Volunteers planted 100 roses yesterday. Thank you to all, it was jolly hard work, pushing wheelbarrows and digging clay. On Friday 14 February, our Ranger will bring his team, please come and join them (10-1pm). 65 more roses to plant! đ±
Through the power of the sun and with the support of BHESCo (Brighton and Hove Energy Services Co-operative), homes in Preston Park could soon be generating their own clean energy with no upfront cost to residents.
The arb team are planning to prune the Preston Twin on 6th Feb. They will be reducing the canopy and thinning to reduce the weight and stress on the fragile stem of the tree. This elm continues to grow very vigorously, which is a good sign, however they do need to make sure the canopy is kept compact to prevent the tree splitting apart in the wind. Therefore, do not be alarmed if you see the tree being trimmed.
The âtwinâ will look smaller and less natural in the short term but will come back with new growth quickly.
If 3 players: play against 3 players and each player uses 2 boules.
If 2 players: play against 2 players or 1 player plays against 1 and each player uses 3 boules.
If you have an uneven number of players in each team, each team should have the same number of boules.
Mark out a circle no more than 50cm in diameter.
Toss a coin to decide which team is first to throw the jack and which team is to throw the first boule.
Throw the jack 6-10 metres away from the circle.
Players stand within the circle to throw their boules and remain within the circle until the boule lands. The aim is to get your boule as close to the jack as possible. This can include hitting an opponentâs boule out of the way.
The team with the boule closest to the jack wins the round (called an end) and scores 1 point. They also score 1 point for each boule thatâs closer to the jack than their opponentsâ closest boule.
The first boule is thrown by a player belonging to the team that has won the draw or has been the last to score. After that, it is the team that does not hold the point that plays. The winner of the end (round) plays first in the next game/end starting from the jackâs finishing position in the previous end.
Brightonâs biggest community gardening event Date: Sunday, February 2nd, 2025 Time: 10:00 â 16:00 Location: The Open Market, Brighton
Seedy Sunday is back for its 22nd year, bringing together seasoned gardeners, beginners, and everyone in between for the UKâs largest community seed swap event. Join the perfect start to the gardening season, where you can swap, donate & buy everything you need for your allotment, garden or balcony space.
At the heart of the event is our Seed Swap Table, where you can exchange seeds, discover unique heirloom varieties, and learn from local growing experts.
There will also be inspiring talks and workshops, stalls with plants, gardening equipment, and delicious food, plus the chance to connect with like-minded green fingered folk, and activities for kids and the whole family.
For our older residents in Preston Park Ward, if you are in need of any assistance, please do contact Age UK as they do a fantastic job of finding contacts for people. Happy New Year, FoPP Committee.
Some of Age UK’s local services in Brighton & Hove.
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Older Peopleâs Walk-In Hub
If you havenât come to see us yet at 95 Queens Road â please do! You can walk in to get information and advice from our team including booking an appointment with our Senior Benefits Advisor.
Did you know ÂŁ23 Billion in benefits go unclaimed every year? This is usually due to people not knowing theyâre entitled to claim. Last year, we supported people, to claim ÂŁ4.5 million, straight back into the pockets of older people.
We also have Digital volunteers who can support with learning digital devices and problem solving.
Weâre working on putting some workshops and events on in the new year and sending out more info soon. Do let me know if you are a service interested in delivering something too!
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Care at Home
In addition to our Help at Home team providing support with shopping and housework, weâve just launched our new Care at Home team in Brighton & Hove. Whether the need is personal care, assistance with daily tasks, or simply companionship, our team is here to help.
Our Care at Home services can support in everyday life and helping older residents live comfortably at home.
Find out more in the photos below
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** Coming Soon** New Dementia Assessment ServiceWatch this space! In the meantime, a reminder of our service at Tower House, Brighton on Tuesdays.
You also might be interested to read more about Silverline, a national offer already helping over 100 people in the city: https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/
Thank you for all that you do in our local communities for Older People – wishing you a happy and healthy 2025!
Brighton & Hove City Council have begun their next round of residentsâ meetings. The next meeting will be held at The Park View pub on Monday 2nd December, in the downstairs area from 4pm until 6pm. The Park View pub address is 71 Preston Drove, BN1 6LD.
The new outdoor gym in Preston Park will be officially opening this Saturday, 16 November from 12 until 13.30. A Proludic personal trainer will be on-site, sharing fitness tips and demonstrating how to use the equipment safely, as well as boxfit taster sessions from www.fightklub.co.uk Anyone interested is welcome to turn up for a free session or to ask any questions about the equipment.
Each year the Rotary Club launches the Purple Crocus Corm planting to raise awareness of the Rotary fight for a polio free world. The springtime gorgeous displays of purple crocus corms remind us of the need to eradicate the life threatening and disabling polio virus.
Two million purple corms are available nationwide and you will see many volunteers planting them throughout Brighton and Hove green spaces in October. The first ones were planted by CityParks rangers and volunteers on Friday in St Ann’s Well and by Patcham roundabout. Friends of Preston Park are delighted to take part in this wonderful campaign by planting 8 000 bulbs on the south side of the park and by the Rotunda Cafe.
The crocus corm variety this year is Crocus tommasinianus â Ruby Giant (deep purple).
When a child receives their life-saving polio drops on mass polio immunisation days, their little finger is painted with a purple dye, so it is clear they have received their polio vaccine- hence the crocus connection.
Please donate today to protect a child. Every donation to the Rotary Club will be trebled by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, so every ÂŁ1 will become ÂŁ3.
You may have noticed that over the last eighteen months the Rotunda Pond looked neglected and overgrown. A lot of debris and rotting vegetation turned the water cloudy and unhealthy, with the surface covered by invasive duckweed. Leaks have made it necessary to top up the water constantly.
Fortunately work has commenced on the pond as this is the right time of year to do so as the amphibian life are now in the rose beds. The debris and dead and decaying vegetation have been removed and next step is to repair the pond liner, by identifying leaks and draining where necessary. The work should be completed in time for spring.
The Petanque Court
The Petanque Court, sandwiched between the Tennis Courts and the new Outdoor Gym, is growing in popularity with local residents and U3a players. It is a very social sport which encourages interaction with others, teamwork, strategy, competition and is a lot of fun. The Court at Preston Park needs resurfacing as it is quite uneven and shows wear, having lost some of its surface sand. Sadly most of the damage is caused by people using the court for cycling when we have our own velodrome.
A new group of volunteers, the Preston Park Petanque Group, has been set up to undertake the renovation of the court. This involves weeding, edging, filling the depressions with limestone and fine gravel, raking and compacting the new material to create a firm, playable surface. The general and ongoing maintenance will involve cleaning, levelling and re-gravelling when necessary to keep the court in good condition.
If you would like more information about the Petanque Court or would be interested in volunteering or just finding people with whom to play please email at info@friendsofprestonpark.org
Please be reminded that our AGM will be taking place on Friday 15 November at 5-7.30pm at St Peter Cricket Club. Steve Geliot, who initiated the âSave our Starlingsâ campaign, will be giving a presentation on Brighton starling population. Tea and cakes will be available.
The new Changing Places toilet in Preston Park will open on Thursday, 31st October. The toilet has a hoist, adjustable changing bench, and height adjustable sink. It is designed for people who are unable to use a standard accessible toilet who require the assistance of a carer or multiple carers. The site will be accessible by the use of a RADAR key. (A RADAR key is used to access accessible toilets across the country. BHCC do provide RADAR keys for free to Brighton & Hove residents if they are eligible. All they need to do is follow the link https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/libraries-leisure-and-arts/public-toilets/apply-radar-key where they can complete a form and return it to us. Alternatively, people can buy a RADAR key from https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/) It will operate during standard public toilet opening hours (10am-4pm during the winter, 10am-6pm during the summer). The site will be locked outside of these hours. The introduction of this Changing Places toilet will increase the accessibility of Preston Park and allow more people to enjoy the cityâs green spaces.