Latest news
Carols in the Park returns
The ever popular Carols in the Park, organise by the Friends of Queen’s Park, returns on Friday, 2nd December.
It will take place outside the Royal Spa Nursery starting at 6.30 pm.
Music will be provided by the Salvation Army brass band and the Vox Community choir.
Mulled wine and mince pies will be served with all proceeds raised going to the maintenance of the park.
Download the carols sheet HERE.
This year’s event is being sponsored by solicitors Taylor Rose, local estate agents The Agency UK and The Open Bakery with the support of Star Fish and Coffee.
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.
A new date for Bark in the Park 2022 announced
The predicted extreme heat forecasts for the original date for Bark in the Park forced us to take the unprecedented decision to postpone the popular event for the wellbeing of the dogs.
Working with Coastways Vets, our headline sponsor, we have rescheduled Bark to take place on Sunday, 11th September. Registration will start at 11 am with the event closing with the final class, Best in Show, taking place at 3.30 pm.
What you said about an outdoor gym in Queen’s Park
Thank you for responding to our community survey asking whether you would like to see an outside gym. An overwhelming 82.95% of respondents told us that they would like to see one installed. The most favoured location was the East Drive end of the old bowling green, which had the support of 52.3% responding to the survey.
What you told us has been included in a bid for backing from the Veolia Environmental Trust, which will be considered in their next funding round in September.
Have your say – should there be an outside gym in the Park?
The Friends of Queen’s Park are considering bidding for funds to allow an outside gym to be installed in park.
However, before committing to making an application the committee has launched its own consultation with the community to test its views about whether it would like to see such an amenity in the park and, importantly, where it should be sited.
To take part in the consultation click HERE.The deadline to respond to our consultation is 5pm on Friday, 10th June.
Sign up for the butterfly walk
Friends of Queen’s Park have teamed up with the Sussex Wildlife Trust to arrange a series of park walks to kick-start wildlife audit.
The first takes place on Thursday 30th June between 11.30 and 12:30. it will be led by Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Huw Morgan. Participants are asked to meet at the Queen’s Park Tennis Club.
There are limited places available on the walk, so they will be allocated on a first-com-first served basis. Email your interest to: info@fqpbrighton.net popping ‘Butterfly walk’ in the subject line.
Other conducted wildlife walks in the pipeline will focus on bats and fungi.
Locations for new trees
The first phase planting of the trees purchased with money from the Friends of Queen’s Park’s successful bid to the Forestry Commission’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) has been completed. On-going maintenance will now become a focal point for volunteer days. This will include opportunities for local schools to get involve. Local schools were integral to the success UTCF bid.
The last 9 trees will be planted next year.
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.
Date for Bark in the Park 2022 is set
The date for the Friends of Queen’s Park (FoQP) popular dog show, Bark in the Park, has been set for Saturday, 9th July.
Once again, Coastway Vets will be partnering with FoQP and all funds raised will be going towards the maintenance of the park.
For anyone interested sponsoring the classes or taking a stall email: info@fqpbrighton.net
Click HERE to view Bark in the Park 2021 video.
Today’s tree planting is postponed
Today’s planned volunteer day, which was to be dedicated to planting the first phase of trees funded through our successful Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) bid, has had to be temporarily postponed.
Unfortunately, Cityparks have, so far, been unable to secure the right species from their usual nursery suppliers. They are busy beavering away and aim to have purchased the trees to allow us to re-schedule the tree planting volunteer day. It will now take place on Saturday, 26th February. Specific timings and the locations in the park will be announced nearer the day.
We apologise for the short notice of the postponement of today’s tree planting session. It was out of our control.
Anyone still wishing to volunteer to support the Cityparks tree planting team on 26th February, please register your interest HERE.