The Teme Valley Environment Group (TVEG) has a new chair, as well as several new committee members, after concerns were raised before its annual meeting last week.
Nicola Colston, Sheila Clarke and Siggi Haynes have kept the group alive in recent years but, with all three in their 70s, it was feared it would struggle without an injection of youth.
TVEG has, among other things, organised monthly litter picks, provided local residents with advice and help on insulating homes, planted and maintained trees, transformed allotments and even carried out tests on the town’s River Teme since being set up in 2007.
It had sent out an urgent appeal for new members to join ahead of last week’s AGM, held on March 17, with mayor Tom Taylor elected as the group’s new chair.
“Most of the original members are in their 70s now and have less energy and not so able to perform some of the tasks such as fruit tree pruning, so we are looking to recruit a new generation of enthusiastic youngsters with new ideas and to carry on our work,” said Tom.
“The incumbents, Nicola Colston, Sheila Clarke and Siggi Haynes, have held their posts for several years and all expressed a desire to step down, though all, foolishly, said they would continue if necessary.
“Naturally, no-one stepped forward and the meeting dragged on, going nowhere fast.
“One of the problem’s TVEG has is that no-one is familiar with social media and our communication is by email and phone to members and putting up posters to let the general public know what events we are putting on.”
Tom added: “Eventually I volunteered to put myself forward as chair and was duly elected.
“There were a few young people in the room and so I asked Tom Andrews and his girlfriend Sarah if they did social media and, if so, would either or both of them would take on the post of secretary. They agreed to do it jointly and were promptly elected.
“Then I asked Will Morgan, a recent member who had helped with the fruit tree pruning, if he’d take on the treasurer’s job.
“Not an onerous task as we only have two fundraising events, the annual seed swap and plant swap and have very few outgoings. He agreed and was duly elected.
“We are now in the position of having young people in two of three main positions in the group and the prospect of attracting new young members through social media, and we look forward to more environmentally friendly projects in the future.”
Nicola, the former chair, said: “We had become an organisation struggling to even maintain existing projects, so I’m delighted that some new blood has now come in. It’s encouraging.
“I am remaining involved, as are the existing team who are committed to the values of TVEG.
“The drive for new projects had become an issue, so we’re happy that the future is now more secure.”
TVEG plan to hold its next meeting in April. To find out more about TVEG, or if you’d like to get involved, email info@tveg.org.uk or check out the http://tveg.org.uk/wordpress/ website.
