BHOGG Review 2011 - Future Directions
Brighton & Hove Organic Gardening Group
Future Directions Review
9th July 2011
Please find a summary of the results from the BHOGG online survey in a document at the bottom of this page
Introduction
Purpose:
After 10 years to reflect.
Objectives:
Generate ideas on the way forward for the group.
Present:
BHOGG Committee: Alan Phillips, Caroline Woodroffe, Helen Gibbs, Jenni Cresswell, Miriam Harper, Mouse Dismore, Neil Smith, Ruth Urbanowicz, Stephen Birch. Guests: Jan Mulreany, Jess Crocker, Warren Carter.
Welcome
Alan welcomed everyone, and thanked in particular our guests for attending the meeting; Jan Mulreany from Brighton Permaculture Trust , Jess Crocker from Harvest, and Warren Carter from Moulescoomb Forest Garden.
Background Information
A wide range of documents had been prepared in advance and circulated. They would be important reference points both at this meeting and in the future, while the Future Directions Survey, an internet questionnaire for members, had provided 23 helpful replies although they were not necessarily representative of all the membership.
Future Directions discussion
The group discussed key questions on BHOGG, the strengths and weaknesses of its work , the work and possible cooperation with Harvest, Brighton Permaculture Trust (BPT) and Moulscoomb Forest Garden, opportunities and threats/risks for the future, highlighting a number of important discussion points and potential activities for the future.
Follow up actions
Action points were identified and it was agree that these would be the focus for discussion at the next meeting on Thursday 21 July at Steve’s house.
Future Directions Review
9th July 2011
Brainstorming discussion to mark the tenth anniversary of BHOGG
1. Key Questions for the Group
Everyone provided their concise answers to the following key questions;
· What do you think makes BHOGG significant?
The way it works
“Friendly, fun, fertile”
“That it gets things done, not just chat”
“Active and exciting”
“Wider Participation in getting things done”
“Run by gardeners for gardeners”
“Local Community Project”
“Like minded people together”
“Meet like minded people, local and social”
Its organic focus
“Expertise”
“Introducing folks to organic stuff”
“Opportunities for people to get expert advice”
“Specifically organic”
“Organic and other expertise”
“Practical organic gardening”
“Organic, seedling swapping, like minded gardeners”
“The group identity as organic gardeners”
“Its presence and pioneering focus on organic, with at least 10 years’ experience behind it”
Local and national information and links
“It provides an opportunity for people to connect to a national movement at a local level”
“A network for gardeners to meet face-to-face”
“Newsletter and Website”
“Information, like minded, helpful, involving”
· What is one major wish of yours for the future?
Organic
“Organic Gardening becomes normal and we lead the way”
“Source more organic products”
That BHOGG remains and strengthens its profile to capture the spirit of the times – organic”
Participation
“Bigger core group to organise more”
“Wider participation”
“Increase demographic”
“Increased participation”
Continuity of Success
“To see BHOGG continue, and grow by focusing on its unique selling points...”
“For BHOGG to keep going – it’s becoming a big part of my life”
“That some element of BHOGG’s success continues”
“To continue as a group”
Partnerships
“Working with others”
“Team up with schools”
“What do you want from the brainstorming review?
Future Strategy
“A clearer idea of what the future holds for BHOGG”
“Energy, Begin new strategy”
“Clarity. Feeling of forward movement. New ideas”
“To be clearer about our purpose”
“Establish core reasons for our existence”
Practical actions
Decisions and actions”
“Practical focus to apply now”
“To find more ways to support and work with BHOGG (Jess)”
New Approaches
“Feel good about what we have done. Feel positive about the future”
“To find out how / if we could all work towards a similar end of producing sustainable food in area”
“Let people know about your work. Twitter, Social network, Facebook”
2. Strengths and Weakness
Using information correlated, especially membership survey (see appendix), committee views and input from our guests we discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the following areas:
Membership
Strengths:
o That a paying membership of approx 100 exists, providing income of approx £1000pa.
o The fact we have a paying membership gives the group weight.
o Provides a sense of “belonging” to the group.
o Good response to surveys on future direction.
o Newsletter and website valued by members
Weaknesses:
o Membership could be much higher and has declined over the last couple of years.
o Membership is hard to renew, and often lapses.
o No ways to pay online or using direct debit / standing-order / paypal.
o Benefits of membership not publicised.
o Membership list maintenance.
o Increase in like-minded organisation
Key discussion points:
o Should be a higher rate for group membership? Group members could be provided with more newsletters and “membership packs” to help promote the group and gather new members.
o Need to investigate ways to keep members hooked after first year.
o What is in the membership offer
o Children’s / family membership.
o Life membership option.
o Free membership for schools.
o Should we should count website hits, newsletter downloads, non-member event participation etc as another level of “membership”?
o Should we even drop the concept of paid membership entirely? BCT have done this, and focus on other sources of funding with whilst maintaining an (e)mail list of interested parties.
o Help from Harvest, BPT ,MFG and others in attracting members.
o Planned recruitment drive at a limited number of specific events eg Seedy Sunday and Wyevale.
Newsletter
Strengths:
o Feedback from the questionnaire and input from our guests confirmed that the newsletter is very popular, and for many members a key benefit of joining.
o Good long lasting articles and points of reference.
o Enhanced design
o Interesting to outsiders
Weaknesses:
o Not read by enough people
o Printing and distribution is time consuming
o Uses much of membership income.
o Helen may get overloaded.
Key discussion points:
o Should we encourage electronic distribution? However this may have the effect of reducing our membership income [Paypal donation button on download page?]
o Provide more copies to affiliated groups?
o Samples as part of marketing package to attract new members.
Website
Strengths:
o Accessible, clear information.
o Highly rated by our guests (Warren in particular).
o Highly rated in survey
o High profile in search engines.
Weaknesses:
o Forum underused
o Need to increase visibility.
o Not enough people to support it (only Helen?)
o Not on social network sites.
Key discussion points:
o Should we increase our online presence, in particular using Twitter and Facebook linked to website and to new articles for newsletter.
o The benefits of Twitter in particular were reported by Warren and Jess (information about events, newsletter releases, garden jobs for this month etc “pushed” to users) reaching new younger audience.
Other Media
Strengths:
o Radio Reverb show.
Weaknesses:
o Need to publicise when on (twitter / email?)
Indoor Events
Strengths:
o Popular events - Gardener’s Question time, “in-vogue” topics (eg bee-keeping) and winter talks.
o Winter meetings rated high in the survey
Weaknesses:
o Social events not that popular or well attended.
Key discussion points:
o Should we do more GQT type events, particularly based at allotments around the city?
o Should we amalgamate Harvest supper and Christmas party or are numbers sufficient?
Outdoor Events
Strengths:
o Popular talks and walks.
o The Seedling swap is very popular.
o Not just gardening.
Weaknesses:
o Not using the BHOGG plot effectively.
o Not enough resources for stalls at events.
o Future of the allotment.
Key discussion points:
o We should utilise resources from other groups (eg Harvest) to publicise BHOGG from their stalls at events.
o Feedback from the membership survey indicated more events with “High profile” speakers would be popular.
o Visits to gardens and allotments, especially local ones, also popular.
BHOGG Allotment
Strengths:
o Regular volunteers.
o Model of organic gardening
o Base for events.
o It’s won awards!
Weaknesses:
o Future without Helen.
o Limited participation of others.
Key discussion points:
o We discussed teaming up with Seedy Sunday / Heritage seed library, to use part of the plot for seed saving.
o Could we get horticultural students involved?
o Could it be a venue for like -minded groups and joint activities?
Networking and links with other organisations.
Strengths:
o Unique, broad, cross city.
o Source of expertise.
o Well regarded.
Weaknesses:
o Not making the most of working with existing groups to spread the message.
o Close to what Harvest / BPT do?
o Limited by our energy and number of people.
Key discussion points:
o We discussed to what extent BHOGG overlaps with other groups in the city such as Harvest, BCT and the Allotment Federation. BHOGG should be aiming to pick up members introduced to growing by these groups, which in turn can make use of BHOGG’s expertise.
o We need to make sure we maintain our expertise.
o We should be looking at opportunities with new Green / Labour led council.
4. Opportunities and Threats/Risks for the future
· It was good to hear from our guests that BHOGG is well respected.
• It was also good to see the very positive comments by the memberships survey though some comments implied the committee is perceived as cliquey.
• We need a process of renewal and modernisation, bringing in new people both into the Committee and also into promoting organic gardening practically in the local community.
· Nature of membership. What do we mean by membership? Maybe not just paying members, but linked to participation – for example non members coming to talks, website hits, and newsletter downloads. We need to revise our management of membership and payments too.
· We need to make sure we maintain, nurture and develop our expertise beyond the Committee to our membership and others.
· We need to find contemporary ways of communicating our valued organic message, directly and indirectly to wider audiences in the local community.
· Events are generally successful though we need to look at the future direction survey and continue to review what works well and build on successful formula.
· The BHOGG allotment can go from strength to strength and be the centre for cooperation with other organisations and more participation.
· We need to look at putting in place mechanisms for communication with other organisations. We should look at more partnerships with Harvest, BPC, MFG but also with Seedy Sunday and others.
· We are at risk of stretching our resources. We should look into ways of getting more help. For example involving specific people for specific subjects, not necessarily from the committee. May be getting (student) volunteers looking for work experience.
· A post of “publicity officer” could be required to increase our public profile and links with the local and specialist gardening press.
We should look for someone with web / social media skills as we share out tasks among the Committee and others who want to participate in our work.
· We must not lose the focus and the quality of our work, remembering that BHOGG is well respected and that we want modest evolutionary and sustainable changes.