Friends of Pinner Village Gardens
Autumn 2020 Newsletter
by Antonia Savvides
Welcome to the second edition of our new look Friends of Pinner Village Gardens newsletter, which we aim to send quarterly, to keep all our members updated on the activities and events that are taking place and are scheduled in the park.
We have many projects underway and planned, and still need more ‘hands on’ volunteers to come and join us, so if you have any spare time, please do contact us.
Pinner Village Gardens and World War II
by Brian Chapman
As we approach Remembrance Sunday, in this the 75th anniversary year of the end of World War II, it is worthwhile thinking back to the part that the park played for the local community during this era.
At the time of the outbreak of the war, the park was less than ten years ago and a great deal of what we see as normal features were yet to appear. In order to support the local area, the decision was made to build a community air raid shelter inside the park, something which stood for a few decades until it was demolished at some point prior to the 1980s. It was built with good reason; the nearest bomb fell on Lyncroft Avenue.
Post-war the park became a venue for a series of concerts and talks to raise the morale of the local populace, which continued until the mid-1950s. These types of concerts are something we have considered bringing back to the park, although plans for this have been firmly put on hold for the time being due to COVID-19.
New Benches at Compton Rise
As you walk around the park, you may have noticed some changes recently. Compton Rise has seen the delivery and installation of two new memorial benches, giving a wonderful view over the Ridge and Furrow field and across the park.
We have further new sites where we’d like to put benches, and older benches that could do with a replacement. If you are interested in sponsoring a bench, we are currently offering opportunities to part-sponsor with the Friends group, so total cost would be £460, including the plaque. Sponsorship of new and memorial trees are also available, prices range from £130 to £300. Please contact us via the email link at the bottom of the newsletter.
Crocus and Bluebell Planting
We would like to offer a huge thank you to the Pinner Rotary Club who have gifted Pinner Village Gardens with 4000 large purple crocus bulbs. The Rotary Club bought the bulbs to support Polio research. They have now been planted by our volunteer work parties in three different locations. Come Springtime, look out for the carpet of purple flowers appearing on the Compton Rise/Whittington Way banks and near the path running down from Compton Rise.
The main feature at Compton Copse is our native bluebell project, headed up by committee member, Jackie Lindop. Jackie has been doing a wonderful job in keeping this multi-year project going, in order to create our very own bluebell wood. Phase 2 has been prepared, so we are kindly asking park users not to walk through the roped off area under the trees, as this may damage the planting.
The ground of Phase 2 has been well prepared by volunteers, and will be worked on in future working parties. So now, it should be a pleasant activity making a hole with a dibber and dropping a mature bluebell bulb into the hole which is then closed over. If you would like to take part, please let us know asap, as we hope to start planting shortly, with further planting sessions in November. Please feel welcome to join in, even if you just want to plant 3 or 4 bulbs. Those who register an interest in planting will be kept informed of future planting sessions.
Sponsored Tree Update
by Simon Braidman
From November, Fopvg plan to plant 25 new and replacement trees in the park. Almost all are now sponsored by members of the public and a huge thanks to those individuals, families and organisations who paid for them. Some families have requested memorial plaques and these have been ordered.
The positions have been fixed and Fopvg will ensure we have the right soil and each tree will have a pipe to deliver water to the roots. We have requested help from Harrow Council to dig the holes, but may have to do this via volunteers. If anyone would like to help, please get in touch, using the email address at the bottom. Planting will begin from 7th December.
A tree trail of existing trees/tree related features is also being devised. On 22nd October, a film crew came to PVg to film its trees, as part of the Woodland Trust Tree Charter celebration – an initiative to make a modern link between trees, woodlands and people – on the 800th anniversary of the Charter for the Forest. It will be fantastic to see Pinner Village Gardens star in the film and we will send out a link if you would like to see this.
A new information sign has been installed in the Pocket Park area near the pond. This is the first of this type of sign in the park, describing the local plants and animals you may be able to see nearby. This marks the final step in the completion of the Pocket Park project, and the reinvigoration of this area of PVG. We have been pleased to see the benches and general area well used and appreciated by visitors throughout the year.
Walking/Running Route
As part of the preparation for a new Junior Parkrun, a 1 kilometre route has been planned around the park. Signage displaying this walking/running route is displayed in the 2 noticeboards, and will enable visitors to be able to run a set distance around the park.
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Friends of Pinner Village Gardens