Congleton Sustainability Group meeting took place recently, you can view the full meeting minutes HERE.
Highlights include:
Sub Group Report – Congleton Food4Free
- Planted areas – Continued to maintain (weed, feed, litter pick, prune, plant, sow) our plots and gardens.
- The new owners of the Capitol Walk arcade asked us to remove plants we wanted from part of the garden, ready for them to install phase 1 of their decking this spring (but this has yet to be started). Phase 2 is planned for next year. We transplanted all the woody plants in late winter to the Fairground, and have been gradually moving the remaining plants to the Fairground with the help of volunteer gardeners from other groups in the town. We plan to move plants from the phase 2 area this autumn once we have completed preparing the Fairground. The roses will remain. Once the decking is completed, the owners plan to create planters for us to return some plants, giving the area the feel of sitting within a garden.
- We also advised the new owners regarding best practice to protect the two silver birch on site from the decking work, and gave them information on timing for any pruning, plus some contacts for tree work should they wish to remove any lower branches.
- We have been working hard on the Fairground to remove bindweed and other problematic weeds that were choking the edible strip at the front and other plants further back. This is also to clear ground so we can move the remaining Capitol Walk plants here, either as a holding place or for permanent planting.
- New area: We have a new plot within the Just Bee (bee/wellbeing) garden in the park and have prepared the ground and planted edibles there. Mostly fruit and herbs, they include those grown from cuttings, plants held as stock in the park polytunnels, plants from Capitol Walk, and newly purchased ones from local nurseries.
- Publicity: Facebook interaction continued whenever there are photos, videos and news items regarding our group’s activities and planted areas. See https://www.facebook.com/CongletonFood4Free.
- Accounts- No-one has prepared annual accounts for 20-21. We have now lost access to the CF4F bank account and remaining funds (around £300), so will use the CSG instead to handle any future funds.
- Volunteering hours for all members (except PP whose hours are in her monthly report to CSG)
AS: 6.5 hrs (work on the Fairground, CF4F area in the Just Bee garden) VS: 67 hrs (work on the Fairground, CF4F area in the Just Bee garden, Cap Walk)
Total vol hrs: 73.5
No Meeting in August – Next Meeting September 6th 2022 6:30 pm – Old Saw Mill