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Around 300 children enjoyed our Easter Egg Quiz on Sunday. In sweltering weather, nearly all the entrants managed to find the answers to all 18 questions and won a Cadbury’s Creme Egg. Many also entered our drawing competition, with the chance to win a Mega Egg. Here are the winners …

Thanks to our sponsors:

On May 1st at 6am, you have the opportunity to hear the birds of Preston Park without traffic noise, to identify bird songs and to find out more about the wildlife in the park. Meet at the rock garden chalet.

We are presenting, in conjunction with CityParks, an Easter Egg Hunt in the park on Easter Sunday, 24 April, from 11am. It’s for children up to and including the age of 12 and the event will be a quiz about different aspects of the park. There will be information points set up especially for the event on which will be the answers to the questions. For each correctly completed quiz sheet there will be a prize of a small Easter egg. There will also be the chance to enter a drawing competition – with a prize (in 2 age groups) for the best drawing about an aspect of the park. The aim is to have fun but also for children to engage with the park and to better understand and value the space. We’ll be there until the eggs run out . . .

You indicated on the questionnaires that were completed last year that you would like to see some sort of summer fete in the park. To that end, we intend to present PrestFest to be held on Saturday 27 August. We want the theme to be the park and its users as well things of local interest. The thought is to have a few ‘zones’ for the fete: a sports zone, fun zone and commercial zone. We’d value some help, so get in touch if you’d like to be part of our team. The planning is in its early stages so we’ll update you as things progress.

The CityParks department have had contractors look at the disused bowling-green with the intention of making it a pétanque terrain. At the moment they are waiting for a detailed estimate for the work. We’ll keep you posted.

The rock garden is looking particularly beautiful at this time of year. The bluebells that we all helped plant last autumn are looking healthy and should be in full flower before long. Look for photos on the website later in the spring. Andy Jeavons, the rock Garden’s chief gardener, has great news that the pump for the waterfall will be working again soon – the waterfall should be splashing away by early summer!

On Wednesday 16 February, staff from the Parks department and a representative of the Friends group met to lay a hedge in the Park. The area that we were working, between the Tile House and the playground, follows an ancient hedge line. We were given instructions on how to chop the existing brush with bill hooks and axes to leave a bare minimum of trunk left. The brush was swept uphill, away from the prevailing wind direction, and fixed with stakes and binders.

It’s an old method and will look beautiful, especially when it fills out. The hedge-laying method encourages new growth and will be a perfect habitat for various birds and small animals.

Juliet McCaffery has contacted us to let us know the outcome of a meeting with the Councillors and park officers.  The three Councillors from Preston Park attended, aling with two Councillors from Withdean and Cllr. Geoffrey Theobald. After looking at the cars in the park, they agreed to exclude the cars from the north road to the Chalet café and reduce traffic around the Rotunda.

It was also agreed that the situation in Preston Park Avenue would be looked at with a view to reducing the cost to encourage parking there rather than in the Park.

Juliet has presented a petition on the paddling pool water play to the Council and will follow this up.

A message from Harvest:

The first year of our demonstration vegetable garden was a great success and we’d like to thank all the local residents and park users who have expressed their interest and support for the project!

This year we will be expanding the garden to double its current size so we can demonstrate even more ways that you can grow your own – in whatever space you have available.
We are now seeking volunteers who can help with the expansion of the garden. We had a great team of volunteers in 2010 and this year we hope more people will join us to help expand the garden, maintain it and take home some of the harvest!

We will be running open volunteer workdays throughout February and March. Tasks will include building and filling the new raised beds, paths and fencing. No previous experience of gardening or building is required.

For more information please contact us on harvest@bhfood.org.uk or 01273 431 700.

Harvest Demo Garden Leaflet 2011 (PDF, 232K)

Volunteer Role Description – Harvest Garden Volunteer 2011 (PDF, 143K)