FRONT LINE SURREY HILLS
STEERING GROUP MEETING
1 May 2014
Gatton Trust Offices
Notes of Meeting
Attending: Paul Bowen, Lixi Chivas,Rob Fairbanks, Aly Holly, Maggie Kippen, Richard Maddox,
Mark Richards, Marc Russell, Bridget Smithson, Pennie King,
Action1. / Apologies: Tim Richardson, Denise Furlonger
3. / PROJECT PLANNING/BUDGET
3.1 / WW2 Reigate Hill (PB)
PB reported that the plans have been done. This element of the project has therefore been completed. RM asked if there was a side elevation plan. PB said that SCAU could do this but at an extra cost and suggested a volunteer, who had previously undergone the necessary training, could be asked to do it.
MRi confirmed that the large building is on NT land but the small building is not.
AH had printed out all of Grace Philby’s pictures to make a large mosaic. She had looked over GP’s reports and newspaper articles and highlighted on the map the different buildings and their uses. RM has produced a list of the buildings and their uses. RM to email to PK who will then circulate to group. AH will ask Jo at NT if she could put the buildings on an historic map and also on a modern map, which could then be printed out A0 size.
It was suggested that the technical drawings could go on the NT website, possibly on a separate FLSH page. They could also go on the Reigate Hill/Gatton Park pages but it was agreed that there is not a lot of information to go on the websites at this stage. / PB
RM/PK
AH
3.2 / Fort and Events
TR has booked 3 groups to attend the Garrison Days on 7 & 8 June.
Catering: It was felt that providing catering would create a great deal of extra work but Seth’s successor may be interested in taking it on. RF has a list of catering companies. BS also has a list which she will forward to PK. RF/PK will contact the various catering companies and report back.
Portaloos: There will be 4 portaloos, including a disabled loo, and MRi will ensure they are cleaned out before BS’s events. The audience for the play will also be able to use the portaloos and again they will be cleaned out in advance.
Car Parking: The gate to the car park will need to be mannedto avoid unauthorised people using it. It will be closed once the event starts. The entrance will be at the far end of the field, near the Fort. If it is very wet, it may be necessary to use Alison’s field.
Fliers: The fliers have been printed and are being widely circulated.
Barbecue: This is going ahead on Saturday evening and will be a low key event.
Filming of event: It had been decided to use Craig Appleton’s contact to film the event. TR is going to established how much it would cost if CA’s contact came out for the day. Some of the admission charge could be put towards the cost of the filming. MRi agreed to take still photographs. Signs will be put up informing the public that photographs will be taken during the event. It is important to ensure that children cannot be identified in any of the photos. There is a drop box that we can all put our photos on.
Mannequins: MRu reported that a new mannequin would cost £180 but he has found a company who could supply two mannequins for £160, including delivery. MRu is waiting to see photographs of the mannequins and if they are suitable he will order them. RM reported that there may be some mannequins available from HMS Belfast. He will see if there are two available and let MRu know. / BS
RF/PK
TR
ALL
RM
3.3 / Education Activity Days
Project Leader: Bridget Smithson
Easter Activity Days: BS reported that these had been a great success. Wednesday has been particularly well attended, due in part to someone putting on Facebook how much they had enjoyed Tuesday. It was difficult to keep a note of numbers but there had been at least 75 children and 40 adults.
Geo-cache Trail: Sarah is now making the geo-cache trail live, however it can take up to 6 weeks to get it approved. BS has put MRi down as the contact. A list of the contents of the boxes will be made and the boxes will need checking occasionally, including replacing the log books. BS will email MRi the co-ordinates. The trail could be put on the NT website under “Things to do on Reigate Hill”. Monitoring the number of ‘hits’ on the website and the number of people who complete the log books will give an idea of the number of people undertaking the trail. The trail could be expanded at any time and information added to the boxes.
WW1 School Visits, 9 & 10 and 12 & 13 June: 70 children will attend on Monday and Tuesday and 60 on Thursday and Friday. TR and CA are booked in for the school visits. TR will be doing the training and CA the food rations, what they would have eaten in the trenches and the daily routine in the trenches. The children will write post cards home which will be ‘censored’ by TR or CA.
BS reported that there is a problem with transport as large coaches are unable to get up/turn round in Wray Lane. MRi and MRu were able to make some alternative suggestions. BS will check them out.
It was suggested that the press should be invited to the WW1 days. BS has sent out consent forms. BS to send all details to AH. / BS
BS
BS
3.4 / Gatton Community Theatre
Project Leader: Maggie Kippen
Artistic Director: Lixi Chivas
LC reported that the play was going well, with rehearsals taking place. The flier had been printed and all members of the Task Group took a supply to distribute. (PK can report that Ken Bare of Surrey Hills Society took a supply to give out at the Dorking Beer Festival being held on 16/17 May). MK will send a PDF of the flier to PK to circulate. The flier will also be handed out at the Garrison Days. MK to liaise with AH with regard to putting an advertisement in the newspaper.
Unfortunately the community choir was no longer able to take part but an alternative choir has been assembled and MK is also going to approach a fiddler and a singer.
MK reported that everything else has come in under budget.
Car parking: MK will touch base with MRi and MRu the week before the play to confirm arrangements for parking. A large banner and A3 signs “Fort Parking” will be erected. There is currently no signage at Wray Lane car park pointing the way to the Fort but MRi confirmed that this is in hand as part of the FLSH project. MRi is going to redo the panel with a new map and new finger posts. These will be manufactured 6 weeks after payment has been made. Ideally they should be in place before the Fort event on 7 & 8 June. MRi to let PK have the name of the company that is producing the finger posts.
MK asked if it was in order for her to film the play and it was confirmed that it was. MRu will arrange for MK to have a key to the car park gate to enable her to access the site for rehearsals. It was agreed that MK can store items in the magazine room, which will be out of sight. / MK/PK
MK/AH
MRi
MRu
3.5 / B17 Memorial Installation
RF confirmed that the artist has been commissioned to create two wing tip benches. RF showed the Task Group a 10th size maquette. The benches will be made of greenwood oak which will be scorched to protect it from rot, graffiti and scratching. It can be re-scorched as necessary. TR has molten aluminium from the plane which can be recast and used for the rivets. There was a discussion as to where the interpretation should go and whether to mark where the tail of the aircraft would have been, to get the scale of the plane. It was decided this should be discussed with the artist on site. It is hoped to have the memorial in place the week before the 70th anniversary of the crash. RF to circulate the plan of the wing tips.
Commemoration event: 19 March 2014, 17:40. (MRi)
MRi suggested that family of the crew and dignitaries from the USA should be invited to attend the event, gathering at the marquee and making their way to the memorial. A letter will be sent out asking people to “save the date”. RM confirmed he had been in touch with someone on line who wants to attend the event but it was agreed RM/AH should send an email declining his offer. / RF/PK
PK/AH
RM/AH
3.6 / Update by Richard Maddox
RM reported that he now had information on most of the crew. RM tabled details of two of the airmen. RM was in touch with a woman in the Netherlands with regard to the “Purple Heart” medal but it appears that not all the crew mayhave received one. BS tabled a copy of a newspaper article that had appeared in the Surrey Mirror in September 2013. RM will “hit the Iola Register”, which might produce some interest and contact with members of the family. He will also put something in a Brooklyn newspaper. There could be relatives in Ireland, but they will be difficult to trace as records have been destroyed. A separate paper on RM’s research to date will follow under separate cover. / RM/PK
3.7 / PR
Project Leader: AH
AH confirmed that fliers for the Garrison Days have gone out, 2 banners have been produced and 2 advertisements put in Families magazine. Information has been put on Surrey Hills and Reigate Hill websites and has been put in regional and national press releases, as well as NT national events newsletter. Nearer the time MR will put it out on social media. AH has also done press releases for the Fort events and the Community Play. AH haswritten a Press Release for the American press on the recent research and will get in touch with Surrey Life. Caroline Harrup, Editor of Surrey Life, may do another double page spread on our research to date (tbc).
Front Line Walks Leaflet: AH has some text to go on the leaflet but needs to commission a designer to get the map drawn. It will be a “there and back” walk to include the Fort, the small structure, the large structure, the bomber crash site and the Colley Hill view. It was suggested that reference to the geo-cache trail could be included in the leaflet. There could be a launch of the walks leaflet, possibly at the Heritage Open Day in September. AH hopes to have the walks leaflet ready for the next meeting, or possibly a draft.
Review of Budget: £1,154 has been spent on PR to date.
4.
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6 / Any Other Business
Volunteers: It was agreed that it is important to keep volunteers involved and informed. An email will be sent out with PDFs of the Garrison Days and the Community Play. PB confirmed that he has a spreadsheet with names and email addresses. He will liaise with AH. Also let volunteers know that there will be an “end of project” event in due course.
MRi stressed that there is great enthusiasm to continue with the history of the whole of the Surrey Hills, following on from this project.
PK to put on Agenda for next meeting: (i) What have we learnt? (ii) Shall we go for more funding?
RM confirmed that he has a great deal on at the moment so if he is required to do things, could we send request to MRi and AH so they can decide what he does!
AH showed the group the 384th bomber group insignia, which AH had bought on Ebay at TR’s request.
BS confirmed that Louise Miller will be returning from maternity leave on 9 June and BS will be leaving on 6 June. The group thanked Bridget for all her help with the project and wished her the best for the future. / PB/AH
PK
5. / Date of Next Meeting
26 June 2014
14:00-16:00
Warren Farm Barns