The Secretary, Jennifer Parker, has provided the following update on the current position regarding the postponed 2020 AGM.

The postponement of our AGM planned for 15 April was one of the first decisions made by the Committee at the end of March when we had little idea of what was to come. We were hoping that the effect of Covid 19 would pass quickly and normality return. As the summer has gone along we have all had to adjust our lives, be grateful for the good things and learn to be patient.

In line with the Charity Commission guidelines, the Friends submitted their accounts for the year to September 2019 together with a report on their activities. This report was published in the Autumn/Winter -Volume 27 No.2 and you can access a copy here.

Under the Government Roadmap for future unlocking we fixed an appropriate date for the AGM of Thursday 15 July 2021 which you will have seen published in Ventnorensis. Unfortunately, the latest guidance has delayed progress once again and we have now arranged a new date of Tuesday 27 July 2021 at 7pm.

The Agenda for the meeting is available here: – Revised AGM Agenda

There are two changes to the Trustees which are detailed in the revised AGM Agenda. Last year Jane Clarke resigned from the Committee and Peter Coleman was elected to her role as Deputy Chairman. The current Committee is seeking re-election, which includes Val Pitts who was co-opted on to the Committee to take over as Membership Secretary when Caroline Peel took up her role of High Sheriff. Caroline remains an active member of the Committee.

A copy of the full accounts for the year to September 2020 which have been submitted to the Charity Commissioners are available here.

The autumn/winter edition is being printed and will be delivered to members next week.

This edition will feature another article by David Pearce, a former VBG apprentice gardener, on Pyrophytic ecosystems. You can download and read the article here.

In recent weeks it has been good to see the very hard working apprentices Indie and Ellis back in the Garden. Their return has been possible with your wonderful support of the appeal to raise funds for the Friends’ Apprentice Fund which suffered a significant reduction in income when Coronavirus impacted on the Garden finances in the 2020 season.

The Isle of Wight Volunteer Fair will be an on-line event this year and the Friends will be taking part with a video made by one of our very keen volunteers. You can watch our video here.

The Fair goes live on 24 October 2020 and here is a link to the Fair website.

You can visit the Volunteer Fair here

Brian Kidd, President of our Society died peacefully last week, aged 82.

Brian has been President since 2005.  He has been a much-loved, top supporter of the Friends in many ways over the years, he advertised the Garden during his regular broadcasts on Radio Solent, in his popular column in ‘The News’ and talks to gardening and other groups all over the area.  

He had been Head of Parks and Gardens for Portsmouth and a fine inspiration for his Son, Chris Kidd during his horticultural career.  He never failed to come over for the AGM and made sure that we appreciated the support that we all give the Garden, encouraging us to invent our own fund-raising projects.

The News – Portsmouth’s local paper in which he wrote a column for many years published a full tribute to him which you can find at: –

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/people/brian-kidd-portsmouths-mr-gardening-dies-aged-82-3053827

There was also a tribute on BBC News which you can find at: –

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-55161157

Radio Solent also paid tribute in the gardening programme The Kitchen Garden with Rebecca Parker, the programme is currently available on the BBC Sounds app at: –

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08zgxhz