Agenda

Attendees

• Shelly Quinton-Hulme, Friends of Victoria Park, Stretford
• Andy Simpkins, Friends of Longford Park
• Simon Borkin, Friends of Stretford Public Hall
• Bethany Adam, Bruntwood
• Abigail Barker, Bruntwood
• Rosarie Walsh, Friends of Stretford Public Hall
• Clare Kelly, Friends of Stretford Public Hall
• Andrew Green, Trafford Libraries
• Cat Stobbs, Trafford Libraries
• Mags Branney, Stretford in Bloom

Apologies

• Gib Lyn, Head Bar
• Kate McGeevor, Friends of Stretford Public Hall

Meeting notes

Planning Update

All the planning docs can be found at stretfordforum.co.uk website

Next meetings

• The next dedicated StretFest meeting will be 6.30pm on Monday 20th May
• We will take 30 mins of the agenda of the next full Forum meeting on Tues 11th June for planning
• Simon will send out invites for meeting dates

Zone leads

We worked through the different areas and assigned a lead for each zone who will be the key contract for developing the programme with the venues in their ‘patch’:

ZONES AND LEADS

• Zone 1: Stretford Public Hall - Rosarie Walsh
• Zone 2: Kings Street & Kingsway (now including Topaz, Kingfisher and Longford Tap, and the library) - Clare Kelly
• Zone 3: Stretford Strip (and including St Matthews, Rookies) - Andy Simpkins
• Zone 4: Victoria Park - Shelly Quinton-Hulme
• Zone 5: Stretford Mall - Abigail Barker
• Zone 6: Wider area i.e. Gorse Hill Studios, Sevenways Methodist Hall, Brew Chimp - Andy Simpkins

In terms of plans for the zones, the following was discussed:

Stretford Public Hall

• Indoors - showcase groups that are active in the hall such as Singing Together, Stretford Children’s Theatre, Rock Choir etc as well as drop-in sessions from our regular classes i.e. yoga, dance etc.
• Car park - A proposed circus performance area

Kingsway

• Clare is scoping a ‘silent disco’ for the Kingsway zone
• Proposal to make the sun loungers the ‘live loungers’ with a busking stage
• Library to now be involved with the team to work up an activity potentially around celebrating Stretford history and plans for the future ‘i.e. Stretford Is….’ board
• Potential to arrange a workshop involving Jardel Rodrigues

‘Stretford Strip’

• Focal point for live music and night-time events. Head in process of booking bands
• Andy to liaise with Rookies and St Matthews which form part of the zone.

Victoria Park

• Stretford Brass Band now booked and scheduled to perform 1pm - 3pm with accompanying refreshments etc.
• Potential for Stitched Up to run their workshop from the park but Simon will intro Stitched Up with Uplift to see if they want to work together or ‘fashion show’

Stretford Mall

• Stretford Social will take place from 12pm - 4pm as standard
• There will also be an unveiling of the new square name, potentially with Cllr Tom Ross. Time to be confirmed
• Andy to connect Sam Cappr (Feel Weird) and Nigel (Reel round the fountain) to Abby as part of Stretford Mall activity

Comms Update

• Simon has kicked off brand and design work with Pomona Studios
• Plan is to have ‘save the date’ flyers ready for Stretford Social on 4th May
• Bruntwood to confirm what comms support can be offered i.e. social media / PR - potentially via CityPress internship scheme
• Clare to see what social media channels could be taken

Funding update

• Simon to submit funding applications this month to hopefully secure circa £8k which would fund comms & marketing costs and be available as a budget for venues
• Need to finalise a suitable arrangement to allow venues to claim costs and pay artists consistently
• Approach potential sponsors including AE Yates, Caddick etc.
• Other potential funding pots available - L&Q, Persimmon and Arnold Clark grants

Any other business

• Need to consider how to bring more volunteers for on the day - approach Kaf (SPH volunteer manager) about the opportunity
• Clare to share form for receiving applications for busking stage
• Any relevant photos to be sent to Simon to help with comms and marketing

Actions from the meeting