Friends of Queens Park, Brighton

Second volunteer path-clearing day

More than 25 volunteers came to the first path-clearing volunteer day in the dog area in March. Good progress was made and now a second session has been set for Sunday, 14th April to complete the job.

The session will be from 10:30 and 1:30 pm.  If you can help, you are asked to meet at the North Drive entrance to the park opposite the Pepperpot on Tower Road. Tools, including gloves, and refreshments will be provided. Please wear robust footwear, warm and, preferably, waterproof clothing.

Volunteer day to clear paths

The next opportunity to volunteer in Queen’s Park will be a short session to clear paths in the dog area. It will take place on Sunday, 17th March between 10:30 and 1 pm.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the North Drive entrance to the park opposite the Pepperpot on Tower Road.

Tools, including gloves, and refreshments will be provided. Volunteers are asked to wear robust footwear, warm and, preferably, water proof clothing.

The volunteer day coincides with the start of The Great British Spring Clean, campaign hosted by Keep Britain Tidy. The national Spring clean is the UK’s largest mass-action environmental campaign and ends on Tuesday, 2nd April.

To find out more how the City Council is supporting The Great British Spring Clean campaign click HERE. 

Bark in the Park 2024 date

The date for Bark in the Park, the Friends of Queen’s Park’s ever-popular community dog show has been fixed for 2024. The date agreed with heading sponsor Coastway Vets, is Saturday, 1st June.

As ever, there will be opportunities for the sponsorship of each of the classes, as well as further opportunities for traders to join in the fun. To find out what is available click HERE.

All set for Carols in the Park

The Friends of Queen’s Park’s annual carols service, Carols in the Park, will take place on Friday, 1st December at 6.00 pm outside the Royal Spa Nursery. Mulled wine, mince pies and refreshments will be served. The Salvation Armybrass band will play and the Vox Community Choir will perform too.

Carols’ sheet
Download the carols sheet HERE.

All events taking place in the Park and organised by the Friends of Queen’s Park can only happen with the active support of volunteers from the local community. We need help with the following tasks:

– setting up                   – litter picking
– bucket collectors      – clearing the site 

If you feel you can help as a volunteer from 4 pm onwards click HERE.

Stalwart volunteer is honoured

For more than 20 years Chris Lowe has been a Friends of Queen’s Park stalwart. Sadly, ill health forced him to step back as an active volunteer and serving on our committee.

His knowledge of local flora and fauna is encyclopaedic, with a special passion for the park’s Swift population. 

Chris’ exploits as volunteer pin-up boy attracted wide coverage in the local media when he posed for a photograph taken by former FoQP committee member Conrad Brunner. It showed Chris sitting at a table in the middle of the pond and was used to illustrate a story about the need for park volunteers (the pond being another of Chris’ passions). The striking image did the trick and in August a specially framed print was presented to Chris during a celebratory get together in the club house of Queen’s Park Tennis Club to thank him for his years of devoted service.

A new date for the Wild Garden clearance is fixed

A new date for the clearance of the Wild Garden to replace an earlier date, which had to be postponed at the last minute, has been fixed.

The new date, when volunteers will be invited to join a team from Sussex Wildlife Trust, is Saturday, 27th January. A reminder nearer the date will be sent out. Volunteers will be asked to meet at 10:30 am at the entrance to the park at the top of North Drive. 

Date for AGM is announced

The Friends of Queen’s Park’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 25th October.

The meeting, which is open to all members of the local community, will take place in the club house of the Friends of Queen’s Park Tennis Club and will start at 7 pm.

Freddie the Dachshund triumphs at Bark

Freddie the Dachshund triumphed at the 2023 Bark in the Park dog show. He won Best in Show, sponsored by the Camelford Arms, much to the delight of his human, actor Charles Brunton.

Earlier Freddie had won the Temptation Alley class, which was sponsored by Moshimo.

To view the official Friends of Queen’sPark video by produced and directed by Keith Worthington click HERE.

Sapling tree trail is set up

The Friends of Queen’s Park, working with Dr Simon Edwards, the developer of the innovative App TiCL, has established its first tree trail.

For the first of what it is hoped will be many trails, the Friends Group decided to create one for the saplings purchased with funds awarded following a successful bid to the Forestry Commission’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund.

In March 2022 fifteen out of the 24 saplings purchased with the £14,300 awarded were planted by a team of volunteers supported City Parks’ Mark Syrett. They were placed in suitable locations around the park best suited to the species. The remaining saplings will be planted during the coming dormant season.

The additions to the park’s tree stock has kick-started the Friends of Queen’s Park engagement with local school and in July nearly 150 local school children helped to mulch the saplings.

Visitors to the park can download the TiCL App free-of-charge and look for the Friends of Queen’s Park Tree Trail.

Wherever visitors enter the park the nearest sapling will appear at the top of a list of nearby trees. An image of the tree in situ will be displayed and there will be a link providing more information about what is being looked at.

Using the App the Friends of Queen’s Park will be creating more tree trails in the future, as well as looking at others such as areas of historic interest in the park. Each will have a unique QR code.

Tree planting volunteer day

You are invited to be part of the Friends of Queen’s Park volunteer force supporting the Cityparks team planting the first phase of trees purchased with the funds awarded to us as a result of our successful bid to the Forestry Commission’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund.

Where: Open Bakery, 1 West Drive, Brighton BN2 0GD
When: 09:30 am
Until: Approximately 2:30 pm
Clothing advice: Waterproofs and hats in case of rain; Wellington or stout boots (if possible with steel toe caps)
Refreshments: The Friends of Queen’s Park will be supplying hot drinks

The planting will include a replacement for the Peace Tree cherry, which, sadly, has died. The tree forms the focal point each year for a ceremony commemorating victims of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6th August 1945.

The new one will be planted close to original tree. The old plaque at the base of the old cherry tree will be re-sited at a later date.