Category Archives: Wildlife Area

Summer Festival on Twitter

Environment, Festival, Learning, Local Community, Open Spaces, Queen's Park Gardens, Well Being, Wildlife Area

The Summer Festival was a sunny celebration of our neighbourhood this year.

Summer in the Park

Wildlife Area
The Queen’s Park Gardens Summer Festival is less than a month away but there is always a lot going on in the park.

Our volunteer Clare has been taking care of the border along the play area fence bringing some lovely colours.

In the wildlife area, we have our magnificent teasels. There’s usually a robin to be seen.

In the triangular bed we find the salsify have gone to seed. They look like huge dandylion clocks and are in the same family of plants.

Dandylions, allium and fragrant lavender are still providing nectar and food.

There are always sparrows to be found in the hedges. This is a young female.

The Rose Garden and Orchard is a haven for beautiful things and a favourite for residents who want to sit on a bench to chat.

The cardoons are the stars at the moment.

Please don’t pick the flowers in the park. We work hard so that everyone can enjoy them. Thank you.

John Ystumllyn Rose in Queen’s Park Gardens

Wildlife Area

Our lovely friends at HCGA planted a very special new rose bush last week. You can read more about the rose on the supplier’s website.

John Ystumllyn was an 18th-century Welsh gardener and the first well-recorded black person of North Wales.

John was of uncertain origin but early in his life he was taken by the Wynn family to their estate in Criccieth, where he was christened with the Welsh name John Ystumllyn. He was taught English and Welsh by the locals. He learned his craft in the estate garden and began a romance with the local maid Margaret Gruffydd with whom he later eloped and married.

In recognition of his service Ellis Wynn gave Ystumllyn a large garden and cottage at Y-Nhyra Isa. He died in 1786 at around the age of 50; his wife survived him for more than forty years. Several years after his death, a small monument was constructed in his place of burial St Cynhaearn’s Church.

Over a hundred years after his death, the Welsh writer Robert Isaac Jones published an account of his life compiled from various local oral records. This work, while also criticised for its forgetfulness and racial stereotyping, is regarded as the most informative extant source of Ystumllyn’s life. According to Jones, he was “a very honest man, with no malice, and was respected by the gentry and the common people alike”.

(Source:  Wiki)

5th March 22 session

Environment, Local Community, Open Spaces, Queen's Park Gardens, Well Being, Wildlife Area

The weather was kind to us on Saturday.

Ray tidied the brambles before joining the rest of the team to turn the compost heap.

Our next session is organised for Saturday, 12th March 2022, starting at 10 am and running through the morning until 1 pm. You are welcome to join us at any time within those hours, for as little or long as you like.

We meet in the Wildlife Area of Queen’s Park Gardens with all equipment provided – just wear sensible clothing and bring plenty of enthusiasm. You can turn up for as long or as short a time as you want. We will be working in the open air with social distancing and as always, weather permitting!

Following on from this Saturday, our schedule of sessions for the rest of March, are as follows:

Saturday 12th March 2022
Saturday 19th March 2022
Saturday 26th March 2022

We look forward to seeing you soon.

If you would like to join our mailing list, please drop us a line via the Contact Form.

Fallen Tree

Wildlife Area

One of our volunteers spotted a fallen tree on Saturday morning along the secret trail at the back of the Wildlife Area. Perhaps it was a victim of storm Eunice. Luckily, the tree fell in such a way to only partially obscure the trail.

Raymond set to work cutting back a large section of ivy which had grown up at the top of the tree and overhung the trail.

After making sure the tree was secure and wouldn’t fall on the path, the Friends have decided to leave it where it is, to become a feast for smaller insects.

The insects have already been feasting. The surface of the tree is festooned with termite holes. The photo below is just a small section of the whole tree.

Friends’ Gardening Sessions Resumed

Community Gardening, Environment, Learning, Local Community, Open Spaces, Queen's Park Gardens, Triangular Bed, Well Being, Wildlife Area

 

We are happy to announce we are back in our boots! 

We begin our new schedule of regular, weekly Wildlife Area sessions this Saturday.

Our first session is organised for Saturday, 26th February 2022, starting at 10 am and running through the morning until 1 pm.  You are welcome to join us at any time within those hours, for as little or long as you like.

We meet in the Wildlife Area of Queen’s Park Gardens with all equipment provided – just wear sensible clothing and bring plenty of enthusiasm. You can turn up for as long or as short a time as you want. We will be working in the open air with social distancing and as always, weather permitting!

Following on from this Saturday, our schedule of sessions for March, are as follows:

Saturday 5th March 2022
Saturday 12th March 2022
Saturday 19th March 2022
Saturday 26th March 2022

We look forward to seeing you soon.

If you would like to join our mailing list, please drop us a line via the Contact Form.

Dog Run Re-turfing

Community Gardening, Environment, Local Community, Open Spaces, Queen's Park Gardens, Wildlife Area


The eastern end of the dog run has been re-turfed and will be closed until it has rooted. Please access the other end of the run from the mid-Ilbert Street gate.  Dogs must be kept on their leads in all other areas of the park. Thank you.


Our wonderful team of ad-hoc volunteers have spread wood chip around the muddier access points of the Wildlife Area.  We’d like to thank Ulla and HCGA who sourced this for us.

Finally, we would like to thank everyone who attended our virtual AGM. The annual report will be available soon, and summarised in the year review.

 

 

Christmas in Queen’s Park

Dog Classes, Environment, Festival, Learning, Local Community, Queen's Park Gardens, Well Being, Wildlife Area

The Queen’s Park Community Council have some lovely events coming up and are looking for volunteers to help.   Please email Shuwanna or call 020 8960 5644 to get involved.

  • Saturday 4th December, Community Clean up: Festive edition
  • Saturday 4th December, Winter Festival 
  • Monday 6th to Thursday 9th December, Santa Truck 
  • Wednesday 8th December, Festive Community Lunch

You  can read more in their newsletter here which includes notices of upcoming meetings.

Saturday 4th December, 3pm–6pm (Donkey rides from 1pm) in Queen’s Park Gardens.

Queen’s Park Winter Festival
The Annual Queen’s Park Winter Festival will be held on Saturday 4th December. The event will feature Santa’s grotto and photo booth, carolling, wreath making, smores, kids snowball fight, donkey rides and much more! This event is free to attend, and no registration is required.

Saturday 4th December from 10am meeting in the Wildlife Area, Queen’s Park Gardens

Community Clean up: Festive edition 
Join in ahead of this year’s Winter Festival. Wear your Santa hats, Elf ears, etc, and don’t forget to bring a mug for a warm cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine afterwards!
Please call 020 8960 5644 or email Millie for more information.

Monday 6th – Thursday 9th December from 4pm–6pm  throughout the streets of Queen’s Park ward

Watch out for the Queen’s Park Santa Truck which will return to the streets of Queen’s Park again this year. Each and every street will receive a visit from Santa and Mrs Claus. Listen out for the music and head out to wave hello! The Santa Truck will be collecting food donations for the Granville Community Kitchen and hampers for the vulnerable in our community. Please give if you can. 

Tuesday 7th December 2021 from 10am

Queen’s Park Walk. There is one more Well-Being walk left in the HCGA schedule. More info here. The walks are free and all you need to do is…Book a place by emailing bookings@nullhcga.org.uk, complete an enrolment form, show your ID at enrolment, meet up in good time at Queen’s Park Library, 666 Harrow Road, London, W10 4NE

Weds 8th December from 12 Noon – 3pm, The Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue W10 4JL

Festive Community Lunch 
You are invited to attend the Queen’s Park Festive Community Lunch for a free roast lunch with mince pies and mulled wine (Halal and Vegetarian option too), Christmas carolling, the Big Queen’s Park Quiz, well-being activities and more.  Please call 020 8960 5644 or 074 6962 6649 or email Shuwanna to book.

This event is supported by Eco World, Community Champions, ESP Foundation, Open Age, Age UK, The Avenues Youth Project, QPG Hub, M&S, A2Dominion Beethoven Centre and the Queen’s Park Primary School who all helped in bringing this celebration together.  

Sunday 12th December, 12pm–1pm The Dog Run in Queen’s Park Gardens.

Pre-Christmas Dog Socialising Class
Join Canine Culture for a free pre-Christmas dog socialising class.

  • Keeping your dog safe and happy during the holiday
  • Advice on food
  • Emergency contacts

Please call Crissie on 07949 523 710 or email Crissie.

Monday 20th to Thursday 23rd December in the W.E.C.H Community Centre

LEGO Disco Crimbo – 11am to 3pm each day, full of fun, music, active games, stories, LEGO, and more! Free lunches for kids eligible for free school meals. Local families from W2, W9, W10 only please. HANDS, FACE, SPACE. Booking essential via Eventbrite.

Tuesday 28th to Friday 31st December in the W.E.C.H Community Centre

Chill Club (age 11 – 16) – 11am to 3pm each day – Christmas Holiday Club for ages 11-16 people living in W2, W9, W10. Activities, Discussion, Fun, Snowballs, Nerf, Games, FOOD, Creative activities, or just chillin’ with friends. HANDS, FACE, SPACE. Booking essential via Eventbrite.

Subscribe the the QPCC newsletter (scroll to the bottom) and to be first to learn of events and meetings, plus ongoing important local info. (latest one is here).

Queen’s Park library have some events in December. Pop in from the cold to see their notice board and borrow a good book. You can check here as well.

St John’s Church has a series of festive events which Father David has tweeted about here.

St Luke’s and St Emmanuel’s also have events.

Please try to shop locally, if you can.

Once again, our park is one of the four local sites for real tree recycling. Please remove ALL decorations. Try to keep the area tidy and fit for its intended purpose. Trees can be recycled from 28th December 21 until the end of day 11 January 2022. (To find your nearest site visit: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/xmas-recycling)

There are no planned changes to collection days for recycling and rubbish collections over Christmas and New Year. Your collection day(s) will remain as normal.You can check your collect days and times here.  For the latest info: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/xmas-recycling

Green Flag 2021/22

Wildlife Area

We are delighted that our little park has attained the Green Flag Award again this year.  The scheme has been celebrating its 25 year anniversary in 2021.

General maintenance is undertaken by Continental Landscapes on behalf of Westminster Council.

It has not been easy but  HCGA with Ulla and her team of volunteers in the rose garden, and our small band of unofficial volunteers throughout the park,  have excelled themselves during the various restrictions to improve the park for our community, while also giving a mindful focus and great exercise, thanks to grants from the QPCC,

You can read more about the scheme here, see our entry here and look at the full list here.

We look forward to seeing the new flag on the pole soon.

If you would like to join Ulla on her Thursday morning sessions there are more details here.

Covid-19: We’ve paused our official gardening sessions until we feel it is safe for us to return, as we work in public spaces. You may sometimes find some of our core team working to maintain parts of the park. If you would like to join our mailing list, please drop us a line via the Contact Form.
If you use the Wildlife Area, please respect those who are seeking a quiet area, free from joggers and dogs.