Friends Of Kings Norton Park 

Social AGM Gathering  on Friday 13 June 7pm at KN Bowling Club Wychall Lane 

We aren’t superstitious we know you’ll have a great time!

We are inviting you to our AGM social gathering

We are transforming our AGM into an annual social gathering so we have done the business in record time, we will have a talk about Bees from Jan of Birmingham Bees, listen to music from the talented Ingrid (accordion) and Tim Martin (ukulele) whom we are very lucky to have joining us.   Then we can break for fish & chips, chatting and a bit of quiz also invited Sue Amey, Birmingham Constituency Parks Manager N&E&SO, the Lickey Hills Ranger and Lee Copplestone (Waterside Care) will be there to chat to too.

Arrive from 7pm on Friday 13 June 2015 at Kings Norton Bowling Club (who kindly provided us with a free room - a big thank you) which is family friendly so bring partners, friends and children.  If you are travelling from the Westhill Road (runs along the eastside of Kings Norton Park) KNBC is about 5 minutes along Wychall Lane, on the left hand side just before junction with The Fairway.

Just a minute to tell you what we have been doing

Our team of activists have been busy and will tell you in ‘Just a minute’ slots some of things we have or are doing – you can approach them to find out a little more throughout the evening and if you are inspired to join in leave your contact details. .

Our AGM will elect officers and the 2015 committee and would welcome more people to grow our activity base.  You can email us at info.foknp@gmail.com  

beforehand and we will call you for a chat or let us know at the AGM.  Our aim in a nutshell is to help improve, protect, and to increase access and enjoyment in our green spaces (Park & Playing Fields, including canal side).

We are a voluntary group without funding so will be scanning charity and trusts websites to search for funding for the type of things we wish to deliver – maybe your employer or organisation might like to support us or you could apply to a patron?   Sharing in this way is both rewarding and good fun, you do as much or as little as you want, and anything is something and that something is usually very positive.  Of course if you can’t contribute in any other way but wish to make a small donation this would be gratefully received. 

Notably in 2013/14 we were extremely fortunate to receive a Big Lottery Grant which has helped install new parks furniture (bins, picnic benches and a noticeboard) as well as develop our wildflower meadow through NIA, plant trees with local schools and the Deutsch Bank with Birmingham Trees for Life, host a wild bird display at our open day event and enhance the lower civic garden bed after the severe weather withered the original planting.   A big thank you to all of those involved it has been productive and entertaining.  

Water part of the course!

2014/15 has started off a bit wet in more ways than one, we have been Freshwater Invertebrate Network surveying in the River Rea – part of a scheme to test the quality of the Rea from its source, and so far the results have been very pleasing, with medium quality water indicative by fish finds.  Not wishing to leave the W&BD canal feeder and Lint Brook out, we have covered testing their water quality through TTAP a series of scientific measures – Temperature, Turbidity, Ammonia and PH, results show we have good results supported by Waterside Care.

We shall continue testing water,  surveying our meadow and also be included in a in a bat survey which is part of the Brum Bats wider survey to monitor whether or not the bat population has reversed their decline from dangerously low levels.  

Exciting this afloat in 2015

There is exciting news on the horizon for 2015 when we come together with the Worcester Birmingham and Drotiwich Canal Society, Kings Norton History Society and Historic Kings Norton Green, and other local community groups and organisations to deliver a bi-centenary celebration (that’s 200 year’s) of the completion of the Worcester Birmingham & Drotiwich Canal.  Activities will take place on the Green, the Park/Playing Fields and the canal side during the weekend of the Kings Norton Village Festival 2015.  

We hope to have things going on over the whole weekend of 10-12 July 2015 - experience boats, music, a bar, community activities, bees, bats, donkey’s, history, bowls, croquet, other sports, etc.  Our aim is encourage local employers, charities and community groups to contribute by putting on activity or sponsoring one – do you know anyone who could deliver an activity, bring something interesting along, or provide a grant?  Please do get in touch.   There is a twitter account @KNVF2015 an email kingsnortonvillagefestival2015@gmail.com and soon to be a blogspot kingsnortonvillagefestival2015@blogspot.co.uk.

See you Friday 13 June for the Friends Of Kings Norton Park Social AGM Gathering

We aren’t superstitious we know you’ll have a great time!

Follow the Friends of Kings Norton Park @kingsnortonpark

Email:  info.foknp@gmail.com

more photos to follow... sorry its sunny outside!