Latest news
Date for butterfly walk
Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Huw Morgan will be giving a guided butterfly walk on Wednesday, 5th June.
The walk will start at 11 am and end at noon. Those signed up to the walk are asked to meet in front of the Queen’s Park Tennis Club house.
Those joining the guided walk are asked to make a donation to Sussex Wildlife Trust.
The places on the walk are being all allocated strictly on a first-come-first served basis. Register HERE.
History walk – extra date announced
As a result of over demand for places, local historian Peter Crowhurst (pictured) has agreed to give a second history walk on Sunday, 30th June starting at 11 am starting at the Park Street park entrance and concluding at 12.15 at the cafe.
The walk covers the development of Queen’s Park and those adjacent streets, which were once part of the park’s estate, from the time it was open farmland in Hilly Laine to when the park was landscaped for use as a public park becoming, perhaps, the most ornamental park in Brighton at the time.
The talk will look at the various owners, including a Hong Kong cattle rancher and a mad Cardinal, and their contribution to this development and the buildings they constructed. The German Spa, an archery ground, a roller skating rink, Attree’s villa and the Pepperpot were all part of the story that will be told.
Numbers will be restricted and allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Anyone interest in learning about the history of Queen’s Park should 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.
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.
Joint funding for Queen’s Park defibrillator
The Friends of Queen’s Park have joined forces with the Queen’s Park Tennis Club to purchase a debribrillator.
The life-saving equipment is to be fixed to the exterior wall of the tennis clubhouse and first aid and training sessions in its use will be announced once the installation has been completed.