coventrysociety
Chair's report 2018/2019
Dear Coventry Society members It is a pleasure to be writing my first Chair person’s report for the Coventry Society’s AGM. This year has been especially pleasurable working with the committee and members of the Society and I look forward to my next and final year in office in 2019/2020. It will be the Societies 50th year in 2020. It all started in 1970 when the Coventry Civic Amenity Society was formed by Ron Morgan to save Kirby House in Little Park Street from demolition. It is ironical that the Council wanted to demolish Kirby House to create a Square of Council Civic buildings and now the Civic Centre that was built instead is being demolished over this Anniversary Year. It is sad to see the loss of the Civic Centre, locally known as the New Council House. Modest but attractive Festival of Britain design buildings are being demolished to make way for a new University HQ . I hope that this year we can celebrate our 50th Birthday and still hold up to the first pledges that were set out in its first Rule Book "The Society is established for the public benefit for the following purposes in the area comprising Coventry and district… A, to stimulate public interest, B, to promote high standards of planning, landscape and architecture. C, to secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic or public interest. It goes on to mention research and publication, a coordinating body, to hold meetings, lectures and exhibitions,to educate, to raise funds, to accept gifts of property etc.".
When I joined I was its eleventh member and membership cost ten shilling a year. The Society has changed over the years and I did not always keep up with my membership but I am glad it's still going strong and I hope it will for the next fifty years. What really pleased me over this year was our campaign to save the Coventry Cross got in the nation magazine 'Private Eye' . I would like to thank the previous Chair Keith Draper for his hard work and being our Chair for so many years. He is still very active in the committee as well as attending other projects and meetings, including the Coventry Canal , Spon Street, Allesley Walled Garden and many more far too many to mention. He was our representative and spoke at the Planning Committee meetings for both the removal of the Coventry Cross which is in a Conservation Area and the redevelopment of the Upper Precinct against the removal of the bridges and the canopies covering the public walkways also a listed area. Last year there were many meetings and activities the Society got involved with and its not till you start listing them you see how much we have achieved or got involved with. It has really helped that this year we have had three separate sub-groups that have been
able to focus on different aspects Planning, Heritage and Communications and all member are welcome to join these groups. I would like to thank John Haslam for his hard work of over the years supplying us with tea and coffee. Also all the Committee members: John Payne, Secretary, for keeping us all in order and sorting out the constitutions and charitable status as well as news and other communications. Colin Walker, Treasurer, for looking after our funds and membership plus printing and many other things like the PA and projector system; Terry Kenny, Minutes Secretary, for very accurate minute taking, plus many other activities. Others on the committee including Jayne Long for coming up with some very good ideas, Les Fawcett for his planning knowledge and always up for a pint of beer and a chat. Vincent Hammersley for his enthusiasm and hard work; his 'Hero on Your Street' website is amazing - please view it. Jim Passmore for his help on planning and his connection with other organisations Keresley Parish Council, plus many more groups. Pete Walters for his extensive knowledge of Coventry's history and his journalistic skills. And of course Keith Draper for all his support, knowledge and past experience through being the Chair for so many years, I hope he can take thing easier now he is standing down from the committee but we all hope to see him at the monthly meetings and as soon as he feels ready he will return back into the group. Paul Maddocks