Autumn Newsletter from Friends of Rowntree Park

Wednesday, 31 August 2022 15:10

By Barbara Constable

We hope you've had an amazing summer and found some time to enjoy Rowntree Park! There has been so much happening in Rowntree Park over summer and so much coming up! We have a lovely traditional style community event - ‘Hello Autumn’ taking place on Saturday 10th of September. Read on to find out more about this and all our other events. Also keep an eye on our social media for regular updates.

We hope you've had an amazing summer and found some time to enjoy Rowntree Park!
There has been so much happening in Rowntree Park over summer and so much coming up! We have a lovely traditional style community event - ‘Hello Autumn’ taking place on Saturday 10th of September. Read on to find out more about this and all our other events. Also keep an eye on our social media for regular updates.
Booking now open for Christmas Wreath Making. Members priority booking until September 5th. Places usually sell really fast!

Hello Autumn! - Traditional community event on Saturday 10th of September

We'd love you to join us in celebrating the wilder side of Rowntree Park at this free community event. We will be based in the Wildlife Area (Butcher Terrace side of the park) from 2-4pm and welcome people to pop along. You can find out more about the wildlife area and orchard. We will have some apple pressing to have a go at, apple ID, preserve and cake stall, vegetable/fruit/seed swap, have a go at scything opportunities, a crazy fruit/vegetable character competition, and a chance to find out about the wildlife area project.

We also have some sessions on that day have a small charge and need booking in advance. Book here.

Family Forest School (age 2-12) 10-11.30am
Foraging Walk (all ages) - 12.30-1.15pm approx
Acorn Needle Felting (all ages) 2-3pm
Corn/Wheat Dolly Craft (children 2-12 approx) 3-4pm

We'd love people to bring:

Fruit/Veg/Seeds to swap (or donate)
Jams/preserves/cakes to sell (and raise money for the FRP)
Entries to the crazy Fruit/Vegetable character competition (adults and children welcome) - it's a bit of fun!

We'd love people to come along to this warm and welcoming community event. We will also be joined by Louise from Abundance York.

Art in the Park

We are pleased to share that the new 'Art in the Park' exhibition is up! This year we invited local artists to share work based on the theme 'Wild Rowntree Park' as we wanted to celebrate all the wonderful wild side of this urban park. Our volunteers have been working to improve biodiversity - we have the new wildlife area, increased pollinator plants in the areas we garden, and also have an area of native plants. In addition to a wide range of trees and plants, there is so much wildlife too! It's lovely to see the park through artists eyes and we have a wide range of styles and approaches on display in the centre of the park (railed garden/Mercury area). We aim to sell some prints, notecards and possibly a calendar again this year, and artists have kindly agreed that their art can be used to raise money for the work we do in the park. We hope you enjoy seeing the art and we will keep you updated when items are available for sale.

Rowntree Park and older girls

Just over a year ago, we started a project looking at Rowntree Park and older girls inspired by the newly formed charity - Make Space for Girls. A basic summary is - that as girls get older they use parks less than boys. There are numerous reasons that lead to why this is, but one of the key issues raised is that when councils plan parks and add facilities for older children, they tend to add things like skateparks, BMX tracks, basketball courts and MUGAS. These are all areas become male dominated and many girls (and some boys) don't see them as welcoming/for them. Connecting with nature, socialising and exercising in parks is good for mental health and wellbeing, and the fact many older girls don't use parks is something that needs to be improved. Therefore, we set about starting to find out the views of local girls on Rowntree Park. We ran a survey and a focus group, and based on that feedback we have started to see what changes could be made that may encourage more older girls to use the park/see it as a place for them. We found there are a lot of good things about the park, but also got some ideas and recommendations of things that may improve this. The good news is that these views are making a difference! You can read about the work we've done so far and what is next here.

We have a new survey out that we'd like both boys and girls 10-16 to complete. you can access that here.
We also have a focus group session on Saturday 1st of October that we'd like to invite girls 10-16 to. It will be an information sessions to find out views on the park and talk about ways to get involved in making a difference. We are going to be meeting in the woodland and will have the hammocks up, some snacks and lots of chat! You can sign up to come along here.

The Geese

They are taking over! Our goose population seems to have tripled this year and we are finding goose poo in areas we don't usually! There is a limit as to what can be done as they are 'wild birds' but what we can do/are doing:

Asking the council to send the sweeper for the paths as much as able to
Continuing to encourage people not to feed the geese/ducks bread (and not feed the geese)
Trying to block the gaps in the hedges in the railed gardens. The railed gardens our volunteers care for are meant to be goose free (that's why we had the railings installed), but geese are finding ways into to reach this green grass via gaps. The longer term aim is to get railings for the hedge sides of the garden to complete the railings.
Reminding the council to order egg oiling for spring (it didn't happen this year).
Try and get together a group of people who want to explore ideas on how tackle the goose issue (including humane methods to encourage them to make their home elsewhere/make the park less hospitable)

End of flood defence work/compound

The flood defence work at Clementhorpe is complete and the compound that has been in Rowntree Park (on the Butcher Terrace Field) is being removed. Bentley construction will be handing the site over to their contractors who will be restoring the area. Their plan is to grass seed the area and keep the fence up whilst the area gets established. The aim is to have a football pitch back again, but we are actually going to leave the goalposts outside the park in their current location (as they are well used) and will be aiming to get new ones for this area of the park. The railings removed (marking the boundary of the park) will be replaced. The EA have promised a number of trees to be planted in the park to make up for ones they cut down in the area as part of the project. We will keep you updated on this. To access the park care park you now use the original route via Clementhorpe/Skeldergate. Terry Avenue is once again blocked from Millennium Bridge.

Quick update...

Past events - as well as our usual events, we had a magical family Forest School event and lots from outside providers including - Orienteering, Junior chess, York College Music showcase, Circle dancing, Lucy's Pop Choir, Stonegate Singers and much more! It's been lovely to see sop much happening in the park.
The Lakes - the lakes are looking low and not too clean. Feedback from the council on the issue of lake health: The lakes are filled by rainwater and therefore are affected by the lack of rainfall of late. It also isn't the right time to clean them with a drought. There is a machine that helps reduce the algae but it isn't currently working, so this is being looked into. The council cleaning machine that clears goose poo from the paths may knock goose poo into the lake due to rotating brush, but generally it's not the aim to sweep poo into the lake. The state of the lakes is something we will discuss again with the council at our next meeting (eg: what can be done).
Memorial for Rosemary - How beautiful is the Sensory Garden looking this summer? The Tuesday volunteers have poured in extra love and care this year as a perfect tribute to Rosemary Bentley from the team. We have renamed the area 'Rosemary's Sensory garden'. Thank you to all who contributed to the memorial bench. It is on order and we will update when we know more.
On the radio - if you are a Radio York Listen, you may keep catching us on the radio! We recently had BBC Radio York Breakfast show broadcasting live from the park - it was great to be able to chat about the work of our volunteers protects, events and so much more!
BBQs - polite reminder that BBQs are not to be had in the park
Dogs to be on leads in the park - Thank you to all our members who support this, and the brave ones who remind others!
Knotweed - we have had Japanese Knotweed in the park for a few years and we are told it gets treated by CYC. Our lead volunteer gardener, Stu, has been highlighting the spread to the council and is working with them mapping the current outbreaks in the park so the council can deal with them appropriately.

Christmas Wreath Making Sessions - Saturday 3rd of December

We have been running these popular sessions for a number of years and they tend to sell out pretty quickly! Members have a few days to book before tickets go on sale to the general public. Our wreath making sessions take place on the cafe balcony and are a relaxed crafting session. More details about the event on the booking page (please read). Sessions are at 9.30am and 11am. We will also be doing 'wreath packs' for anyone who prefers to create at home on their own or with friends. Head to the information and booking page here

Children's Christmas Crafts on Saturday 26th of November - booking also now open - here.

Weekly Volunteer Gardening Sessions

We need more volunteers! If you can ever spare an hour out of your day, why not get involved? We have gardening sessions that you can join 3 times a week - you don't have to know about gardening - there are a range of jobs to be done and your help is appreciated. Come once, come weekly, come whenever you can - it all helps! If you'd like to sign up to get involved, you can register here.
Sessions take place at the following times - meet under the cafe (you can just turn up) or email Stu for more info - gardening@rowntreepark.org.uk
Mondays 9.30am
Thursdays 10am
Friday 9.30am
We also have some Saturday morning sessions in the Wildlife Area - these are more ad hoc but if you express interest in this area we can send details of when they are taking place.

Events and Activities in Rowntree Park

The Friends of Rowntree Park run a range of events and activities for the community. We also welcome outside providers who would like to book events in the park. You can find out more information on our website under 'Events' and and book here.

What's coming up...

The Very Young Friends of Rowntree Park - Wednesday 7th of September
The monthly meet-up for 1-5 year olds and their parents/carers take place on the first Wednesday of each month 10am-11am. Nature crafts and storytelling at the woodland story circle. Places must be booked in advance. £2 for members.

Wild Ones - Nature group for older girls - Wednesday 7th of September
A new block of these popular sessions aimed at 10-16 year olds. A chance to engage with nature, meet new people and try new things in a relaxed setting - perfect mindfulness. Book for the block of 7 weeks running 6-7.30pm. These sessions are free and funded by LNER (a small donation toward refreshments is appreciated).

'Hello Autumn' - Saturday 10th of September
Pre Autumn event community event held in the wildlife area - see above.

Forest School - Pre-schoolers - Friday mornings
Forest school sessions for 5 and under. Sessions are booked in 6-week blocks. 10-11.30am. The Autumn block is fully booked but you can add your name to the waiting list and be the first to hear when the next spaces are available - contact Christine at  education@rowntreepark.org.uk

Nature Time - Friday afternoons starts 9th of September
Weekly outdoor playgroup for parents of babies and toddlers looking for a supportive, friendly environment to get to know others, chat and get involved in activities should you choose. You can book into the sessions online. Starts again 9th of September. These sessions are free and funded by LNER (a small donation toward refreshments is appreciated). 1pm-2.15pm.

Family Forest School - Saturday 10th of September
Monthly Family Forest School for ages (ideally 2-12 but that's approximate) -  Join us for our Forest School session that features some outdoor bushcraft-style activities! The session is 10-11.30am. £7.50 per child for members.

Slow Stitch workshops - starts Monday 19th of September
This mindfulness crafting session in nature runs for 4 weeks at 9.30-11am. Aimed at adults, these sessions are free and funded by LNER (a small donation toward refreshments is appreciated).

Breakfast with the birds - Sunday 25th of September.
Join us and the RSPB for an early morning bird walks followed by breakfast cooked in the woodland. This is a repeat of the spring sessions -new people and previous attendees all welcome as we may see and hear different birds. 8am-9.30am (approx end time).

Writing for wellbeing - Starts Friday 30th of September
Using inspiration from nature to prompt writing in a range of forms. These sessions run in 4 weeks block and are aimed at adults. These sessions are free and funded by LNER (a small donation toward refreshments is appreciated). This is a 4 week block.

Future events (some open for booking and others will be added over the next couple of weeks, so keep checking).

Older Girls and the park - focus group session for 10-16 year olds - Saturday 1st of October 4-5.30pm
Autumn Art (Children) - Saturday 15th of October 10-11.30am (TBC)
Children's Christmas Crafts - Saturday 26th of November 10-11.30am
Wreath Making - Saturday 3rd December 9.30 and 11am starts
Family Bird session - Saturday 25th October (times TBC)
Spooky Saturday Halloween Event (Children)- Saturday 29th of October 10-12pm (TBC)
Adult Christmas Crafting (part of wellbeing programme)

Events with outside providers:

Salsa with Sita - Salsa takes place on Sunday's and also Monday's.
Sundays 2-3pm footwork class (no partner needed)
Sundays 3-4pm partner class
Mondays 10.45-11.45am
Head here to book places.

Mamas got Moves- Baby wearing dance class
This popular baby wearing dance class for parents is back in Rowntree Park on Mondays 9.30-10.30am and Thursdays at 11.30-12.30pm - head here to book places.
Also - once a month there are special Sunday baby wearing dance classes for couples, followed by a social picnic. Class 11am-12pm followed by a social picnic 12-2pm. More info here.

Tai Chi
Takes place every Saturday and Wednesday morning in Rowntree Park - in the Friends Picnic Garden 9-10.30am. For more information contact Richard - siwiaks@hotmail.com

Move the masses - wellbeing walks
The second Tuesday of each month 1.30-2.30pm, you can join MTM for a free wellbeing walk around Rowntree Park. This is aimed older or less physically able people who want to get some fresh air, get moving and all with some good, friendly company. Meet under the cafe. For more info contact: libby@movethemasses.org.uk

Yoga and Pilates have now ended for the summer - hopefully they'll be back next year!

29th of September 2-7pm - Orienteering Event as part of the over 50s festival. More details via Eborienteers.
1st of October - Cancer Research Shine Walk. Starts and ends in Rowntree Park. Find out more here. They are also looking for stewards, so get in touch if you can help.

Would you like to run events in the park? Whether regular or a one off - contact Abigail to find out more - hello@rowntreepark.org.uk

The 'management' of Rowntree Park.

Quick summary:
The council manage Rowntree Park. That means they have overall responsibility.
The Friends of Rowntree Park do fund and maintain some areas of Rowntree Park. We also run a range of community events and projects, as well as overseeing bookings for the park. We also run wellbeing programmes that include volunteering and a range of sessions people can opt into, and we work with Green Social Prescribing services. We are the link between the community and the council. We have 4 official open meetings a year where any members are welcome and a council link comes a long to answer questions and update us on things from the council view point.

Although there are many good things about Rowntree Park, it is also a park that is suffering decline due to the lack of funding and attention. Our elected council does not have a long term plan/strategy for council-run parks. We'd like this to change. The Friends of Rowntree Park have had to really step up in the last few years and have key areas of the park that we both fund and our volunteers maintain. However, we cannot take on the whole park. As a charity we do not have the funds or the capacity to do more and we believe the council should be doing more. There are local elections coming up in 2023 and we believe free parks and green spaces should be a key issue we are asking for action on. We'd love more people to get actively involved with the FRP by sharing views, raising awareness, volunteering, spreading the word about membership and pressuring local councillors to put parks on the political agenda.

Please note that the Tennis Club, and York Explore Café and Library are separate from the Friends and they operate their own areas. Please contact them directly, if there are any questions about what they do. General park bookings/activities are organised by the Friends in conjunction with Make it York (on behalf of CYC).

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