Grosvenor & Hilbert Park News
The Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park will always welcome help from other groups. It was interesting in the summer to find out about a group of helpful young people, willing to give their time to the community.
'The Noise' is a social-action initiative involving members of local church youth groups from across Tunbridge Wells. They aim to engage with the local community by offering practical help and activities, after gathering for worship, teaching and lunch.
Organised by Cliff Allen a group of 10-12 young people and adults spent a week in August in the park. Working around the lake, tidying weeds, and clearing some of the old allotments on the Upper Grosvenor Road side of the zigzag bridge, they worked for a total of 99 hours. This was a great help to park-keeper Gavin, leaving him time to concentrate on other park tasks, and we would welcome 'The Noise' back to the park should they wish to help out again.
Our thanks to all involved.
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| click to see 18 full-size pictures |
Set up 25 years ago in London to promote play and playgrounds, National Playdays are now well established, with over 850 events held last year across the UK, on the first Wednesday in August.
The event in Grosvenor and Hilbert Park is organised by Kent High Weald Partnership who look after the park woodlands.
This year KHWP asked FoGH if we would like to take part, so we set up a stall to hand out printed hunt-trails around the park, free badges and stickers and newsletters. I had help from a fellow Park-Friend, and local Blue Badge Guide, Catherine, with the hope that between us we could cover the history part of the park. Catherine is also part of a new website, Tunbridge Wells Life; aiming to promote the whole town of Tunbridge Wells, and it's nice to have their photos of the day as well as our own.
The event was well organised, and due to the slightly damp weather, quiet enough for everyone to do everything. There was football, face-painting, arts and crafts, plus lots of woodland activities from KHWP – wand whittling, twig weaving, bow and arrow making, and constructing bee-houses. The event was also supported by the Rotary Club of Tunbridge Wells.
One group of children who came along for the whole day, and seem to have partaken in every activity, were from “Harlequin out of school clubs”, and we hope they enjoyed their visit. Our park is preserved for “recreation” and I think these photos show how important these green spaces are.
