Victoria Road News and Views

Dear neighbour,

Below are edited minutes of the recent VRG meeting. To note especially are the coming events: please diarise them

OxClean                              Sat 8th March, morning, somewhere nearby,  details tbc
Victoria Road Quiz           Sat 12th April, 7:30pm, local venue tbc
VR Green Balloon Day     Sun 11th May, morning
VR Garden Party               Sunday 13th July, afternoon
VR Safari Supper               Sat 20th September, evening

Our thanks to Mary for opening her home for a lovely Christmas drinks after the usual lusty carols

Our thanks to Peter for the wonderful embellishment to the notice board; Please contact Paul if you want to post items onto the board.

We are looking for a host for our next regular meeting (all welcome, as always),  on Weds 5th march.

Minutes of Victoria Road Group meeting 7^th January 2014

Present: Sam (Chair), Ali, Philippa, Mary, Sally, Anna, Manda, John

Apologies: David (Brown), Barbara, Paul, Mireille, Jonathan, Gordon, Mick

1.     The minutes of the 30^th Oct 2013 meeting were agreed. Anna confirmed that payment for the map night hall rental had been banked, with thanks.

2.     The Christmas event (carols and drinks), was reviewed: well-attended and warm, positive party, lovely that it was at a new house. Heartfelt thanks to Mary for hosting, and to all the helpers. Carols were also excellent, thanks to John for organising and Peter for playing. Agreed that next year, we’ll consider a short performance of 4-part harmony carols during the party.

3.     Quiz night – at last meeting, agreed range of ideal dates but Feb 22^nd only availability for  Church Hall and quite a lot of key organisers not around then. Proposal to use 12^th April date (originally mooted for Safari Supper) for quiz. Philippa to see if Church Hall available then. If not Mary to look into other venues. Getting critical that we run this event soon as it’s our main fund-raiser and we are low on funds (see later).

Quiz planning team: Philippa, Ali, Manda, to meet soon to get moving on format, questions, jobs that need doing etc. Also to look back at lessons learned from last time.

Discussion on questions  – may solicit from others (agreed central editor essential). Noted that Anna’s son runs quizzes and has good sources  – Anna to pursue. Other ideas – identify chocolate bars round, local photos and sounds – all to go into the mix.

Publicity should emphasise that people are encouraged to bring friends, family etc. Tickets, £5 per head, no concessions. Come as a team (up to 6) or join on the night. Drinks for donations. 7:30 for 8.

Bookings either by email (to mandajoyce@hotmail.co.uk), or on paper through Anna’s letterbox (with payment).

Publicity – first one alerting all to date ASAP – (to go on paper to all VR houses with other VRG dates, see later item).

Nearer the time, 2^nd paper mailing, specific reminder on paper, with tear off slip for paper bookings.

Manda, John, Sam all happy to do delivery.

Mary kindly offered to do photocopying.

4.     OxClean – Morning of Sat 8^th March. Mary and Philippa organising. Mary to liaise with OxClean to book our patch (as local as poss), and contact others as required, including collecting kit.

5.     Sam floated idea of VRG “Secretary” role – not to do minutes but to maintain list of people in road, mailing list, skills available, offers to volunteer etc. A bit like a membership secretary. Meeting thought a good idea. Sam and Mary offered to write a short job description for review at the next meeting. Noted that Welcome Pack not great at recruiting people to VRG. Suggested we might use Garden Party and Christmas Drinks to recruit residents.

6.     Oxfam International parking request. Had a request via a member of Seven Roads Group about whether VR residents might offer parking on drives etc to Oxfam staff as Oxfam is losing some parking spaces in Summertown.  After discussion, agreed not to use VRG mailing list to circulate this request (would not want precedent of using list for charitable appeals, and also some concerns about encouraging people to drive into Summertown, and relative ‘merit’ of Oxfam workers vs other workers). No reason, however, why Sam should not put the appeal on the VR notice board.

7.     Notice Board. Thanks were expressed to Peter for beautiful addition to the board. As ‘Board monitor’, Paul, in his absence, asked to put an acknowledgement for Peter (cheerfulchippy) on the Board.

Barbara has offered to paint the board. Sam to say ‘yes please’.

8.     AOB

·       Betty really loves to have visitors – see Mary for more info about location etc.

·       Signatories on VR bank account now changed – any 2 signatories from Anna, Mary, Sam, Manda

·       Anna confirmed VR Funds.

·       Confirmation of 2014 programme so far

 You can start booking your place for the excellent quiz evening (April 12th) now: just email Manda.