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The Tidy up Team is a scheme to provide volunteer litter-pickers with the tools, materials, information and support they will need to autonomously litter-pick in green spaces across the city. Already more than 170 volunteers have done the training and received their Tidy Up Team kits. At present Preston Park is the only green space in the city that has a Tidy Up Team Superbin, where all the tools and equipment to litter-pick are also stored. Full details of how to get involved can be found on the council website https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/tidy-up-team

We have been busy helping Andy Jeavons, Preston Park’s Garden Manager, to set up two new volunteer garden groups to help bring back some colour to Preston Park. Andy already has a long-established volunteer gardening group at the Rockery, which meets on Wednesday mornings, and has now set up two new groups:

• Tuesday mornings in the Rose Garden;
• Thursday mornings to work on the front flower beds, areas around the tennis courts and any other areas within the park which have horticultural value.

If you would like to join one of the groups, they both meet at 10am to 1 pm, unless it’s raining. The Tuesday group meet in the Rose Garden by the pond and Thursday meet by the Rock Garden chalet. Tools are provided and you just need to come along suitably dressed. If you can only stay part of the time, you will still be most welcome. The groups are very friendly, guidance and training is given, and the exercise and fresh air is great!

If you are interested please contact Andy directly on a.jeavons@sky.com.

On the subject of volunteer groups, we must not forget those that operate in the walled garden of Preston Manor, expertly managed by George Harris and Clare Hughes.

As you will all be aware, local Council financial cuts have hit all parks and green open spaces hard, and are unlikely to improve in the short term; so, if we want Preston Park to thrive, it can only be achieved through volunteer groups.

If we have enough volunteers, we hope to be able to run more groups, but we first need to find people to train up as leaders, as Andy alone cannot supervise any more groups for now. Training can be provided by City Parks in subjects such as leaderships skills and health and safety, and we will be talking to City Parks about this soon. We also have further ideas for Preston Park and will keep you informed as they develop.

Thanks to Deborah at Tick Boom Face Painting who sent us these amazing photos from this year’s Easter event:

 

Our Wreath Making event last Saturday was a huge success – rather too much in fact so as we ended up running out of moss. Next year we will make sure we have plenty of everything!

Thanks Rose Jones for the photos

The calendar contains pictures from this year’s photo competition.

You can buy it for £5 at the Chalet Cafe or Rotunda Cafe in the park.

And the winners are:

And this picture was also the winner of the overall competition!

We were delighted that the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Dee Simson, was able to attend this year’s Lantern Walk. She chose this year’s winners and presented them with their prizes:

Thanks to Mark Nelson for the photos