into the near future if we are to address all of the issues now facing us. Some of these issues involving additional expenditure are:

• Costs of campaigning for a better reserve
• Costs of campaigning to raise awareness of the potential value of the adjacent fields both for nature conservation and amenity value
• The new requirement to store securely and insure our tools and equipment
• The increasing costs of using contractors for some activities in the Copse, where we have a limited number of volunteers.
• Increased costs of publicity material for the Copse
• Costs associated with the implementation of the new 5-year Management Plan

This is why we are now proposing what may seem like a large increase in subscriptions, but which, in the context of the demands on the group and the lack of increase for many years, we feel is still excellent value for money. Ultimately this is a matter for you to determine in the context of what you want the group to be doing.

We very much hope that you will be able to join us at the AGM on 15th April. We look forward to seeing you then.

With very best wishes.

Graham Ault, Chairman

Footnote: At the AGM, only those who have paid the subscription (£2 per household) for the year ending 31 March 2008 are technically members and entitled to vote. So if you haven't got around to it yet, now would be a good time to settle up! Subscriptions for next year are due 1st April 2008. Subscriptions for both years can be paid on the night.

Click here for AGM 2008 Agenda

Click here for AGM 2007