Ferndale Area Residents Association is a combined residents association and Neighbourhood Watch scheme, covering approximately 320 households in the following roads in Leytonstone, London E11:
Davies Lane * Cotton Close * Ferndale Road * Malvern Road * Montague Road.
Our aim is to encourage community spirit and improve the quality of life for residents in our area.
FARA does not have any political or religious affiliation.
We are part of the campaign to save Pastures Youth Centre from inappropriate development.
2022/2023 Committee
Chair: Jane Sterland (Davies Lane)
Treasurer: Simon Nicholson (Ferndale Road)
Minutes Secretary: Christine Sandford (Ferndale Road)
Communications Officer: Katherine Garzonis (Montague Road)
Planning Officer: Koen van Dam (Montague Road)
Ordinary members: Joyce Bussey, Brian Palmer, Jennifer Palmer, Kousar Butt
Street Co-ordinators:
Street co-ordinators are your first port of call if there are any issues you wish to raise. Also, please let them know if anyone moves into your street – so they can receive a welcome letter!
Cotton Close – Wendy Reilly
Davies Lane – Tim Reed
Ferndale Road – June Nicholson
Malvern Road – Kate Purcell
Montague Road – Charmaine Williams
Neighbourhood Watch
As a neighbourhood watch group we receive updates from the local Met Police team and attend Ward Panel meetings. We pass on crime-fighting information and tips to residents and liaise with police over crime/anti social behaviour issues in our immediate area.
COnstitution
1. NAME
The name of the Association will be Ferndale Area Residents Association, referred to hereafter as FARA or “the Association”.
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
a) The Ferndale Area comprises Davies Lane, Cotton Close, Ferndale Road, Malvern Road, and the section of Montague Road between Ferndale Road and Cookes Close, all in London E11.
b) To encourage a community spirit in the Ferndale area.
c) To help reduce crime and antisocial behaviour by operating a Neighbourhood Watch scheme and working with local residents, the police, the Council, etc.
d) To help protect and improve the built and natural environment in the Ferndale area, and in neighbouring areas as appropriate.
e) To protect and improve the amenities of members and other local residents, where these do not conflict with other aims and objectives.
f) To encourage the regeneration of the surrounding area, including Leytonstone Town Centre.
g) FARA shall seek to co-operate with other Residents’ Associations and relevant organisations where this will further its aims and objectives.
h) FARA may affiliate to organisations that may be of assistance in pursuing its aims and objectives.
3. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
a) Membership shall be open to all residents in the Ferndale Area regardless of gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity or religious faith. FARA shall have no political or religious affiliation.
b) We shall welcome all sections of the community and will seek to provide inclusive access to FARA meetings and activities.
4. MEMBERSHIP
a) Membership shall be open to all residents in the Ferndale Area who support the aims and objectives of the Society and pay the annual subscription.
b) Associate membership shall be available (on payment of the relevant subscription) to:-
• All previous members of the Association who no longer live in the Area.
• All persons who trade from business premises in the Area.
Associate members will not be eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting nor may they serve on the Executive Committee.
5. SUBSCRIPTIONS
a) The subscription year will be from 1 January to 31 December.
b) The rate of annual subscription may not be altered without proposal by committee and agreement by simple majority at an annual general meeting.
c) Any new member who joins on or after 30 September in any subscription year shall have membership until the close of the next successive year.
d) Terms of membership for Associate Members will be fixed by the committee.
6. MANAGEMENT
a) The Association shall be managed by an Executive Committee which shall be elected at an annual general meeting.
b) The Executive Committee will consist of the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, other officers and members but not exceeding twenty in total.
c) Meetings of the Committee will be conducted in accordance with the rules agreed by the committee and revised by them when necessary. Voting at Committee meetings will be by a show of hands and resolutions will be passed by a simple majority.
d) A quorum of the Executive Committee will consist of no less than five elected members.
e) The Committee may co-opt members by a simple majority of those present at a quorate meeting provided that the maximum number of Committee members is not exceeded.
f) The Committee may authorise or appoint sub-committees for specific purposes and may delegate to such sub-committees such of its functions as it deems expedient.
g) Any Committee member who is absent from three consecutive Committee meetings and who on each occasion has not communicated to send apologies for absence may be deemed to have resigned from the Committee.
h) Only the Chair, Vice-Chair or Committee members with delegated responsibilities agreed by the Committee will be empowered to speak or write on behalf of the Association to the press or other media.
7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a) An Annual General Meeting will be held between 1 April and 30 June each year for the purposes of receiving an annual report of the Committee, the accounts of the Association, election of Committee members and any other business for which due notice has been given.
b) All Committee members will resign at the Annual General Meeting but may offer themselves for re-election.
c) The quorum of an Annual General Meeting will be the number of outgoing Committee members plus five.
d) Any proposed amendments to the constitution must be served to the secretary in writing at least fourteen days before an Annual General Meeting and will be accepted if approved by at least two thirds of those members present at such meeting.
e) Serving Committee members will continue to serve on the Committee for twenty eight days after the election of a new Committee.
f) Voting will be by a show of hands or by other means as agreed at the meeting.
8. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
a) An Extraordinary General Meeting is a general meeting of all members of the Association other than the AGM.
b) An EGM can be called by 7 or more members.
c) Details of any EGM must be distributed to all members at least 28 days in advance.
9. FINANCE
a) All monies received by or on behalf of the Association will be applied to further the objects of the Association and for no other purpose.
b) The Treasurer will keep proper records and accounts of the Association and will operate bank account(s) in the name of the Association.
c) The accounts will be audited once a year by a person or persons approved by the Committee and approved at the Annual General Meeting.
d) The financial year will end on 31 December each year.
e) All accounts and books of the Association will be available for inspection to any member on reasonable notice to the treasurer.
f) The bank account(s) will have as signatories at least three Committee members designated by the Committee with any two to sign.
10. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
a) The Association may at any time be dissolved by a resolution supported by the votes of not less than two thirds of those present at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting, for which at least one calendar month’s notice shall have been sent to all paid-up members.
b) In the event of the Association being dissolved, any money accrued after payment of all outstanding debts will be donated to a similar organisation, preferably in Waltham Forest.
History
The beginnings of FARA were seeded around 1988, when residents of Ferndale Road separately founded both the Ferndale Area Neighbourhood Watch and the Ferndale Area Residents Association. At this time they were quite small groups, mostly members from Ferndale and Malvern Roads.
Events included coffee mornings every week in the Scout Hut, and regular jumble sales. At Christmas members came together and organised food parcels for elderly neighbours.
Things were a little different then; few houses had been converted into flats and most were traditional family homes, so residents lived in the area for many years and got to know each other.
When the founder of the Residents Association moved away, both Ferndale groups merged, and became FARA as we know it today. The group was united by a common issue in the mid 1990s – noise nuisance – and this was one of the main issues addressed by FARA. After a lull, in which FARA was fairly dormant, common concerns once again caused FARA to revive itself and to get the issues resolved.
In the early 2000s, neighbouring Davies Lane experienced problems from a local pub, which had a late license and caused all manner of anti-social behaviour. FARA approached Davies Lane residents to offer to join with them, in order to lend support in address the difficulties, and to be able to expand. A Davies Lane resident, Jane Sterland, became chair of FARA, and the group continued under her leadership.
An extra street, Cotton Close, was created in 2004, in an area just off Davies Lane formerly occupied by Acme Seals. Cotton Close was thus incorporated into FARA.
In 2010, Jane felt it was time to stand down, and Flash Bristow was elected as the new chair to take FARA onward. When Flash stood down some time later, Jane offered to fill the seat of chair once again.
As well as continuing our work with planning issues and making sure our streets have a collective voice, we have also organised successful social events, including several street parties and picnics. We have also tried to help the wider community with litter picking in our local green spaces and organising contributions to the local food bank.
Ferndale Area Residents Association (FARA) 