Meeting Title: ACE Monmouth AGM
Meeting date and time: 17th April at 7:30pm
Venue Details: Zoom
Present: Charles Emes, Sarah Swan, Cherry Taylor, Hamish Blair, Jess Long, Tom Kirton, Nicky James, Katherine Pitts-Tucker, Jem Jenkins-Jones
Apologies: Liz Williams, Mark McManus, Sarah Read, Vivien Mitchell
Agenda and Notes
1. Welcome and apologies for absence
2. Chair’s Report
Charles presented the Chair’s report which is available here. Highlights of the year include:
• The successful completion of the Regen Mentoring project, with particular thanks to Cherry for her outstanding contribution. The report and accompanying videos are now available here.
• Ongoing monthly Repair Cafés, which continues to run smoothly thanks to the great team running it.
• The “Six Inches of Soil” event held in April 2024, which was well-received.
• Participation in events such as Food for Thought at the Haberdashers School and the Bee Festival.
• Cherry’s attendance at regenerative farming events and the two Climate Fresk sessions ran by Sarah.
3. Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer’s report is at the bottom of the Chair’s report (available here).
In Sarah’s absence, Charles explained that ACE ended the financial year with a balance of £22,000.
4. Election of Officers
No nominations had been received for the posts of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. Sarah Read was re-elected to the position of Treasurer, Jess Long and Clare Catto were re-elected to the position of Joint Secretary and Charles Emes was re-elected as Chair.
5. Partnership Agreement with MTC
ACE has renewed the partnership agreement with MTC. A smaller budget was requested and a budget of £5,000 per year for two years has been awarded to ACE. The full amount will be released as a lump sum upon completion of the agreement.
The renewed agreement is largely unchanged from the previous one, with the notable addition of a commitment for a town councillor to attend group meetings. Charles thanked Cllr Tom Kirton for taking on this role.
6. Haberdashers Sustainability Conference
Nicky shared a proposal to continue collaboration with Habs following last year’s successful sustainability conference. The proposal is to move to an event focusing on engagement with local primary schools in and around Monmouth (e.g. Raglan, Osbaston, Kymin View, Trellech), to support learning and action on sustainability in schools throughout the year, with the conference acting as a ‘village tent’. The day may include student-led presentations, interactive exhibits, and external speakers. Nicky suggested inviting a selection of speakers with local or youth-focused sustainability experience to ensure the event remains accessible and engaging for a primary school audience.
To support delivery, Nicky requested a contribution of £3,000 from ACE to help cover costs. It was agreed that Nicky would bring a more detailed proposal to the next meeting, outlining the budget breakdown, potential speakers etc.
7. Supporting Square Farm going forward
Cherry updated the group on two key events planned at Square Farm in 2025: the Convergence in early October and Open Farm Sunday on June 8th. While Cherry is stepping back from volunteering, Sarah will take the lead on organising the Convergence, with ACE contributing £1,000. ACE will likely assist with tasks on the Open Farm Sunday, such as volunteering to help in the car park or running a tea stand.
Cherry highlighted the need for volunteers on both dates, but particularly for the Open Farm Sunday, encouraging members to get involved to ensure the continued success of the farm and preserve the enthusiasm that Rob Whittle has for community engagement.
Action: If you are able to help out at with the Convergence or the Open Farm Sunday, please contact info@acemonmouth.org
8. Climate Fresk Update
An update was provided on the recent Climate Fresk workshops Sarah ran for Transition members. While the turnout was still positive, one session had seven participants, just short of the usual eight.
9. Energy Saving at Home Review
The event, organised in partnership with the Severn Wye Energy Agency, unfortunately had no attendees, likely due in part to the warm April weather. It was originally scheduled for January but had to be postponed. It was also suggested that ACE’s mailing list may not have reached the most suitable audience, as many recipients were already familiar with energy-saving practices.
Severn Wye Energy Agency primarily provides one-to-one support for people experiencing fuel poverty or struggling with energy debts. They also engage with businesses and offer support through the local library’s business hub. To improve future engagement, it was suggested that outreach be extended to more diverse groups, such as the Rotary Club or Women’s Institute.
Cllr Tom Kirton shared a resource from Warm Wales, an organisation that supports individuals with energy and fuel poverty issues regardless of benefit status. This could be a useful signposting resource for ACE moving forward.
10. Climate Festival
The proposed date for this year’s Climate Festival was revisited, with a suggestion to hold it on Sunday 7th September, which coincides with the raft race. It was suggested that events could be held at the town field, if available, to attract the raft race audience, since concerns were raised about reduced footfall due to the clash.
The Shire Hall remains a strong venue option since it is central and undercover. Alternative suggestions of dates were Sunday 14th September (the day after the Usk Show). Popular elements such as the Bee Ladies and the smoothie bikes are to be invited back.
Actions: A subgroup Zoom meeting will be arranged to confirm logistics and begin bookings.
11. AOB
It was noted that the T-Shirt Printing stall may not go ahead at the Devauden Music Festival due to a shortage of volunteers.
Charles shared an invitation from Wye Valley National Landscapes regarding their Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) panel. With new Welsh Government guidance requiring 60% of funding to support nature and climate emergency projects, WVNL is seeking new panel members from the community to help review applications. The panel meets up to five times a year, either at their offices on Hadnock Road or online via Teams, for sessions lasting around two hours or less. Participation would not affect ACE’s eligibility to apply for SDF funding, though panel members would be required to step out during discussions on applications involving ACE.
Action: Anyone interested in joining the panel please get in touch: info@acemonmouth.org
Charles also relayed information from Chris Seabury about a potential EV car club scheme, which would provide a shared electric vehicle for the community. The model involves members booking the car for individual journeys rather than ownership. and requires a minimum of 15 participants to launch. Currently, 5 people have signed up.
Action: If you or someone you know would be interested in this opportunity, please get in touch!
12. Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 22nd May, via Zoom, 7:30pm.