These minutes have been redacted for reasons of confidentiality.
Date of meeting: Zoom meeting, Wednesday 25th August, 6pm
Present: Pam Moore, Neil Hickson, Chris Roberts, Mark Tebbutt, Nicky Bailey, Angela Blackshaw, Fiona Eccleston, Charlotte McCartney (first portion of meeting)
Apologies: Katy Sneyd (Wigan MBC)
Chair: Neil Hickson
Minutes: Angela Blackshaw
Declarations of interest: MT – section 7
| Referenceto agenda | Minute | Action |
| Minutes of meeting: Read in advance of meeting by all board membersApproved by: NH Seconded by: AB Matters arising from minutes: None | ||
| 1 | Introduction – Care Farm Co-ordinator Charlotte McCartneyCM had been invited into the first part of the board meeting in order to introduce herself to the board. CM started work as (mat leave) Care Farm Co-ordinator on 2nd August, though she had met with staff and learners prior to this and received handover from the permanent Co-ordinator. CM feels she has been welcomed into the team and is settling in well, getting to know the learners and their families, consulting with staff and considering ideas for the future, including trialling a “Care Farm Café”. This will be on Tuesdays (with preparation in the kitchen on Mondays), starting in September, coinciding with a Macmillan event, for a trial period of three months. CM has been liaising with Straw Bale staff who have been supportive. If the scheme continues, it will need to be formalised in terms of accounting, ordering of ingredients and so on. CM plans to organise an open day to bring existing learners/families/staff together and possibly attract new learners going forwards. CM was made aware that she will need to submit monthly management reports to the board, showing areas Care Farm are proud of or may need support with. CM can get publicity materials to NH to go on the website. | |
| 2 | MinutesTo aid efficiency for recording, approving, and redacting minutes, minute-taker can highlight potential areas to be redacted as they are compiling minutes. NH will then be able to put redacted minutes on website more quickly. Not all organisations make their minutes public but GCF do for transparency and to aid communication with members, however it was recognised that we have had delays in doing this due to board member commitments and so on. Draft and completed minutes can be stored in a folder on our Gmail account, which all board members can have access to. As PM has completed minutes previously and has offered to do them again, AB will give her the password to the board@ account.NH formally adopted minutes from last meeting, AB seconded them and suggested amendments by FE and PM. | AB |
| 4 | Actions Summary from 11/08/21Co-op funding – report back on possible use of funding (MT) – agenda item.Redaction of minutes to be approved by the board then loaded to website (NH) – redaction complete, process of uploading to website underway When governance reviewed, ensure policy is in place re info handling (AB) – ongoing Approve minutes of 14/07/2021 board meeting (all) – completed. Hold a meeting with RJ & CP re expectations of grower’s role going forwards (NH/PM) – not completed due to annual leave. To be rearranged.Review access to TEAMS (NB/FE) – completed.Ensure Café staff have access to Facebook & Instagram (NH) – completed.Locate & circulate WAWY agreement (FE) – completed Contact named person to see if he’d like to liaise between board and WAWY. (AB) – completed.Draft a letter to Co-operatives UK re rules around memberships and secretary (AB/PM) – completed. | NH |
| 5 | Key Person Reports Not applicable – only monthly reports are required. | |
| 9 | We Are With You AgreementEstablished that we have a contract with WAWY and do not charge them, no plans to change this but need to improve communication with them, ensure they have the board contact details and request monthly reports to board. | AB |
| 10 | Straw Bale Manager recruitmentSome particularly strong applications received, CR and FE have been shortlisting and arranging trial placements to consider suitable candidate, CR has also arranged time for candidates to spend time with the grower. One candidate interested in running café as her own business, agreed this needed to be discussed with the board fully at next meeting and will be explored more with the candidate at her trial session. | |
| 11 | Wareing ShedMT has quotes, is in process of obtaining more up to date ones for power cables, diggers and so on to get electricity into the barn. MT has been liaising with interested parties. Sub-committee to be set up. If digger in, may be able to do trench around goat area and memory garden as well. |
| Action | Who | Raised |
| Board members to compile brief summary of the areas they cover, forward to NB | All | 25/08/21 |
| Compile newsletter for circulation to members | NB | 25/08/21 |
| Provide access to board@ email to PM | AB | 25/08/21 |
| Discuss intended spend on waring shed at next meeting | MT/FE | 25/08/21 |
| Continue work on Straw Bale Manager Recruitment | FE/CR | 25/08/21 |