Building the forest school hut
Nature Reserve. This will be used
by independent forest schools for a
variety of things – including children’s
outdoor activities on Sundays, for ages
four-12; as well as art, music, craft
courses and yoga for all ages.
It will add to the regular events
and activities already available for the
whole community to get involved with.
Lynda explained: “There’s so much
going on here for people to enjoy and
participate in – from woodland crafts
and our annual Apple Day fayre, to
guided walks, open air theatre and
community volunteer days when anyone
can turn up to do a bit of gardening
or simply enjoy some company and
conversation in the fresh air.”
Duke of Kent (and Luna the horse)
explore this wonderful open space.
We were awarded ‘Outstanding’ in
the 2018 London in Bloom Awards
and the icing on the cake was a visit
from HRH The Duke of Kent who was
delighted with our work.”
One of the council’s park rangers,
Jon Staples, has been heavily involved
from the outset, lending a lot of his
own personal determination to the
project. He has also been leading a
project to build a traditional wooden
shelter using wood from the site –
not unlike a larger version of a Celtic
roundhouse he built at nearby Litten
‘ENERGISED AND
MORE ALIVE’
“Local students keep the
farm tidy and manage
their herb bed every
Friday during term time,”
added Lynda. “And staff
from organisations such
as Bloomberg, Barclays
plc and HSBC make a
massive contribution on
their corporate volunteer
days with activities ranging
from mulching the orchard
to erecting fences and much more
in between.
“There is much evidence about
how green spaces can improve
mental health and wellbeing. We have
seen first-hand the positive impact
PARKS FOUNDATION
that Horsenden offers, whether it’s
walking on the hill or attending one
of the community gardening sessions
that operate at Horsenden, people
feel energised and more alive after
spending time here. We are very
pleased to be strengthening our mental
health agenda with a new series of
walks for wellbeing in the new year.”
‘AN ABSOLUTELY VITAL ROLE’
Councillor Mik Sabiers, the council’s
cabinet member for environment and
highways, said: “Organisations such
as the Friends of Horsenden Hill play
an absolutely vital role in ensuring the
local community gets the most out of
the borough’s beautiful green spaces.
“We have established the Parks
Foundation to work alongside the
council to further empower local
residents, communities, and friends
groups to have a real say in how get
the best out of their parks.”
FIND OUT MORE
Friends of Horsenden Hill
have more than 50 members,
a growing number of regular
volunteers and more than 600
followers on Facebook. Anyone
interested in getting involved can
visit the group’s Facebook page.
For more information on
the Parks Foundation, visit
ealingnewsextra.co.uk/latest-
news/parks-foundation
around ealing February 2019
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