Thursday, December 20, 2012

Big Thank You Big Lottery for £9,984 award!

The Friends of King Norton Park are thrilled to announce that The Big Lottery has awarded the group £9,984 for a 2013 project to help bring improvements and activity into its open spaces.
The Friends will be able to start to share this good news and ideas for the future with the community at their stall at the Kings Norton Christmas Farmers Market on The Green in Kings Norton tonight (Thurs 20 December) from 6pm.  
Lynn Horsnett, Chair of Friends of Kings Norton Park, said
“This is really super news for Kings Norton we are thrilled to receive our first funding award from the Big Lottery.  It now means we can purchase equipment, tools, a notice board, more bins and benches and some environmental study aids. This will help encourage more community active in our Park”


Early planning work on shrub beds

Lynn further explains
 
“Our Friends group first got active to save our rose beds, we realised people were really upset about the prospect of losing them due to cuts.  So with guidance from Sue Amey, Northfield and Edgbaston Constituency Parks Manager, our local rangers at the Lickey Hub and Sarah Royal of Birmingham Open Spaces Forum, local people were able to adopt them.  We have helped design and plant up new shrub in the beds and now maintain four beds which provide all year interest and pleasure”
 
“We are keen to grow and work with other local groups and schools to enhance our the Park and Playing Fields and peoples experiences. The Big Lottery grant will equip us to develop areas of our park and organise different types of activities.  We hope we can help to stimulate fun learning opportunities for everyone by exploring its facilities, natural environment and local history’



The Friends is a new group who have already helped bring about the refurbishment of the children’s play area and the restoration of the Upper Civic Garden (which included installing new stone benches similar to those of the Civic Society’s original 1920’s design).     They have also planted about 150 tree whips, a small orchard of fruit trees and are developing a wild flower meadow.

Ideas for future projects include:
·         A spring time community event,

·         Refurbishing the PODs in the playing fields into usable community spaces
·         Creating a wetland area in the former pond area
  
Membership is free and open to anyone in the community:  Email  Info.foknp@gmail.com