Above: The Audience Assembles for the AGM

Welcome all BADJER members and friends to this our 2^nd AGM.

Once again its been a very busy year for the main committee members, and all the members and friends who have helped in the three ‘in bloom’ competitions.

In conjunction with that, a successful village clean up and litter pick where literally tonnes of rubbish were removed from our highways and byways took place. I was delighted with the input from the many residents who came along either in Jacksdale or Westwood to help.

I would like to give a special mention to Westwood School children for their contribution to the litter pick, the Codnor Park Cadet force for both litter picking and painting the Community Centre railings. The Ashfield District Council staff for both the litter pick day and also for the provision and removal of the infamous skips as well as the council cleaning team who were sent by Mr. Richard Sheward and were here for the whole day at BADJER’s disposal.

All these people did a splendid job for Jacksdale.

Thanks also to Roy weaver and Mr Bonser for outstanding performances on the day. Georgina Streets and Groundwork Ashfield for their help in supplying tools and joining in, to my wife Hilda and Cath Weaver for looking after the much needed refreshments and organising the Jacksdale end of the litter pick day, and Alison who organised the Westwood end, and to all those not individually mentioned I thank you.

I would also like to thank Steve and Paula Routledge of the Jacksdale Garden Centre for once again helping to make Jacksdale and Westwood bloom.

To run a successful organisation like BADJER takes a good team and I would once again very much like to give my appreciation to Ken Tetley our treasurer for his sterling work ( no pun intended) over the past two years, to Carol Taylor-Cockayne for being a super efficient secretary and for anticipating needs and acting on them, the secretary is always the busiest job in any organisation so a great big thank you Carol.

And Alison Buckman, where would we be without BADJER NEWS? Alison is our News Editor in Chief and what a splendid job she does. I was at a training meeting in Selston two weeks ago, nothing to do with BADJER, but when I passed a BADJER NEWS to a friend to save postage, there arose a cry of, "Is that BADJER NEWS? - Can I have one?" Even at the hairdressers in Ironville where I dropped ten copies in, I got requests for more within days as they go like hot-cakes.

A member of the Selston community newsletter group was asking what training Alison has had as our newsletter was so well laid out - their words not mine - So this must say a lot about the effort and expertise Alison brings to the task.

Also on the committee we have had the benefit of Roy Weaver who as well as being our graphic design expert and environmentalist, was instrumental in putting forward the memorial garden project for the community centre. Hilda Holmes who is our BADJER links person and represents us at external meetings, and Hilda along with Cath Weaver put the oil on the cogs or in our case ensures that the much needed teas coffees and biscuits are always on hand.

I would like to stress how much we all really appreciate Hilda and Cath for that, its easy to just eat and drink at each meeting then leave without considering the work and washing up behind it, and thank you Ken and Jill Tetley who have also ensured that our throat's never run dry.

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We have some guests tonight and I would like to introduce Cllr Les Matthews who is the deputy leader of Ashfield district council and I make no bones about saying I wanted Les here today for two reasons, firstly because I am proud of BADJER and Jacksdale and want Les to see what we have achieved together working in partnership with the council, and secondly that Les being in a powerful position, might just do us some good when we apply for funding etc in the future, so welcome Les.

We also have Sheila Smith of the ‘Friends of the Cromford Canal ‘ who has kindly agreed to bring us up to date on their activities, activities which I know are close to the heart of many of us here in Jacksdale.

Above: Sheila Smith & Yvonne shattower - friends of cromford canal

Our other guest speaker is Police Inspector Simon Nicklass, our local area commander, I have asked Simon to speak on any matter he chooses so I have no idea what may come of that, I do know however from personal experience just how hard and committed Simon is - and I believe he is good news for Jacksdale and Westwood. I would like to stress however that tonight is not a question and answer session.

I would also like to introduce a representative from the Notts Rural Community Council, the NRCC were one of the original funders who helped the BADJER group to get off the ground three years ago, so it’s a real pleasure to have you here to show you how we have progressed.

Before I close I would like to remind you of the Heritage Days on November the 2^nd and 3rd,  there is some information on the boards over there and also I would like to tell you that Jacksdale and Westwood have been put forward to represent the county of Nottinghamshire in the East Midland final of the ‘Calor Gas Village of the Year’ competition.

We are putting on a presentation this Thursday morning, here in the Christian centre to a panel of four judges. It’s not about the flowers or the posh houses , we have to show what great community spirit we have, and how we help one another.

The presentation will be good, and the more villagers we have to support us the better, so if you are free on the day after tomorrow at 10am until noon, then this is the place to be.

Well I know by now Ken will be thinking when is he going to shut up? although I have not said all that I would like to, because so much good has happened and there are so many people to thank.   I think I have covered the main points.