2018 Report

Report to the Annual General Meeting, 2018

This is my fourth report as Chair of the Trust and I’m pleased to be able to reflect on another largely positive year.

The village fete and fell race was held on Saturday, 15th July 2017. This year we were joined by some new faces helping with the set-up, morning preparations and running of the fete. In particular, the Young Farmers were an enormous help and we hope their involvement will become a regular feature.

Staff from the Co-operative did a tremendous job helping at one of the entrances and Richard Berry was back on the PA and on top form.

All involved worked tirelessly to make the day a success and I am grateful to each and every one of them.

We again benefitted from a good selection of raffle prizes, thanks to Parish Councillor Joyce Harrop and the generosity of an anonymous benefactor. Thanks again to the hard work of the ticket sellers, the raffle made a positive contribution to the surplus generated by the fete, which will make a much-needed contribution to the upkeep of the Green.

In November, the Trust made an application to the Community Foundation for Calderdale’s Ovenden Wind Farm Fund. I’m pleased to report that a sum of £2,032.20 was awarded, which will allow us to undertake improvement works including tree inspections and maintenance works and the restoration and repair of steps and fencing adjacent to Leeming Water. Many thanks to the Community Foundation for Calderdale for their support.

In 2017/18 the Trust has operated with two Trustee vacancies and previous retirements from the Fête Committee have not been filled. In my opinion we urgently need to identify additional volunteers and I note there will be some discussion about that this evening.

It is with some sadness that a founding Trustee, Jeremy Mackrell MBE, has announced his retirement from the Trust at the end of this financial year. Jeremy’s contribution to the Green and the running of the village fete over many years has been admirable and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. I and fellow Trustee’s wish him well for the future.

Thankfully, Jeremy has agreed to continue to support our activity, most notably by helping with collecting sponsorship. Financial donations by local businesses also make an important contribution to the maintenance of The Green. Jeremy picked this task up in 2017, following the departure of our previous fund raiser. Collecting sponsorship is never an easy task and we’re grateful to Jeremy for his achievements here, and of course, to the local businesses lending their support.

To wrap up, I would like once again to thank Trustees, members of the Fete Committee and volunteers, for freely giving their time to ensure that Oxenhope continues to benefit from a village Green.

Thanks also to all those who support and attend the fete and those who use and care for the Green.

Chair, Oxenhope Millennium Green Trust

2017/18 Trustees

Ken Eastwood (Chair)

Chris Coupland (Secretary)

Andrew Collinson (Treasurer)

Celia Holmes

Jeremy Mackrell MBE

Richard Berry

Vacancies x 2

Our Sponsors

• Timothy Taylor & Co.
• Unique Unisex Hair Studio
• Upwood Holiday Park
• Whitakers Animal Feeds