Sumac Meeting – 6th November 2006
Also: Jonny, David.
Apologies: Anne, Ben (sent but not rcvd!); Dean (retrospectively)
Matters arising from 2nd October
Fire Escape has beeen painted. £150.00 to be reimbursed to Veggies.
Thanks to those that cleared around it so that Dave could paint it - should be done every 18 months.
Security Light - Done - cheers Chan. Another may be installed towards gate or centre of yard.
Cycle parking - sorted.
Tetra Pac recycling - cleared.
Thanks also to all that helped with working weekend - loads of great jobs were done. Unfortunately a bike was broken - anyone know anything about it?
Next work weekend 3rd-4th December.
Clear & clean Sat/Sunday; paint monday/tuesday after Playgroup has finished.
Help! Ben & Becky are co-ordinating - lotsa help needed.
Subgroups
1. Bar: Compressor has been getting turned off with the switch on it under the cage/cover. Please do not turn it off.
The compressor cage needs redesigning as it is not getting enough
airflow - hence high electic usage. Ralph will bring wire mesh to pin around a table cover.
Cleaning - the bar group are the only ones in regularly & find cleaning after hard bar shift difficult. Help! can anyone offer to join or organise a cleaning rota?
2. Café: Sam now co-ordinating People's Kitchen.
James at Neds liaising with a potential Sunday Brunch crew.
A detailed checklist is needed of where things are and what needs doing for volunteer cooks & servers. Help!. Urgently need for an ongoing kitchen facilities co-ordinator, different from a cooking co-ordinator.
Bins & compost need to be cleared after use.
Washing up is still an issue - for a trial period the kitchen door will be locked when Bar, Cafe or Veggies crew are not in.
3. Computers. Internet fixed - thanks Ian Pickering & friend, and others too.
4. Garden. Andy running garden session on alternate fridays - check diary. Help welcomed
Veggies will put in £100 budget for plants etc.
Lots of junk needs clearing from area near shed. It will be dumped after next meeting.
Picnic tables part have been sorted through - the rest can go for scrap wood.
A fundraising event will pay for skip or man with a van, unless everyone can help clear stuff sooner.
5. Residents: Invited, but none present.
They will arrange a boiler service as it is dripping on overflow.
Ask the service to include a carbon monoxide check too (should be done annually).
6. Veggies: Will relocate trailers away from garden as soon as Wiese's van is gone (which he hopes to do within a month).
The Vegan Festival, to be held at Council House on Saturday 9th December is no longer being organised there. Veggies wish to bring it 'in house' instead, with a more informal event showcasing Veggies, Sumac Bar, Cafe & other Sumac facilities, in addition to many other local and national stall holders. Help! is invited from the all in the local vegan community will all help get it together.
Alan Beck, who makes up the organic vegan food mixes for Veggies, wishes to sell up his vegan food business. Veggies might consider taking it on. It comes with a self contained prep room in a shipping container, which could be sited alongside the outbuildings, pending the Resource Centre redevelopment. Some space might be freed up in Veggies current basement kitchen, and/or additional contribution to mortgage might be made available.
David Smith, 15, (no relation), son of Tony from Borrowash/Wales, is working with Veggies this week on a school work placement.
7. Finances: Finance sub-group meeting suggested as bar may be able to offer more rent!
Sarah.or.Andy, Tim, Steve, Pat need to attend. Other welcome. Tim will arrange.
Message from Powergen urgently chasing electric payments - Steve to note.
8. Mail: Nothing urgent.
9. Resource Centre. Outbuildings Roof - work in progress - Ralph will bring a proper warning sign as it is a hard-hat area.
10. Radical Routes Gathering to be hosted by Sumac, 17-19 November.
Help! Urgent need for accommodation, mainly for people needing quite/early places to sleep. Pat to send out special request to mailing list. Ralph to co-ordinate replies/offers
Help! Extra clearing up needed prior to event - who can help with this?
Sumac is a member of RR and struggles to fulfil its work commitment. More Sumac people needed to help out with the gathering, as this always falls on the same people/Neds. Help! Please everyone put it in your diaries and help out. Veggies are cooking.
AOB
Portable Appliance Testing needs to be done and stickers required to show checking of all electrical equipment. Help! Does anyone know anyone who has the test equipement and is able to do this?
Phones - it was felt that it was not worth paying for a listing in the phone book as most people will know how to find us in other ways.
The phone number is currently with-held from Caller Displays. This should be changed as there is no need to hide the number - Pat to do.
Photocopier - Our friendly service volunteer has (probably) located a spare drum suitable for the next 60,000 copies - saving the £100 that a new one would have cost. Pat to decide whether to install it now, or stretch the existing drum out a bit longer.
The Wall: Anne has arranged for builder to reduce £1700 quote to £1200, if we take down existing wall and clean bricks ready for builder reuse. Andrew to follow up (Check if VAT is extra). Help! Offers of help last time from Clarken, Wietse, James.
It was requested that a future meeting reviews policies regarding security & threatening behavior.
Gate Lock: Following further break-in to vehicles in yard the previously discussed option of locking the gate has been implimented. The combination lock on at the moment is not ideal. Pat hopes to replace it with an easier one. Existing key-holders to be advised of the combination. We will need to get into the habit of ensuring that the last one out can secure the gate. Pat & Ben discussed arrangements for locking up on non-opening days, and for ensuring that yard is unlocked for morning deliveries/visitors. Keep monitoring the situation, which may need to be reviewed.
8. Events
Weekly newslist event listings are being circulated regularly - thanks Karl.
Occasional additional announcements going out at other times - hopefully there are not too many.
See diary for details of upcoming events.
Next Meeting: Monday 5th December 2006, 7.30pm
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245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham, NG7 6HX Ph: 0845 458 9595 . Email: sumac{at}sumac.net Website: http://www.sumac.org.uk |
