Members’ News
It is 3 months since our last update and therefore time to send you a follow up.
The first thing to say is that we had to postpone the AGM again, first to the 3rd July and then to the 4th September. The reasons are well known. Although the rules about gatherings have relaxed, the trustees felt the new date would be more acceptable to the majority of members, and it would be much better to hold the AGM in Fydell House rather than ‘on-line’. The usual official notification and supporting papers have gone out and we look forward to seeing members again at Fydell House.
In recent months we have been very pleased to welcome some new volunteers. Anne-Marie, Peter, and Steff have joined the gardeners alongside Manuel and Robin.
Jodie Angove has recently joined as a Receptionist and bookings administrator, and this is already helping our Operations Manager very much in the running of the building and the trust.
Fydell House has also started to see some visitors through the week, weather permitting. The garden has been available for picnics and browsing from Mondays to Thursdays. Sue and her team have been available on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10-2 to offer outside catering. We expect this to increase. Bookings for later in the year are beginning to come in, and it was a great pleasure to host our first wedding of the year at Fydell House recently, using the re-furbished and decorated Garden Room. This was a superb event and other weddings are in the diary.
Our Heritage Fund project continues. The trustees have completed a long programme of board development workshops and our ‘expression of interest’ was accepted and approved by the HF in June. This has involved further detailed survey work and plans for renovation, and for detail of our plans for the future long term use of Fydell House. We are taking the next steps on a path to make Fydell House a worthy and lasting community asset for Boston, to bring pleasure and fulfilment with a wide range of facilities and also a welcome to those looking for information about our history, and to those seeking support for their wellbeing, or to find opportunities for volunteering or training. Our immediate heritage neighbours are a key part of the plans.
Our financial position is satisfactory, and the details are described in the end of year accounts. We have recently agreed plans to bring No2 Spain Court back into use as a residence.
We intend to resume a programme of lectures and visits as soon as possible. Mary Anderson has some detailed plans at the ready which will be posted in the usual ways.
Information about this appears on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and will soon become available on a Website, which has proved a time-consuming exercise but almost complete.
We look forward to a gradual return to normal service and to seeing you again at Fydell House. The garden is already looking a picture of fresh beauty.
22.7.21.