The Friends of Goddington Park are back in action!
It’s been a while, but we are delighted to report that the Friends Group is up and running again and we are keen to resume our work to protect and preserve this beautiful green space in our midst. We’re a constituted voluntary group, and our aim is to preserve, protect and promote the park as a green space for everyone. We are looking for park users to join our happy band of volunteers too – can you bake a cake, create videos for social media, drop leaflets through doors, sign a petition or wield a paintbrush? Have you got ideas for events? If any of this applies to you, please join us!
Top of our wish list currently is the enhancement of the under 5s playground at the Berrylands end of the park. We have a 3 phase development plan for the playground which includes new play equipment, benches and fencing, as well as possibly raised beds for planting projects with local primary schools. In 2023, we were successful with an application to the Bromley Platinum Jubilee Parks Fund and were awarded £20,000 to install two new springers, a new car, and a central clamber tower. The grant covered resurfacing and the committee joined in a day of painting to spruce up the remaining swings, seesaw and roundabout.
Our next aim is to raise funds for seating in the under 5s playground, and then to replace the swings, seesaw and roundabout. The Platinum Jubilee Fund is sadly all spent up, so we are looking at other sources for funding our vision.
Also on our wishlist are new noticeboards, more benches in the main park area, and a table tennis table.
If you would like to get involved in fundraising or any other activities, please complete our Friends form. You’ll automatically receive a newsletter and if you’ve volunteered for anything, we’ll soon be in touch!
Our beautiful Goddington Park was very good to us during the pandemic, giving us space to walk beneath the trees, breathe fresh air and listen to the birdsong. I’m sure that was a lifesaver for many of us. As we leave the pandemic behind us (hopefully) we hope you will help us preserve, protect and improve the park for the future. We can’t wait to get started!
Lynn and Wendy, Joint Chairs of FOGP
P.S.! You can read our constitution here. An amendment was made in November 2024, which you can see here.
22nd April 21
22nd April 2021 is Earth Day
We are very lucky to live near Goddington Park and to be able to walk on the grass, look up at the trees, listen to the birdsong and breathe the fresh air.
In the next couple of weeks we will be planting some hedge saplings supplied by the Woodland Trust to celebrate Earth Day.
Let’s all take care of our little piece of nature’s magic.
Lynn
(Co-chair of FOGP)
16th June 20
Talking rubbish
We have had a lot of new visitors to Goddington Park since the government has encouraged people to walk in their local parks and it has been wonderful to see so many people enjoying our (and their) beautiful park. Unfortunately a small minority have been throwing food wrappers etc on the ground and it makes the park look unloved and scruffy. I would like to ask everyone to please take their rubbish to the nearest bin or take it home.Some lovely people, unasked, have been collecting as much of the rubbish as they can and putting it in the bins. I can’t name them all but thank you to Angela and Alan, Steve, Liam and everyone who cares about our environment.
Lynn
Chair FOGP