All posts by gardens

Let’s Get Talking

Learning, Local Community, Well Being

The Mozart Community Champions will be delivering a workshop based around managing stress, via Zoom at 2pm on Tuesday, 23rd July.

The workshop is free to attend for those living in and around the Mozart and Queen’s Park estates in Westminster.

They hope to explore ways to manage stress; share tips and ideas; create personal plans for managing stress. They will also discuss ways to support friends and families by reducing their stress.

If you would like to join in, please click here to send an email expressing your interest (kimberley@nullpdt.org.uk). or phone 07704 157 098.

Click for Facebook and Twitter links.

New Dog Class

Dog Classes, Local Community, Queen's Park Gardens

Crissie will be holding one of her dog workshops next weekend. The class is strictly limited to SIX owners only, in order to maintain responsible physical distancing. This class must be booked in advance.

Please click here to send an email expressing your interest.

DUE TO LOCKDOWN RULES, during the DOG WORKSHOP, the DOG RUN will be UNAVAILABLE FOR ONE HOUR (11:30 – 12:30) to those not booked to attend the class.

APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE

Covid-19 May 2020

Community Gardening, Environment, Local Community, Queen's Park Gardens, Wildlife Area
  • Covid-19: Our park is still open at the moment but no group community gardening is currently taking place.
  • If you use the Wildlife Area, please respect those who are seeking a quiet area, free from joggers and dogs.

STAY ALERT

Read the Prime Minister’s address for the latest information and this document for clarification about what you can and can’t do (correct at time of blogging).

  • Stay at home as much as possible but if you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times.
  • Work from home if you can.
  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds as soon as you get home & regularly thereafter.
  • Limit contact with other people.
  • You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
  • You can remain infectious for a period after you seem to have recovered.
  • You may not be immune if you have had the virus. We are waiting for conclusive research.

Self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.

Cover your face if you’re in enclosed places like the supermarket.

There are still many unknowns about this virus. Seek out the provenance of advice you hear or read. Try to stick to first hand, substantiated facts.

In line with the most recent government directives regarding the Coronavirus, we will review our plans with regard to community gardening when the appropriate stage is reached. Please watch for updates.

Whilst our activities could be regarded as the allowed, we do not want to risk endangering the health of our wonderful, dedicated band of long-standing volunteers and we must protect the lives of the NHS carers upon whom we depend by promoting, encouraging and exercising social-distancing.

We are doing what we can to control the spread of COVID-19 and we hope you will join us.

Luckily, our park has remained open but do not attempt to use the outdoor gym.

Stay safe. Go out if you must, but be careful and mindful of others.

More information is available from Queen’s Park Community Council’s webpage.  The official government pages, including all the press conference transcripts, are here.

Staying Safe Outside your Home (click).

Staying Alert and Safe (click).

The Westminster City Council’s Residents newsletter (subscribe here) is another great way to stay up-to-date with the latest news, offers and events. These updates used to be weekly but are much more frequent at the moment. For more regular updates on their services and activities, follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

More options are here.

The work of the Queen’s Park Gardens Community and Sports Hub is dear to our hearts. They are currently assisting the most vulnerable and shielded residents in our community with hot food (from supplies provided by The Felix Project and meals created by Ida) and care package support. If you feel you can contribute to the great work they are doing, please visit their Just Giving page to make a small donation (they’ll accept a large one too!).

Just Living

Environment, Local Community, Queen's Park Gardens, Wildlife Area
  • Covid-19: Our park is still open at the moment but no group community gardening is taking place.
  • If you use the Wildlife Area, please respect those who are seeking a quiet area, free from joggers and dogs. Read our notes here.
  • Stay at home
  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (if you can’t work from home).
  • If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times.
  • Wash your hands for 20 seconds as soon as you get home.
  • Do not meet others, even friends or family.
  • You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
  • You can remain infectious for a period after you seem to have recovered.
  • There are many unknowns about this virus. Seek out the provenance of advice and try to stick to substantiated facts.

Our park has so many treasures during April and May. The trees are enjoying their new leaves and blossoms. Wild flowers are blooming and birds are caring for their hungry chicks.

Be kind to your neighbours and community. We are all dealing with varied and difficult challenges.



Some familiar faces are doing remarkable things to keep everyone going.

The work of the Queen’s Park Gardens Community and Sports Hub is dear to our hearts. They are currently assisting the most vulnerable and shielded residents in our community with hot meals (from food provided by The Felix Project and meals created by Ida) and care package support. If you feel you can contribute to the great work they are doing, please visit their Just Giving page to make a small donation (they’ll accept a large one too!).

You might also like to investigate some of the uplifting personal tales being told by customers and staff on Ida’s Instagram account, a beloved restaurant in our community.

Bird Count Results

Environment, Open Spaces, Queen's Park Gardens, Rose Garden, Well Being, Wildlife Area
  • Covid-19: Our park is still open at the moment but no community gardening is taking place. If you use the Wildlife Area, please respect those who are seeking a quiet area, free from joggers and dogs. Read our notes here.

__________________________________________________________________

At the end of January, we joined in the nation’s Garden Birdwatch, counting the birds in our park with Andrew from the RSPB.

You can read more here.

The data has been crunched and once again, the sparrow has come out on top. Read more at the RSPB website.

How do these results compare to our count?

UK Bird QPG
1st House Sparrow 3rd
2nd Starling none
3rd Blue Tit Joint 5th
4th Woodpigeon 2nd
5th Blackbird 4th
6th Goldfinch Joint 6th
7th Great Tit Joint 5th
8th Robin Joint 5th
9th Long-tailed Tit none
10th Magpie Joint 6th
15th Feral Pigeon 1st
19th Wren Joint 6th
52nd ! Mistle Thrush Joint 6th

Covid-19 Update

Wildlife Area

In line with the most recent government directives regarding the Coronavirus, our group can no longer work in the gardens, regrettably.

Coal Tit on the coconut in the Rose Garden @CairdCrafts

Whilst our activities could be regarded as the allowed ‘once-a-day exercise’, we cannot risk endangering the health of our wonderful, dedicated band of long-standing volunteers and we must protect the lives of the NHS carers upon whom we depend by promoting, encouraging and exercising social-distancing.

We are doing what we can to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and we hope you will join us.

For the time being, the park will remain open for solitary exercise but all group activities must cease and small groups will be dispersed. Do not attempt to use the outdoor gym.

Combine dog walking with your once-a-day exercise.

Stay safe. Go out if you must, but be careful and mindful of others.

We are so grateful to the many people who have joined us in the past and sincerely hope to resume our sessions at a safe point in the future.

More information is available from Queen’s Park Community Council’s webpage. You may have witnessed the most recent council meeting in the park, exercising strict social distancing. This was held at 6pm, before the Prime Minister’s latest announcement.

Westminster City Council’s email newsletters are a great way to stay up-to-date with the latest news, offers and events.For more regular updates on our services and activities, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Resident newsletter (subscribe here) These updates have been daily for over a week now.

More options are here.

Nature awakens

Wildlife Area

We are lucky to be able to watch the changes in our park. So many happy neighbours send photos to us, so we’re sharing a few today.

We’re gardening over the next couple of weekends, weather permitting, so please check our sessions page for dates, times and more info.

Thank you to Jill, Claire, Susanna, Ulla and Sue.

Dog Socialising Session

Dog Classes, Learning, Local Community, Queen's Park Gardens

Crissie is holding another FREE dog socialising session this month, in the dog run by Ilbert Street: Dog Training Workshop Sunday, 23rd February 2020 from 1pm to 2.30pm.

Crissie – Dog Trainer – 07949 523 710 I canineculture@nullgmail.com I Canineculture.co.uk

Free dog socialising classes funded by Queen’s Park Community Council