Friends of Preston Park

Thanks to Jilly Welch who took many of these photos on her iPhone. Click on the button in the bottom-right corner of the slide to see the photos full screen. If you’re having trouble viewing this on a mobile device, see the slideshow on Flickr.

Here’s a line-up of scheduled events at PrestFest this Saturday from 11.30 …

• 11.30 Zumba fitness: funky rhythms and easy dance moves
• 11.50 Dylan Hodgson: Brighton’s young guitar hopeful serves up an engaging blend of American Folk and Roots. A beautiful starter for the afternoon’s musical acts.
• 12.20 Huxley’s Birds of Prey demonstration
• 12.50 K-Bis Theatre School
• 13.05 The DBs: a blend of anti-folk….. a bit of Easy Rider…. a bit of Woodstock …. a bit of Lark Rise to Candleford …. perfect for an afternoon in the park!
• 13.50 Wolflung: a chilled blend of latin jazz rhythms, caustic lyrics and sweet sweet guitars.
• 14.30 Huxley’s Birds of Prey demonstration
• 15.00 Duke of Burgundy: An upbeat blend of folk, rock and reggae. Turning up the tempo after your picnics!
• 15.50 Zumba fitness: funky rhythms and easy dance moves
• 16.15 Azul: a vibrant mix of North Brazilian Carnival music with drumming, singing and dancing. Brazilian Roots music at its best! The highlight of Kemp Town Carnival earlier this year, you will just have to join in with this lot!

Throughout the day you can take advantage of a wide range of arts and crafts, community groups, games and sports, as well as the best food and drink available anywhere. Full details here.

These lovely paintings of Preston Park by Alejandro Martinez Rodriguez will be on show as just one of many art and craft exhibits at this year’s PresFest on August 25th. Don’t miss it.

Emma is the new Ranger for Preston Park.

What is it you enjoy about the work?
What don’t I like about my job! I particularly like the enthusiasm of the people I work with, colleagues and public alike. I feel we’re all working towards a common aim – sounds cheesy but it’s true.

What do you feel are your contributions to the park?
Not a lot at the moment because I’ve only been the Preston Park Ranger for a couple of months. Right now I’m enjoying gathering information from park-goers and the Friends group and getting a feel for the park.

What do you think are the best things about the park?
Well, the variety of activities and the variation of ways in which people enjoy the space. I love the wide open space of the park as well as its areas of wood. It’s one of the most important parks in the city – the gateway park really. It provides so much enjoyment on so many different levels. And don’t forget I grew up around the park – I spent my childhood here so I’m really very fond of it.

What are your ambitions for the park?
I’d like to see some work in the wild area near Preston Manor, and more work with wildflowers – perhaps the area of wildflowers could be extended. I’d like to see more information in the park about its colourful history. My interest is working with the community so I’d like to see as many people as possible involved in the park – it’s the people’s open space.

Retired Preston Park gardener, Peter Riddleston, shown above, was interviewed by the Friends of Preston Park and oral historian Jo Palache in order to make his fascinating memories of the park’s history available to everyone. His vivid recollections start from the second world war and include his meetings with Captain Bertie MacLaren, who was instrumental in designing the Preston Park that we know today.

Listen to the interview and see Peter’s collection of photos of bygone days in Preston Park and Preston Village.

You may have noticed the new wildflower border along the slip road at the north end of the park. As you can see from the picture, the flowers are looking beautiful. Congratulations to the park staff!

Dear All

The recent consultation on the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders to control parking in Preston Park closed on 27th March 2012 and all comments and objections were presented to the Cabinet Members and a full report with recommendations was presented to the council’s Environment Transport and Sustainability Cabinet Meeting on 4th May 2012. Minutes of the meeting will be available from Democratic Services on the Council Meetings webpage shortly.

The recommendations were supported by the council at this meeting, although as agreed in December 2011, they will be formally reviewed 6 months after implementation.

The proposals to be implemented are to control parking in Preston Park from late June 2012. Parking will be restricted to two pay and display zones. Parking restrictions will be enforced between the hours of 9am and 6pm when the pay and display tariff will be;

Up to one hour 50p / Up to two hours £1 / Up to three hours £2 / Up to six hours £3

Charges are lower than on street parking charges and there will be additional disabled parking for Blue Badge holders which is free of charge.

Parking will be limited to two areas of the park, known as The Gallop and The Ride. All other areas of the park, with the exception of some disabled parking bays, will be pedestrian only zones.

If you are planning an event or have one already planned you will need to make special arrangements to suspend enforcement if vehicles need to be parked onsite in relation to the event, you can do this through the normal Events application procedure.

If you have any queries relating to an event you have planned we will endeavour to answer your query as quickly as possible.

Best regards

Fiona Stokes

Parks Project Officer, City Infrastructure

Brighton & Hove City Council, Projects and Contracts Office, Hollingdean Depot, Upper Hollingdean Road, Brighton BN1 7GA

When and where: Sunday 20 May, from 10am-1pm by the Harvest vegetable garden in Preston Park (behind the Rotunda Cafe).

Come and swap or buy seedlings for your garden! Have you got some spare seedlings you’d like to swap for some new and different varieties? Or perhaps you had the best intentions to sow some seeds but just didn’t get around to it? Join us for the swap, plus family-friendly activities by our vegetable garden in Preston Park.

Many of the vegetable seedlings provided by the Brighton & Hove Organic Gardening Group will be organic, and we will also have a limited number of English variety grape vines donated by Plumpton College’s wine department.

This event is organised jointly by the Food Partnership’s Harvest project and BHOGG (Brighton & Hove Organic Gardening Group). Part of the Brighton Festival Fringe.

For more information look online here or call 01273 431700.

Join us in celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee! We’re holding a Picnic-in-the-Park on Saturday 2 June from 12 to 3pm in Preston Park. We’d love to see you there.

There will be:

• A brass band with music from a combination of Patcham Silver Band and the Mid Sussex Brass Band
• Free fun and games for children provided by Spots and Stripes
• A bouncy slide
• Free face-painting

You are also challenged to make and wear a crown for the event. A prize will be given for the best adult and the best children’s crown.

Bring your own picnic and enjoy each other’s company. Don’t forget to bring something to rest your BBQ on if you’re having one and take your litter away with you, or use the bins.

If you’re not within walking distance, busses 5, 5a and 5b stop by the park.

We really hope you can come!