PORTESHAM VOLUNTEER
GROUP
We are a group of like minded individuals, keen on keeping Portesham in a ship-shape & Bristol fashion and generally helping out where we can.
We welcome new volunteers with open arms - if this is something that appeals to you please contact any of us on our committee:
Stuart Bainbridge, Tricia Barker, Susan Blackwell, Keith Brignell, Murray Fraser, Julie Mason, David Paton, Mary Robins or Karen Hodgson.
PROJECT 2022 (P22) LATEST 10.10.22...
Wholly supported with a generous grant from the
The school field has now been seeded with a mixture of the Heritage Seeds HS2 mix and seed harvested by Dorset Wildlife Trust and donated to us. This followed the preparation of the seedbed and grading of the field by Keith Banyard with hired tractor and implements, as seen in two of the photos below. The next stage is planting the bare rooted orchard and other trees when available later in November.
Goose Hill verge has also been prepared and reseeded. A new cultivated strip, alongside last years which was successful, has been dug, a large area scarified and both areas seeded, the cultivated strip with the same mix as last year and the scarified area with seed from the Wildlife Trust. The latter has a large concentration of Yellow Rattle which combats the grass.
Work on rebuilding the final section of Goose Hill dry stone wall started on 1st October and, subject to the weather, will continue every Saturday until completion, hopefully before the year end. The photo below shows the dedicated team at work on 8th October.
We always need and welcome additional help, please encourage others to register their interest so that they can be included in the circulation lists for these projects.
Vaughan Jones. Project Leader
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THE PORTESHAM VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTION
1. The name of the group is The Portesham Volunteers hereinafter referred to as ‘the Group’.
2a. Membership of the Group is open to all residents of Portesham who wish to express their pride in the village, its community and its appearance by carrying out maintenance where it may otherwise be neglected, and raising funds for community projects that may otherwise not be funded. Those wishing to become members of the Group would give their names and email addresses to the Group Secretary and would understand that they would be bound by this Constitution which formally sets out the rules, ethos, parameters and aims of the Group.
Work proposed by the Group will only be carried out after appropriate consultation with those residents and/or organizations in the vicinity.
2b. The Group’s aim is to enhance the attractiveness of the village by managing invasive weeds such as ivy, brambles and nettles and replanting small areas with a wider variety of wild and native plants, as recommended by the Dorset Wildlife Trust, and then maintaining them.
3. The Group shall be managed by a Committee of up to 10 members consisting of:
Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and 7 additional members, all elected annually at the AGM. The Committee shall have the authority to co-opt new members as vacancies arise or on an ad hoc basis, the co-opted person to serve on the Committee for the balance of that year.
4. The AGM shall be held annually within 3 months of the end of the financial year which shall be 31st August. Not less than 21 days’ notice shall be given.
5. The Committee shall endeavor to meet at least 4 times a year according to need, with the requirement of a quorum of at least 4 Committee members to be present.
6. A petition of five or more members is necessary to initiate an Extraordinary General Meeting, for which two weeks’ notice must be given to all members.
7. A Bank Account shall be established to hold the funds held by the Group. All payments must be authorized by the Committee. The Chairman and Treasurer shall be the two authorized signatories and the certified accounts shall be presented annually at the AGM by the Treasurer. The Group shall operate in such a way as never to be in deficit.
8. Public Liability Insurance shall be held to cover the activities undertaken by the Group. That no activity shall be undertaken by the Group that is not covered by this insurance.
9. Members are made aware that the Group has no personal accident insurance in place for them.
10. Leaders of work groups shall carry out a prior risk assessment of the tasks to be undertaken and must make all participants aware of the risk mitigation measures required.
11. The Group shall liaise with the Dorset Wildlife Trust for advice on conservation and planting, and with DCC Highways and other owners of land where it endeavors to work.
12. The frequency of working parties is agreed by the Committee.
13. Every reasonable effort will be made to consult with the residents of Portesham and to communicate the Group’s intentions and achievements.
14. All correspondence and official communications are to be addressed directly to the Secretary.
15. If for any reason the Group is dissolved, the balance of any funds held shall be transferred to Portesham Village Hall Fund.
Signed: Chairman: Stuart Bainbridge
Treasurer: Keith Brignell
Past Committee Member: Vaughan Jones
January 2022