Friends of Ruskin Park

Chair  Veronica Hardstaff - 64 Linaker Road, Sheffield S6 (Tel. 233 5414)

Secretary  Barbara Waterhouse - 106 Cromwell Street, Walkley, Sheffield S6 (Tel. 233 9805)

Minutes of the meeting of the Friends of Ruskin Park, held on Tuesday, 27th January at 7.45 p.m.

Present:  Councillor Veronica Hardstaff (Chair), Keith Gower, Brenda Wren, Deb Loasby, Chris Ireland, Richard Saunders (Ranger Service)

Apologies: Barbara Waterhouse, Jillian Missen (SCC), Fraser McDermott (Ranger) Lyndsay Berry, Louise Gower, Helen Todd

1)       Minutes of the meeting held 16^th December 2003
These were agreed as a correct record.

2)       Matters arising
VH has attended 2 sessions on funding bids and BW has attended one on Business Planning.

Date agreed for Walkley Festival – Saturday 3^rd July

Action: VH to confirm with festival committee

3)       Lottery bid
VH now has application pack and talked through assessment criteria and local funding priorities. Although Sheffield is not a designated priority area it was agreed that we should have a strong bid based on the inclusiveness of our scheme, the local representation and the fact that SRB areas border 2 sides of the park. It was confirmed that the bid will be made through the large grants programme and will be for play area and equipment.

Action: VH to draft application ready for discussion and input at next meeting. She will work with Jill Missen and Helen Todd, learning from work that the Bolehill Group did. Also to look at free school meal %age for St Mary’s school to support application. 

4)       Lease

VH has a letter from the council confirming their agreement in principle to leasing the land involved to FORP on whatever basis is required to support our application (e.g. 10 years).

Concern was raised regarding the ongoing maintenance of equipment and who would be responsible – agreed that this needs to be resolved before application is submitted.

5)       Annual clean up
Date scheduled for Saturday May 8^th 10-12.30. Ranger Service will get involved, potentially in keeping children entertained through nature hunts etc.

Action: RS to ensure added to environment month programme and to look at obtaining a skip for the rubbish

6)       Student volunteers – 13^th/ 14^th March
Agreed that there was nothing specific we could ask for over this weekend but that we should make contact and look for help for the clean up day, e.g. producing posters for notice boards, producing and distributing leaflets and helping on the day

Action: VH to discuss with BW re contacting group

7)       Date and time of next meeting – note new venue

This will be held at Louise and Keith’s house – 23 Cromwell Street.

Thursday 19^th February - 7.45 start.

Main item for discussion will be the draft Lottery fund application.