TIMELINE
April 2010 Planning permission is granted with a set of conditions as long as your arm! Despite the extra workload created by the conditions, this is a real moreale booster. The National Trust and our wonderful lawyer, Clive Robertson, have been working had to get the lease ready and we can now move to get that completed. April also saw our move to CIC status completed. Not a full charity, a CIC is a company status that allows us to operate properly as a not-for-profit and protects our assets for the members. As if that were not enough, the membership team has started. A group of five people so far to work oon communications and events, PR etc, so that the peoples of the Horsley know what we are doing and get every chance to join in. March 2010 Non structural work begins - clearing the land. If you have not yet seen the site you simply MUST come while we are the early stages. It is already changing so quickly that you it is hardly recognisable. January 2010 27th January at 8pm, West Horsley Village Hall. To agree details of the CIC memorandum. All welcome, members will be asked to vote.
Gardening requires lots of water -- most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson
An Annual General Meeting was held on 10th November. We formally adopted the consititution (with some amendments from the draft tabled) and set the company up formally on that day. To become a member all you have to do now is read and accept (in writing) the Constitution.
September 2009
Every indication is that the submission to DEFRA/NT has been successful, as long as we are able to meet a number of key criteria. SITA and Three Valleys Water have turned down our grant applications but we have made it through the first stage with Local Food and have other applications in play. Donations from the community are starting to come in and we have also set up a loan scheme - if we know we have been awarded funding, but don't get the cash until after we have paid the suppliers we are actively seeking interest-free 'bridging' loans so that we can make a start.
If you think you might be able to commit to a bridging loan (at least £500) please contact Su - su.johnston [at] btopenworld.com for details of how it works.
The open day & public meeting on 26th September was a huge success and very very encouraging. Thanks to those who came and to anyone who has been able to send us feedback.
August 2009
Application submitted to DEFRA/NT, SITA and Local Food. If we are to build a new access road at the far end of the garden, and sort out the knotweed and glass, we will need proper financial support and wait with bated breath for the outcome of the applications.
Fantastic news in during August - Tozer/Plant Solutions the international seed company has agreed to support us with advice and goods. This is a company owned and run by a Horsley family so we are chuffed to bits: we just could not have better company!
July 2009
Planting plan and plans for the new access road are being prepared. Funding is being sought from DEFRA (through NT), local spaces (Lottery funding), SITA, The Two Parish Councils, Tozer Seeds/Plant Solutions and any other source we can find - any funding is welcome but if we can secure £35k we can buy all the equipment, supplies and infrastructure we need at the beginning. The two Parish Councils and the Lady Noel Byron trust are first to commit to support us.
June 2009
Second Steering Group meeting at the Wheelhouse
May 2009
Steering Group - first meeting. We have a chairman, a treasurer, and Head Gardeners! We are also just beginning to define all that there is to do.
We'll have an open day at the Nursing home (July) and
a public meeting for the village in September.
April 2009 - a company limited by guarantee is formed. We exist!
March 2009
BUPA, National Trust and G&F agreed 30th September for the land to be assigned. Met East Horsley Parish Council - more key individuals identified.
February 2009
RHS runs feature on Chiswick Kitchen Garden - Karen Leibrich glad to talk to us and share www.kitchengarden.org.uk
December 2008
Wimbledon Garden design visits the land and gives us a very broad overview of what we need to do to get started.
August 2008
We have a name - Grace + Flavour
Perfect in that it reflects the Christian roots of the organization (about which we wanted to be open) and slips off the tongue!
October 2008
Made contact with Farnham Local Food Initiative - who sent budgets and loads of useful detail. Found Robin Satow - Sr. Rgl Surveyor at National Trust - wonderful man - true progress. Met and presented very briefly to WHPC - key 'anchor' individuals identified.
May 2008
Idea presented to L1FE group and accepted
Gina Isaacs introduces the concept of the walled garden
BUPA approached - through every possible door & avenue.