Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

A Member (Heath Hands) updated the Committee on the work of the Heath Hands Volunteers. The following points were noted:

·         A celebratory event had been held to mark 100,000 hours of volunteering on the Heath.

·         The most hours in a single month had been completed in July 2016 (1300 hours).

·         A number of volunteer lead sessions now form a regular part of the programme.

·         A Member survey had been completed, the results of which were expected at the end of the year.

·         A strategic plan was being developed to formalise the partnership between Heath Hands and the City of London.

·         The Charity status of the group would be discussed at the forthcoming Trustee meeting.

·         Membership levels had remained steady; however, the level of activity had increased.

Members discussed whether there were an optimum number of volunteers, and whether a drive for new volunteers needed to take place. It was felt that the current level was the maximum that could be accommodated in the number of sessions, the level of which were determined by Officer availability. However, a drive was needed to diversify the demographics of the volunteers. The report to the next meeting of the Committee would include the age profile of the current Heath Hands membership.

The Chairman thanked Heath Hands for their continued work on the Heath.

RECEIVED