To mark the 15th anniversary of Friends of Preston Park (FoPP) a Big Brighton Cake Bake was organised on June 8th. Celebrating the first of this free and fun event participants were required to bring a homemade cake and over 50 were displayed, showing extreme creative and imaginative designs, with influences from the Middle East to Italy and Britain. Pistachio, walnuts, saffron, pineapple, strawberries, apples, caramel, chocolate, every flavour one could dream of was there to share and enjoy and all the bakers did themselves proud. A small competition was held to judge for ‘Most Brighton Cake’,’ Most Creative Cake’ and ‘Most Elegant Cake and the winners were very worthy. However, it was felt that next time we should add some more categories as the standard and quality was so high. Participants were able to share the cakes amongst themselves and there was still plenty to take home after. Sue Shepherd, who launched the Friends’ Group fifteen years ago, talked about our achievements in the Park, and was echoed by Kerry Pickett, current co-chair of FoPP alongside Isabelle Martin, who talked about our present commitment and challenges in 2025. We thank everyone who came along to help on the day to set up and clear up and a big thank you to Fitnesshub for letting us use their outdoor space! Much appreciated.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation
We need to send out a big thank you to the finance section of the Sussex Community NHS Foundation who came along last month to spend the morning helping to weed and deadhead the roses in the Rose Garden. As part of their team building/company day out, the group gave up their time to attack the bindweed and help prepare the roses for an anticipated second round of blooms this summer. Having groups give up their time even for one day in the year makes a huge difference to the work in the garden so if you know of other companies who might be interested please get them to contact us at: info@friendsofprestonpark.com
SSEiB – Rose Garden
For the second year running The Rose Garden was entered for the South and Southeast in Bloom Award. Having won Level 4 last year, we hope to achieve the top level, Level 5, in 2025. For this purpose, the volunteers followed a course on pruning, replanted over 200 roses, fertilised all roses, and followed David Austin Roses, the rose grower’s instructions on deadheading and weeded the rose beds. With the dry and hot weather, we’ve experienced it had been necessary to water the roses weekly and fortunately the pump is working so we can use the water from the Wellesbourne river which runs under the Park.
Visitors may have noticed the east and west herbaceous borders, which have been replanted and looked after by two very keen and knowledgeable volunteers. Most of the plants you see in the borders have been grown from seeds by volunteers and we welcome any gift of plants if you have any to spare.
We are grateful to our City Parks Ranger, Neil Doyle, who came along on several occasions this year with his fantastic team of volunteers to clear the paths, weed the rose beds and tackle the bindweed in the outer hedge. Some of this work was also achieved with the help of volunteers joining Neil again from companies using the opportunity to help us with a team building day out. Neil’s group removed invasive plants from the edges round the Rose Garden and tackled the bramble and ivy in the Coronation Garden as well as clearing the paths of dead leaves and weeds, making it safer.
We are always looking for more volunteers and welcome anyone who would like to help us in the Park. Our volunteer sessions are in the morning on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. For more information, please check out our website.
SSEiB – The Rockery
For the first time in many years The Rockery was also entered for the SSEIB award. With its colourful displays, enchanting trees and carp in the pond, The Rockery has hidden sections to discover if you can face climbing the winding rock path to the top. The Rockery is a continuous source of wonderment, entertainment and creativity for photographers and painters. SSEIB judging took place in June and the results will be announced in September. We wish both The Rockery and the Rose Garden the best of luck.
Petanque Court
We are pleased to see that the Petanque Court surface has been repaired and a fence put up thanks to the generosity of Edburton, the construction company employed by the council to construct the new road layout on Preston Road. As part of their community engagement programme, Edburton’s agreed to relay a new surface on the Petanque Court and added a fence to delineate the court better. It is hoped people will realise that it is an area for Petanque and not for football or cycling.
Rose Garden Toolbox
FoPP would like to once again thank Pride for the donation that is allowing us to buy our own toolbox to keep our gardening tools and watering cans in. So far, we have had to rely on volunteers to keep FoPP tools at home and bring them weekly to the Park. The toolbox will be situated in the Rose Garden. Any donation of tools will be gladly received.
Community Book Swap Box
Our Rose Garden Community Book Swap Box suffered an act of vandalism in May. However, a local cabinet maker kindly offered to repair it and it has been filled with books once again. Please do not hesitate to leave books or take some. We are now investigating the purchase of a second book box to house children’s books. If anyone has an old bedside cabinet with a door that could be converted please can you send us an email at: info@friendsofprestonpark.org.uk
Rockery Walk
Our next exciting walk is The Rockery Walk with Andy Jeavons, Head Gardener, on July 10th, 18.00 -19:30, followed by Alastair Peters’ General Tree Walk on August 9th, 13.00 -14:30, starting at the Rotunda Cafe. For both walks please visit the FoPP website https://www.friendsofprestonpark.org/ to register and pay £3. You can also pay cash on the day of the walk. All the money is used to buy tools and plants for Preston Park.
The next BHCC scheduled meetings for discussion of events taking place in Preston Park will be on:
Friday 18th July 5-7pm (Knoyle Hall: Preston Park) Friday 17th October 5-7pm (Knoyle Hall: Preston Park)
These will by chaired by Cllr Birgit Miller and take place in Knole Hall, Knoyle Road- this venue is fully accessible with free on street parking. All residents are welcome to attend.
We are looking forward to The Rockery Walk with Andy Jeavons on Thursday 10 July 6 – 8:30pm starting at the Gardener’s Shed in The Rockery. Remember to register for tickets.
The Rotunda Pond is suffering with a bit too much algae due to intense sunny weather. Therefore CityParks will be treating it with a natural enzyme. This will make the water a bit cloudy but this is temporary and nothing to worry about.
The Friends of Preston Park are joining forces with the local Green Party to litter pick Preston Park and the surrounding area on 1 June, 11- 2, meeting outside the Park View pub! Please come along to help. Bring gloves!
We are aware that the FoPP community book swap box has sadly been damaged and we are looking into solutions as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone who has messaged about it.
Huge thanks to Huw Morgan of Sussex Wildlife Trust for leading this really enjoyable walk at dusk in the northwest corner of the park.
We gathered in front of St Peter’s Church under a bright sliver of a new crescent moon. The hottest day of the year so far. The perfect setting.
Almost immediately on switching on our bat detection devices we were treated to the sounds and sight of a Pipistrelle bat flying above our heads and across the graveyard.
Huw explained how the bats have recently ventured out from hibernation and are currently looking for mates. May is the popular month for pregnancies to “commence”. Their flight can be erratic as they feed voraciously on the abundance of flying insects, such as midges, with some larger bats also hunting moths.
We headed through the lawns and walled garden of Preston Manor tuned into the echolocation frequency (45 kHz) of Pipistrelles, the UK’s most common species of bat UK.
Then as we emerged into the park the skilful eye of Huw spotted a larger, less common species, the Noctule, in the trees near our famous statue.
A resetting of our devices to 25 kHz and we were treated to the wonderful experience of a Noctule bat flitting just above our heads whilst hearing the loud knocking noises on our devices of its sonar signals.
The group continued to enjoy the experience as we wandered back the graveyard with the darkness descending. Another successful batwalk shared.
Gardening volunteers from various city friends groups spent a day out at Wakehurst this week. The day was organised by Wakehurst with activities laid on and opportunities for the group to explore the wonderful gardens. Volunteers had the best time and it was such a bonus to have lovely weather to enjoy forest bathing, mindfulness walking, and strolling around the grounds in the spring sunshine taking in the magnificent rhododendrons in full bloom whilst listening to birdsong.
The visit to the millennial seed bank was also really special and informative. The food at the stables restaurant was superb as were the cakes at the visitor centre cafe. In all a marvellous opportunity for all our lovely volunteers to have a day out together in nature.
Thank you once again to Wakehurst for this opportunity.The free days at Wakehurst continue tomorrow 25th April and Saturday 3rd May. Open to anyone.
Friends of Preston Park (FoPP) joined in with the festivities to celebrate the reopening of Preston Manor to the general public after a closure of 5 years. Whilst the house was open to for paid viewing, local councillors and Siân Berry MP for Brighton Pavilion, were invited to a special reception and guided tour. This included an exceptional display of an eighteenth-century clock that was stolen from the manor in 2001, but was discovered last year at an auction and returned to the manor. As part of the display the clock was wound up and painted sailing ships could be seen sailing across the front of the clock as it chimed. If you haven’t yet been to the manor house, it really is the time now for a visit.
Outside in the grounds was just as magical. There were many gazebos set up to deliver free fun activities for the many children who came along with their parents. There really were toddlers toddling everywhere! Old fashioned games were being played across the lawn as well as crafts, hunt the easter egg and much more! Staff were dressed in Edwardian costume and there was live but subtle music played. Café Rust has now opened a new café in the manor, and it must be doing something right as it sold out of food! A new staircase at the back of the manor has been built so that customers can access the café from the back of the manor.
Over in the FoPP tent, we were entertaining with a mix of colouring a fun fact booklet, potting a sunflower seedling and a small array of plants for sale. We were of course also trying to get some new members onboard as well some new gardening volunteers. Anyone interested should contact us via the website.
Additionally, we too have a few entertaining events on in the park this year. Please access these through the website where you will also be able to sign up to attend
