HAPPENING IN THE PARK

'you can join in - its your open space to love and use'

Our first Cox's Orange Apples soon ripe for picking

Hello, things having been moving at a fast pace this year with Water and Flowers dominating the first half of our parks season, and my what a lot we have learnt. We have been fortunate to have been trained by experts in both water testing and wild flower meadow identification, these are worlds with our worlds and very fascinating.  You can join in any training events and activities in which we will try to share our knowledge.  Below are some planned things and other things waiting to be planned - you can join in planning too. 

We are really pleased all comments have been positive about our newly installed benches and picnic benches - you have justifiably pointed out more strategically placed bins - one by the picnic benches and a couple nearer to the skateboard park.  This may take a while as we work out where to get funds from. 

We will also having to defend our green open spaces once more this year as even more council cuts are planned - we will keep you posted on any formal consultation. 

We love the fact we have our first Cox's Orange apples - tweet us what you love about you park @kingsnortonpark

EVENTS 2014

Quick email to tell you about a couple of events we are planning for this summer. We are down the park very much every Friday around 11 am so if you pop down we are mostly somewhere by the flower beds or water courses.  We are aiming to have some events on a Saturday please let us know what you would like to do and if you would like to help to organise them info.foknp@gmail.com @kingsnortonpark

Assessing sample: fascinating underwater world not too wriggly after all

Friday 4 July 10.30am Our final Freshwater Invertebrate Network training at 10.30am meet in the Playing Fields if you are interested in taking a look what is in the River Rea you are welcome to join us, good news is we found no shopping trolleys!  If you wish to take part you will need wellies and strong legs - the water is not deep but the current can be surprising strong so care is needed with youngsters.  We have found fish we never thought existed and lots of indicators that the river is of a good quality. We will incorporate FIN in some of our future events. 

Relaxing River Rea Meadow after flower ID course 20 June

Saturday 5 July 11 am meet in Kings Norton park for a wild flower walk and talk followed by art and/or if you prefer water testing the Waterside Care way.  We are very pleased that Mary Green will give some of her busy time to walk around our green spaces and tell us about some of the interesting properties of our native flora and forna.  She will share folklore, medicinal properties and olden day uses.  You can collect grasses of your choice and create an artistic photosynthesis print with Ann who we met at a recent event at Winterbourne Gardens.    We have been working on our wild flower meadow and will be putting on our blog spot our recent survey of the River Rea Meadow.  This was supported by Nature Improvement Area scheme who are part of the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust.

Friday 11 July 10.30am Upper Civic Garden Commemorative Shrub Bed Planting

We will begin planting our commemorative flower bed, recognising those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in past conflict and look towards a peaceful future.  We have chosen red and white planting to represent this, red representing sacrifice and white peace.  You are welcome to join us and if you wish to bring a poem to read or bring your message.  We hope to finish at 12.30am,  If its dry we will picnic in the park if not we will retire to The Camp.    James from Birmingham City Council will join us at 11 am for a tree survey - you may have noticed that some of pine trees are looking a little poorly and may need some attention.  

Saturday 12 July 10am  At Kings Norton Village Festival 2014 

We shall have stall at Kings Norton Festival where we will discuss future plans, make a silk poppy to put in the commemorative bed and write messages of peace to hang in our orchard.   Our consultation for wetland will be resurrected as we have new hopes for landfill funding - currently we are assessing where best to place our bid to purchase a board walk and dipping platform, so long as the NIA will still fund the scrape and wetland vegetation. 

Friday 18 July 11am Big Balsam Bash begins

Balsam picking or strimming along the canal feeder begins and will continue through the summer look out for Saturday work.  It's really easy to pull out, stamp on and pile up. It all sounds extremely unfair but it is necessary because balsam is invasive it takes up all the space preventing native vegetation and once it dies away leaves gaps which contribute to the erosion of the bank.   Once we get started we cant stop...who knows we may see water!   TVC are coming for a site visit to look at where we could plant some more edibles and if they could offer us conservation support.  

Friday 25 July Kings Norton Village Festival 2015 Planning Meeting

We will  meet with KNHistory Society, Friends of Historic Kings Norton and Worcester Birmingham & Droitwich Canal Society to continue planning the bicentenary celebrations of the completion of the canal.   200 years ago is really where modern Kings Norton began.   We are hoping all local groups, schools and organisations will wish to be involved for the boating festival which will take place over weekend of 10-12 July 2015.  Also really hope Billy Whizz and other exciting boats will moor up - history, music, ales, nature, arts, sports and more. You can help

FURTHER EVENTS THAT YOU WILL PROVIDED WITH MORE DETAILS OF SOON

Friday Aug 1

Activities with Rangers to be agreed so look out for a poster in the notice board.  Probably include Balsam Bashing too and we may offer Waterside Care and FIN too. 

Monday Aug 4 Friday NOT IN THE PARK IN YOUR HOME

Everyone is being asked to light a candle, safely, in their homes on this evening as part of a candlelit vigil in commemoration of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in WW1 This is day in history when Britain declared war on Germany, because Germany did not respect Belgium’s neutrality as it implemented the Schlieffen Plan, a plan to march through and take what it believed was a weekend France – it do so killing thousands of civilians and destroying the country.   Most historians conclude Great Britain had no choice however, the length and tactics employed caused the death of hundreds and thousands is a subject for debate. We must recognise that we knew what to take place and those making decisions then did not.

Friday 15 August and Saturday16

We have rangers with us and likelihood is if not too late we balsam bash, if it is we have other activities – may start earlier than 11am

Saturday 23 August

11am summer games, led by rangers and friends and transported to Millennium Fields Green Trust

Saturday 30 August

We are hoping to celebrate international bat night somehow, possibly with a walk or a survey as part of the UK wide bat study which is being run because bats are so near extinction.

Friday 5 Sept EARLIER TIME OF 10.30am

Activities in the park Also Waterside Care and FIN testing. Also tidying up the lower shrub beds and the peace garden in the upper civic area. 

Saturday 20 September 11am
Friends of Kings Norton Park Committee meeting at Kings Norton Library at 11am.  We invite anyone who wants to discuss how to get involved to come along. Bring your ideas for the Autumn and Winter months. 

Then every first Friday in the month at 10.30am - always something to do in the Park.  

Please check the noticeboard periodically and the BlogSpot which will be updated soon and give us a tweet – nice to hear about your fun in the park and comments  

If the weather is very wet please check twitter before setting out. 

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER and dont forget to contact us!

@kingsnortonpark

Info.foknp@gmail.com

www.friendsofkingsnortonpark@blogspot.com