Some months ago Friends were invited by Northampton Town Council to submit an entry to the Its Your Neighbourhood awards, under the auspices of the RHS Northampton in Bloom Festival. We were invited to the awards evening recently and we are delighted to report that our Peace Garden was awarded the top category of ‘Outstanding’. At our September meeting members voted unanimously to adopt as our project for the coming year the north spinney. This is the land adjacent to the main lake where the railings and trees are damaged and look abandoned. This will be a long and complex project which will require careful planning. More details in this newsletter. We are launching a revised structure for our Community groups to hopefully better reflect the needs and wishes of visitors to the park. For more detail of these and other events, read on

The meetings are open to anyone but we hope that those who come along as non-members will be persuaded to join us.

We encourage members to invite friends and neighbours as the meetings are very friendly. There is no charge but if visitors would like to join and hear all the news about the park, we always welcome new members. Do contact us by email if you have any ideas you wish to be considered or issues to raise with the Council. We will do our best to help. We are a member-led group and your views and opinions matter

To contact the Friends: Email: friendsofabingtonpark@gmail.com

We had entered the Peace Garden and following an assessment in July, Friends were invited to join the IYN award evening at the Guildhall on 23rd October. We were joined at the ceremony by a representative from each of Canto and Bridgewater School, two key partners in the project. We were delighted when we learned that we had been awarded ‘Outstanding’ – the highest award category.

Many thanks to all our partners and especially to Tracey Davidson who has worked tirelessly to involve partners and also to support them each week with the work on the garden.

At our recent member meeting we agreed to adopt the redevelopment of the spinney as our next major project. The decision was prompted by the report from Chris Calnan about the work that he and a small band of helpers, including our ranger, Tom Robinson, had carried out on the area over many weeks. The spinney, adjacent to the main lake, has long been neglected.

Over time there have been discussions as to how best preserve, present or open up the area whilst keeping it safe both for visitors and for the flora and fauna within the area. For now the focus has been on clearing the worst of the tree damage and locating the buried railings in the undergrowth. Whilst WNC will need to remove the trees, the team report that some of the original railings are actually within the spinney area and could potentially be renovated and re-fitted.

The group is currently taking a well earned break and we look forward to creating a comprehensive plan and vision both for the planting wihin the spinney and its use by the public. At our recent PMC meeting, it was suggested that a new footpath be constructed to allow public access to the area whist preserving the natural environment. By reinstalling railings, public safety would be assured.

We plan to work on the plans, with a number of phases over coming years. More news later

The Friends is a community group. We have a formal constitution and we are registered with WNC to carry out work in the park and lead on projects on their behalf.

We work closely alongside officers at the council as well as elected councillors – this is essential as we have to apply regularly for funding to carry out any work or renovations.

Given the current economic pressures on local budgets, these funds underpin any real progress on major projects. Projects are approved or suggested by members and our small committee then work to implement decisions. Any major proposals are discussed and formally approved at Park Management Committee (PMC) where all groups using the park are represented. This ensures that any developments are in line with the needs of all those who use the park. PMC meets quarterly.

A number of members carry out regular tasks in the park to assist with the general maintenance and clearing in the park. These are:

Details of each will be found on our website which in future will be listed under Action on….

We hope that this approach will broaden appeal as well as improve access to funding. Each operates differently.

Action on gardening includes the Sensory Garden, Memorial Flowerbed, Obelisk flowerbed , Carers‘ Bed and the Peace Garden. A small gardening group meet each Tuesday at the Sensory Garden; the Community Garden group meet on Thursday mornings. Each for around an hour, weather permitting.

Litter picking is coordinated via a WhatsApp group who work regularly in the park and plan activity so as to include all areas of the park.

Environment relates to the group who are currently working on the Spinney project with its range of different aspects. Members bring specialist knowledge and experience.

Please let us know if you would be interested in helping with any of them

Membership donations cover everyday costs, small scale-expenses or other outgoings. Membership donations are key to the smooth running of the Friends. Membership runs on a yearly basis. You will normally receive a letter of acknowledgement following a donation, though the past year has been challenging and I apologise to those who may not have received a letter. All your contributions are gratefully received and much appreciated. We have a consistent membership of around 250 members which includes families and Resident Associations as well as local schools and community groups. The range of members, representing a wide variety of interests across the community is an important factor in attaining successful funding

We have some key allies in terms of funding. Northamptonshire Community Foundation, the local councillors and Northampton Town Council have all proved very supportive. We have also secured National Lottery funding on two occasions for larger scale works. Since the pandemic and the ensuing financial constraints, it is proving more difficult to secure support.

The parkland is owned by WNC so that any major developments must be approved by them. We liaise with senior Council officers, Idverde and our ranger. All proposals are discussed at PMC. Over and above our own projects, a number of items are included in the on-going Action Plan which is updated after each meeting. One item which we have been urging for over many years is a new toilet block in the area near to the Community Garden and play area. We are told that plans have been approved and we very much hope to see the project fulfilled in the near future. PMC also discusses ongoing maintenance of trees, water quality in the lakes and general health and safety issues.