We are now a registered charity !  Special General Meeting 15 May 2002
As reported in the last Newsletter, the Charity Commission raised only three minor points about our application for charitable status and two had already been dealt with to the Commission’s satisfaction.  The third issue involved a minor change to our Constitution and we agreed with the Commission a suitable rewording of our Objects.  However, our Constitution can only be amended by the membership at an Annual or Special General Meeting and so the Executive Committee called a Special General Meeting to deal with the specific point raised by the Commission.  The Meeting preceded our visit to Poltesco Mill and we were grateful that so many Members attended, allowing the business to be completed within our rules for quoracy.

At the Meeting, the Chairman briefly explained the background, the Secretary outlined the technical requirements and read out the resolution, and John Grierson, seconded by Avril Evens, formally proposed the motion.  The vote showed unanimous support from the 22 Members present and the business had been completed in less than five minutes !  The Committee is also grateful to the 19 Members who sent apologies for not being able to attend, but indicating support for the proposed changes.  We sent Minutes of the Special General Meeting to the Charity Commission and we have now been formally notified of our charitable registration.

Visit to the gardens of Lismore, Sunday 26 May 2002
The gardens at Lismore, dating from the early nineteenth century and included as a Grade II item on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest, are normally open to the public only on Flora Day.  However, at the kind invitation of owner Mr Michael Jay, we arranged a privileged visit.  Our Secretary gave an introduction to the planning status of the site, as a Listed Building and Register Garden at the heart of the Helston Conservation Area.  Michael Jay then outlined the history and evolution of the house and garden and gave an owner’s view of the difficulties and onerous requirements of owning an historic site.  He introduced his gardener, Alfred Poplar, who has worked at Lismore continuously since the 1940s.

Michael Jay and Alfred then took us on a conducted tour of the gardens, pointing out items of horticultural and historic interest.  An enormous Plane tree, said to have the largest girth in Britain, and massive Beech trees that pre-date the house, are impressive parts of the garden layout.  It is perhaps the serpentine paths that meander round the gardens, linking the house, water features, walled gardens and old garden buildings which were the most delightful feature, with a surprise at every turn. The visit finished with tea in the Conservatory, a faithful rebuild of an earlier structure.

Mr Michael Jay points out an interesting feature of his garden

On the morning of the visit, there had been frantic phone calls between the Chairman, Secretary and Mr Jay, and we nearly postponed the event due the bad weather, but nearly twenty members enjoyed a successful visit in what turned out to be sunny weather.  This is essentially a Spring garden and Mr Jay may invite us back at some future date, at an earlier time of the year when the Rhododendrons, Camellias and Magnolias will be at their best.