The Friends of Bishops ParkWe are going to try and hold this years AGM on line via zoom. Many of you will have had experience with this app during lockdown, some of you won’t have. Hopefully it will prove to be easy although possibly not very interactive.
Please click on the link below to register and you will be sent log in and password details.
Please register in advance for this meeting.
If you have any questions please send them through to the secretary.friendsofbishopspark@gmail.com before 22nd September.
To read the 2019 AGM mins please click on this link
There are a few changes to the current committee
Roger Weston is standing down as Secretary, we thank him for his sterling work in this position. It was supposed to be temporary! Thank you Roger.
Isabel Hill Smith is standing down as treasurer. A position she has executed with great precision and helpfulness. We thank her for her diligence.
Jane Swithinbank is also standing down, we thank her for all her help and hope that she will continue with the wonderful Nature Notes for the newsletter.
The following members of the committee are willing to stand for another year.
Co Chair
Melanie Healy
Rowena Vaughan
Proposed by Roger Weston and seconded by Victor Ho
Membership Secretary
Isabelle Du Bois – proposed by Melanie Healy and seconded by Rowena Vaughan
General Committee Members without portfolio
Roger Weston – proposed by Melanie Healy and seconded by Rowena Vaughan
Victor Ho – proposed by Melanie Healy and seconded by Rowena Vaughan
Standing as for Secretary
Sarah Jane Johnson – proposed by Melanie Healy and seconded by Rowena Vaughan
Standing as Treasurer
Tommaso Ponsele – proposed by Sarah Jane Johnson and seconded by Melanie Healy
If members would like to stand for committee please send your application with proposer and seconder to: chair.bishparkfriends@gmail.com
The first Gardening Group out of lockdown
Date: Wednesday 8th July
Meet: between the bowling club and the cafe
Time: between 9.15 – 9.30.
For any newcomers please do stay as long or as short a time as you can give. Equipment will be provided, but if you have gloves please bring them.
Ian, head gardener would be happy for a fortnightly Gardening Group through the summer. We will confirm the dates shortly.
If you would like more information or to join the Gardening Club please email chair.bishparkfriends@gmail.com
The market on Sundays will recommence this Sunday 21 June, Social Distancing rules apply.
June 2020
The Council have put out an open call to users of the park to find out how residents and visitors use the parks, what they want from their parks going into the future. To aid them in their plans they have put out an open call for evidence to inform the Independent Parks Commission’s findings and recommendations to the Council.
The Hammersmith & Fulham Parks Commission is a resident-led commission which is trying to develop a new vision for the parks, open spaces and cemeteries in the borough.
The Leader of the Council has asked the H&F Parks Commission to draw up a new strategy to help residents and visitors benefit more from our local parks.
We would like you to tell us how you think we can improve our open spaces.
Please submit your thoughts, views and proposals to us by Monday 7th June at the following email address: peter.smith@lbhf.gov.uk (or by return to this email).
To view our terms of reference please see the Parks Commission webpage here or at https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/resident-led-commissions
RE OPENED 20 MAY 2020
The grassy area by the sandpit has been reopened by the council – although the sandpit and paddling pool are still shut and roped off.
May 2020
Statement from Cllr Stephen Cowan on Hammersmith & Fulham parks
It really is understandable how the surreal nature a pandemic means many people are still coming to terms with the huge changes we all need to make to our lives. Last weekend, despite the parks police best attempts to warn people, the COVID-19 contagion was inadvertently passed onto thousands of others by people socialising in Hammersmith & Fulham’s parks during that beautiful weather. For that reason, our parks were closed on Sunday night for public health reasons.
Yesterday, the government’s new emergency laws came into force which introduce a series of restrictions on people’s movement and gatherings and give the police new powers to enforce the new laws. People are now obliged to stay in their homes and only leave for exceptional reasons which you can read about here. One of the exceptions is: “to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household”. Because of these new laws, our parks can now re-open and will do so at 2pm today.
We are two weeks away from a surge in cases and roughly a month away from the expected super-surge. As you might imagine, the NHS implore us to do everything we can to encourage people to stay in their homes and not add to their already intolerable burden.
The disease is easily spread in a number of ways when people come into contact with others from outside their immediate household. It transmits by touching, from coughs or sneezes, and even from the tiny mist everyone generates when they speak. A big problem is many fit and healthy people show few symptoms but if just one fit, but COVID-19 infected, person returns home and passes it onto one or more vulnerable relatives there’s a possibility they could accidentally kill them.
We can protect ourselves and those we love by following the government’s new laws. Staying a car length away from people outside our immediate household will help keep coronavirus at bay.
I appreciate how tough this period is. Worry about our friends and family and anxiety about how we will all cope stuck at home. Our team at Hammersmith & Fulham is working all waking hours and seven days a week to get us ready. I am extremely grateful to our partners in the NHS, police and emergency services, charities, residents’ groups, our two MPs, and all the volunteers across our borough.
We’re determined to do everything we can to keep people safe and that all of us get through this together. Please take care and very best wishes to all.
Keep your distance. Stay well.
28 March 2020
There are a number of local initiatives being set up on Nextdoor.co.uk, through the local churches and other groups . Fr Ross Guntherson has been in touch regarding one such community group which is shown below.
If anyone knows of any other initiative and would like it highlighted on here please email: chair.bishpark@gmail.com
St Etheldreda – Community Care Fulham
St Etheldreda’s (Fr Ross Gunderson & wife, Meredith on Doneraile Street) have helped launch a project to meet the needs of members of our community affected by Covid-19, most importantly to get essentials to individuals and families in isolation.
We have a team of organisers who are looking after gathering names of willing volunteers as well as those who need support and a robust response plan has been implemented. Primarily volunteers will be doorstep dropping essentials with little to no interaction with the isolated to ensure safety. Some volunteers may be paired up with individuals who would appreciate friendly check-in phone calls. Volunteers will be briefed and those in need or support simply call the church on 0207 736 3809 or email communitycare@stethsfulham.org and we will respond within 24 hours.
There is a Crowdfunder page to raise funds for essentials to families or individuals who can’t afford it or can’t manage a PayPal transition (this is a cashless programme for safety reasons). Any excess from Crowdfunder will be donated to a charity. The entire project is run by volunteers and donations.
To get involved:
If you would like to add your name to the list of volunteers email Fr Ross on vicar@stethsfulham.org.
And/or
If you would like to donate to the project, we would be so grateful, visit the site: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/fulham-community-care
If you need support:
If at any time you require some support either call St. Eth’s on 0207 736 3809 or email communitycare@stethsfulham.org
Fulham Football Club works are proceeding with the new stand on the river front. There has been an application to add a landing stage to the walk way for use when the tide is high. FoBP have been to the meeting and will report back.
The Rose Garden by the Spanish Memorial – the works to the beds has been carried out. All beds now have metal edging and the grass paths between have been reseeded. Fingers crossed the pigeons don’t eat all the seed.
Due to storm Ciara, work to cut back and repair some of the damaged limbs on the trees has been carried out.
6.30pm meeting starts at 7.00pm
All are invited to join us for our AGM, there will be drinks , a chance to see what the Palace Gardener has to offer and a talk by Alex Laird on her book from Root to Stem.
We are pleased to announce that we have raised the funds (and more) we needed for the rejuvenation of the Rose Garden. Funds are now being collected through Spacehive and will soon be in our account. The Friends will then liaise with the council officers and gardeners as to how the work will be accomplished. Thank you all for your support – watch this space for the next initiative!
Link to Spacehive Crowdfunding – Bishops Park Rose Garden Rejuvenation
