Parklife December 2020 – February 2021
Find out more about
YOUR COMMUNITY GREENSPACE PROJECT Launch of our
ELECTRIC BOAT
gifts galore AT OUR ONLINE
SHOP
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Ham Farm House, Ham Lane, Peterborough PE2 5UU E: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk T: 01733 234193 www.nenepark.org.uk If you would like to be added to our mailing list or require this magazine in another format, please get in touch.
Welcome
Exciting wildlife sighting
Welcome to winter Parklife 2020-21! Despite another national lockdown over the last month we are pleased that we have been able to keep the Park open for our visitors, with the car parks and public toilet blocks operating as normal. The cafes at Ferry Meadows have been running a welcome takeaway service and although our Nene Outdoors Watersports and Activity centre had to close to the public, school group visits have continued. Our Visitor Centre also had to close for the duration of lockdown but we were happy to launch our new online shop this year as a way for our visitors to purchase their Christmas gifts. Regardless of lockdown, the Nene Park team has been busy across the Park with tree maintenance, new developments, art projects and events, all of which and more you can read about in this Parklife edition. Our visitors have continued to enjoy the autumn colours and crisp wintry mornings in the Park and have told us how important it is that the Park can remain open, giving them that muchneeded space for access to nature, exercise and wellbeing when everything else around us is uncertain. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for a calmer and more stable 2021 and wish all our visitors the very best for the New Year. Cover photo credit: Amy Powell
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A Glossy Ibis was spotted for the first time on Heron Meadow and was an impressive sight (image 1). Listed by the British Trust for Ornithology as a “scarce visitor�, it caused quite a stir with lots of people coming to the Park to try and catch a glimpse. With the numbers of Glossy Ibis increasing across Europe, it is predicted to be a breeding species in the UK in the near future. Since the improvements on Heron Meadow, keeping it wetter and deepening the ditches to provide spawning places for frogs, these birds have exactly what they need here. We may see more of this bird in the future.
Hand sanitisers with a difference!
Have you seen our new hand sanitiser dispensers around the Park? (Image 2) These have been cleverly created by members of our Park Management Team to blend better into our Park setting. Please remember to continue to hand sanitise as often as you need to, to help keep all our Park visitors safe.
Autumn Festival scarecrows
Our Autumn Festival which ran throughout October half term introduced scarecrows to the Park for the first time, adding colour and creativity to the often rainy grey days. Ten families booked to decorate a scarecrow and visitors voted for their favourite in the Visitor Centre. The winning scarecrow (pictured left) was created by the Woodhead family who received a prize of family games donated by ASDA.
Other new activities during our Autumn Festival were our new virtual guided walk (image 3) using QR Codes in the Park, which our visitors could scan with their smart phones to find out more, and our Facebook Live Q&A session on Magical Mammals with Deputy Park Manager Chris (image 4). We hope to do more of these live online events in the future.
Photo credit: George Wood
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Awards for Nene Park Trust There’s lots to celebrate in the Park. This autumn Ferry Meadows Country Park was awarded another Green Flag as recognition of its status as a much loved and well maintained Park. Nene Park Trust also achieved gold level accreditation from Investors in People, in recognition of the Trust as an exemplary employer.
Goodbye to our mighty elms October saw a sad few days when our 180-year-old elm trees outside the Visitor Centre had to be felled due to Dutch elm disease. Many visitors gathered to say goodbye, see them fall and shed a few tears (image 5). New elm sapling trees will be planted over the winter and we hope that future generations will enjoy the shade from those trees too.
New parking app in final testing stages You will soon be able to pay for your parking via a new app which has been developed for us. We hope this will relieve the pressure on the parking payment machines on busy days. You will be able to pay for your parking with a few finger taps on your mobile phone. Keep an eye on our website and social media for the latest news on this.
Activity centre hoping for planning committee in early 2021 The Trust continues to work with Peterborough City Council to secure planning permission for this exciting project. We are awaiting a committee date imminently and are hopeful this will be early in 2021. (See main image below).
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Life as a Visitor Ranger during lockdown Visitor Ranger Matt recounts his experiences over the last six months. It’s been an unusual year. It started off like any other: daily checks around the different areas of Nene Park, litter picking, maintenance tasks and talking to the regular visitors to the Park. Next thing we knew it was March and lockdown began. We only thought it would last a couple months at first and everything would get back to normal. The ranger team was split into two halves and we started doing alternate days to minimise the risk of us all potentially getting the virus at once, but we still needed to keep the Park well-maintained and looking its best for our Park visitors. At first we noticed a massive drop in our regular users of the Park but with the government announcing we were allowed out once a day, suddenly everyone took that opportunity to make the most of it and come to Ferry Meadows. It was great to see everyone enjoying their daily exercise and appreciating the nature around them for the one time of day allowed. As the months went on I started to see a few regular faces returning, which brought a sense of normality back. The government then announced we could meet up with people in groups of 6. Hurrah! We were back and summer was coming. This was great news at first but the litter quickly arrived with the people. Now that groups of six were allowed but pubs and restaurants remained closed we had a lot of people coming to the Park in the evenings - a doubleedged sword. It was great to see people enjoying the Park but there was litter everywhere, which got worse and worse as restrictions relaxed. Us rangers started working later hours to provide more of a presence around the Park. This helped cut down on the litter but it was still difficult. It felt like the longest school summer holidays. Kids had been out of school now since March and it had been non-stop all the way through to September! (Image 6) The autumn came with the rain. We had finally got back to normality of some sort with the kids back in school and all of the rangers back doing their daily jobs. Then the second lockdown hit. It’s a rollercoaster! What next?
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Christmas Tree Festival Our Christmas Tree Festival is back for another year bringing some festive joy and colour to the post-lockdown Park! Local companies and community groups can purchase and decorate a tree on display in Ferry Meadows throughout December to help share the Christmas spirit, whilst also supporting Nene Park Trust.
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If you are interested in purchasing and decorating a tree, please email: fundraising@neneparktrust.org.uk
Christmas events
Christmas at Nene Park
Due to Tier 2 restrictions we are not able to run the range of Christmas craft workshops we were planning but are able to provide craft kits for visitors to pick up from the Visitor Centre and a number of Christmas trails around Ferry Meadows. For more information go to www.nenepark.org.uk/events
Photography competition exhibition To showcase more of the beautiful photography entries we have received throughout the year, we are displaying this exhibition in the Park along the path between the Visitor Centre and Badger Play from December to February. The exhibition features six of the best photos we received each month. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition and sent in their photos. We are considering running another competition next year so keep your eye on our website and social media for updates on this.
The Nene Park calendar 2021 Following the success of our photography competition, which ran throughout 2020, we are delighted to announce that our Nene Park 2021 calendar is now on sale; a perfect Christmas gift for all who know and love Nene Park. Featuring the stunning winning photo entries from our competition, the calendar is available to purchase both online or from the Visitor Centre & Gift Shop in Ferry Meadows. All proceeds from sales will go straight back into maintaining and nurturing Nene Park. We hope you love it as much as we do! To purchase the calendar online and have it delivered directly to your door, go to www.nenepark.org.uk/shop
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The place to find
gifts
for all the family!
October saw the launch of our brand new online shop! This move into e-commerce will allow Nene Park supporters to buy a wide range of products from the comfort and security of their own home, which during the Coronavirus pandemic is more important than ever.
The Visitor Centre and Gift Shop – in Ferry Meadows AND online! Visitors can browse and buy a wide range of Nene Park branded souvenirs, local walking and cycling maps, a selection of outdoor and wildlife products, a range of binoculars (perfect for bird watching in the Park!) and gift items for Christmas and all year round. As part of the Trust’s eco-ambitions, our online shop is designed to be as environmentally-friendly as possible with sustainable packaging used at all times. For those who prefer an in-store shopping experience now Lockdown 2 is over, the Visitor Centre and Gift Shop in Ferry Meadows will be open daily, between 10am and 4pm, with full Covid-safety measures in place. There is a wider range of gift items in the shop to suit all the family…
For the foodie: Christmas chutneys, jams, hampers, locally brewed beer, cider and mead. For the dog owner: a range of comedy dog-themed mugs, aprons, tea towels, dog bowls and beds, as well as our popular Pooch’s dog treat range. For the children: a selection of nature-themed books, toys and games as well as our ever-popular Park Explorer kits. For the nature-lover: bird feeders, hedgehog houses, bug houses, bird books and binoculars For the eco-aware: Natural, sustainable soaps and skincare products, bamboo toothbrushes and cups. For the home-lover: prints, pottery and beautiful ornaments
The online shop can be found at www.nenepark.org.uk/shop and features a selection of products hand-picked from the popular Visitor Centre and Gift Shop at Ferry Meadows, with all proceeds from purchases going straight back to maintaining and nurturing Nene Park.
In September we launched ‘Celebration Leaves’ our brand new fundraising initiative and beautiful addition to Ferry Meadows. Celebration Leaves are copper leaves engraved with a message of your choice and proudly displayed in the Wildlife Garden, celebrating anything from a significant birthday to an annual trip to the Park.
Celebrating with Celebration Leaves’ This was an important scheme for us to launch. We wanted to give our visitors the chance to commemorate so many special moments shared, whilst also being able to give a significant donation to the Trust and support the future of the Park. We have had some wonderful leaves already purchased, engraved and displayed and look forward to seeing more. Leaves cost £250 displayed for 5 years or £500 displayed for 10 years. These would make a very special gift for a loved one for Christmas or a message of hope for the New Year. For all enquiries, please email: fundraising@neneparktrust.org.uk 5
Mounds of gravel
o d a e M y r r Fe The creation of
Eco-electric boat launch Our Autumn Festival at the end of October saw the launch of our new electrically-powered passenger boat on Overton Lake. We ran 30-minute boat trips around the lake every day for household groups/support bubbles of up to six people. The boat has replaced the previously diesel-powered boat that used to provide trips around Overton Lake at Ferry Meadows. The batteries used to power the new boat will be charged using electricity provided through a green energy tariff, as part of the Trust’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and in response to the climate emergency. We are also excited that the boat has been named ‘Wyndham’, after Wyndham Thomas, the head of the Peterborough Development Corporation in the 1970s, who was largely responsible for the creation of Ferry Meadows and who sadly died last year. Naming this boat after him is a fitting and lasting tribute to the amazing work he did to lay the foundations for the Park we see today. Next year in the spring, when we hope Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed further, we aim to relaunch these passenger boat trips with a service at weekends and during school holidays. We will offer 30-45 minute boat trips for up to 12 passengers at a time around Overton Lake and out onto the River Nene. In addition, bespoke trips will also be developed for special occasions and corporate groups, providing a unique view of the Park and an inspiring experience on the water. To ensure this tranquil experience is available to all, the boat will have an accessible lift available from later next year, enabling up to two wheelchair users on board at any time. Future plans for the boat include the possibility of a taxi service to different parts of the Park. The Trust also hopes to install a solar array to help charge the boat, creating a truly sustainable long-term energy source.
Find out more about the boat and about Wyndham Thomas on our new interpretation panel installed in front of the Visitor Centre Jetty. 6
A bleaker sight it could hardly have been: grim, grey mudflats as far as the eye, through the heavy winter mist, could see. As a welcome to Peterborough, where my father had arrived to set up and run the Development Corporation (PDC), it left much to be desired. Perhaps the only uplifting thing that winter’s day in 1968, albeit literally, was the wind whipping across that marshy wasteland: ‘It would lift the hat off your head without notice!’ he recalled. With the sharp gusts his thoughts sharpened too though: could this be developed into a public recreational area for the soon-to-be burgeoning population? A modest man, Dad didn’t claim to have envisioned Nene Park at first sight of the area. ‘It wasn’t a Damascene moment – more a hesitant hunch that seemed worth putting on the planning table.’ The most urgent plans were of course for homes. As a designated New Town, Peterborough was primed to expand its population by 70,000 to 120,000. Each of its new houses, while modest in size, would have its own little garden – a draw for those coming up as part of the London overspill, many of whom were leaving cramped and inhospitable homes. But confined back gardens were not enough. ‘I wanted people to have a big natural recreational area that was easy to access and free to use.’ It took time, with all the pressures of housebuilding and employment creation in and around the city, for that vision to become reality. But by the mid-Seventies Nene Park was taking shape. Lakes were dug out and shrubs planted. The tons of gravel excavated wasn’t to be wasted either, being used for building materials in the new townships and city centre. Raised in a poor family with unforgiving make-do-and-mend imperatives, Dad found it ‘immensely satisfying to reuse the materials from digging out the lakes - to build homes in the new townships, roads to connect them and offices for the new population to work in’.
(Pictured left: Image of aerial view Ferry Meadows under construction in 1970s)
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Wyndham Thomas in the helicopter
Wyndham Thomas 1924-2019
Wyndham Thomas’s daughter Tessa writes about her father’s recollections and her own memories of how Ferry Meadows began to take shape in the early 1970s…
It was not just the poetic justice in such a large-scale recycling exercise though: ‘It also saved us tens of thousands of pounds.’ Nigel Fiddy was one of those home counties incomers. ‘I came up to Peterborough from Kent with the London overspill.’ Now he comes to the Park a couple of times a week, to walk or to canoe. ‘Not many cities have areas like this. It’s a fantastic achievement.’ From my viewpoint, working a couple of summers in what were then – early to mid-Seventies - mobile refreshments stands at the boating lake, we noted the public enthusiasm for the Park. Hiring of sailing boats, picnicking and fishing were all already drawing crowds in school holidays and at weekends. It was ‘greatly rewarding’, Dad said years later, to see it so well used. The horticultural work had begun in our early years living in Castor. Established in the early 70s, the nursery there may have been an outdoor plant factory but it was also an opportunity to train up workers while providing local employment in a rather neglected out-of-town area. Pamela Longfoot (then Lemmon) was the first to sign up, starting work on leaving school in the summer of ’72. Long before Health & Safety became an issue, workers were provided with nothing more than ‘wellies and a duffel coat’, she recalls. Thus equipped, they were set to work: ‘taking cuttings, potting, digging, planting – we were outdoors and occupied on the land all day.’ Mother Nature was kind to them though: the soil was fertile and moist (a factor that, it was discovered more recently, explained the fine preservation of iron-age remains near the city). With six acres of land designated by the PDC for ‘public recreational use’ in the new city and the tree nursery set to populate them all, some 100,000 trees alone were over time ordered (thereby hangs a tale). The work was unrelenting but the shared sense of doing something constructive and lasting for the city was motivating: ‘We were a committed gang,’ Pamela recalls. Together, the plans and people formed the community canvas that the new planting would colour green, softening and aerating the millions of bricks and miles of tarmac yet to stretch the city limits. Back in town, at the first Development Corporation HQ in Peterscourt, there was a similarly collegiate spirit: ‘Four hundred people all working to a common cause and all beginning to see the fruits of their labours. That’s what kept driving it forward,’ Dad fondly remembered. That driving went up a gear at the nursery in the summer holidays: with teenagers off school and the weather in the land’s favour, lots of temporary workers were recruited. I
was one such. We planted, we watered, and we raked. But most of all we tied … and untied. The resulting callouses would last for months, rough tough layers of hardened skin down the index and middle fingers. It would be good, I think, for all of us who relentlessly tended trees and potted shrubs back then, to think that the results are still valued by the locals, whether for beautifying the urban landscape, shading picnickers or sucking excess carbon dioxide out of their air. Some trees have more meaning still, like the big oak where the bereavement support charity Cruse gathers. ‘As a family we actively use the Park in lots of the popular ways – model boating, walking the dogs and so on,’ says its chair Paula Cash. ‘But it’s the faithful old static oak that provides the focus for our Cruse memorial days.’ Though in our planting and tying times the new town developments were but a set of drawings and promises on the horizon, many of the visitors, on my visit at least, are from those townships. ‘With two children and a dog I use some part of the Park three or four times a week,’ says Michelle Owen. ‘It makes a huge difference and was the main reason we bought a house in Orton Wistow.’ And the tale that hangs? Even more trees than needed to cover the selected areas were ordered, with the employee in question getting a kickback for the excess. Judged a crime at the time, it may be viewed more indulgently now that our overbuilt environment gasps for air and the health virtues of trees, for people and planet, are extolled. That didn’t stop Dad, maybe forgetting the cause of the excess, often commenting ruefully, as we drove along a parkway, ‘We planted too many trees. (Well Dad, we were only obeying orders.) Invited rather more recently to survey Nene Park from above, Dad enthusiastically accepted the offer of a summertime helicopter ride in 2018. Though at the time 94 and suffering from Parkinson’s, he held steady mounting the vertiginous steps, to return from the aerial tour an hour later beaming: ‘Seeing the Park from above I was able for the first time to take in the shape and structure of it all and especially of the lakes. Compared to what it was when I arrived, I’m hugely impressed by what everyone’s achieved.’ Regrets? He had a few, but the one most often expressed was without doubt ‘too many trees’. Wherever your generous spirit has come to rest Dad, may it carry within it the splendour of that landscape and skyscape. And, now that we all know the true value of trees, forgive yourself the surplus: you were just ahead of your time. 7
We have been speaking with community leaders across the city to discuss what their community would like to see happening in Nene Park, the barriers people face in accessing the Park and ways we can overcome those barriers to ensure our Park offer is inclusive and appeals to all communities of Peterborough. From this we developed a long list of activities that we took to face to face consultations in the Park. Activities have been broken down into categories:
YOUR COMMUNITY
Greenspace Project We’ve had to change and adapt our project during the Covid-19 pandemic, but there have been some exciting developments!
Your Community Park Your Improved Park Your Social Park Your Cultural Park Your Sporting Park Your Accessible Park Your Memory Park
Visitors were asked to rate their top five activities to help us narrow the activities down further. If you would like to know more about the activities and/or take part in our online consultation, contact Hannah.keeley@neneparktrust.org.uk who will send you further details. There are also a number of capital elements in the Community Greenspace project and these include:
Pontoon Bridge replacement Welcome Area improvements (Centre Point and toilets) Lynch Lake Kiosk as a Community Hub Volunteer Workspace improvements Nene Park Plant nursery Ham Mere improvements Sustainable travel offer
We will submit our application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in early March 2021 and we should find out if we are successful by June for a project start date in September 2021! Keep your eye on our website and social media for updates on this exciting project for Nene Park and our Peterborough communities.
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Caroline Wendling Over the last four months artists Yvonne Over the last four months Harris-Hercules, Madhu artists Yvonne Harris-Hercules, Manipatruni and Caroline Madhu Manipatruni and Wendling havehave been Caroline Wendling been working in the ParkPark developing working in the new artworks inspired by the developing new artworks wildlife, landscape and visitors. inspired by the wildlife, landscape and visitors.
Visual Artist Caroline Wendling has been collecting stories about the Park from visitors, volunteers and staff. Via conversations and a series of postcards Caroline has encountered stories of love, laughter, freedom, wildlife encounters and favourite views, and uncovered people’s strong connections to the Park.
Art
It is these relationships to the Park and the role of nature that inspired Caroline’s event –Not in My Gift. The title is inspired by the history of the Park, being created for the people
in the Park in the Park ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE 2020
ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE 2020
Madhu Manipatruni Madhu Manipatruni is a Visual Artist based in Peterborough. Through the residency Madhu has been researching the archaeology and history of the Park. Through her paintings and a series of new ceramic works, Madhu has explored the belief in River Goddesses, which many cultures share across the world. Taking inspiration from her sketches of the Park, Celtic Goddesses and Indian Goddesses, Madhu has produced a series of beautiful paintings depicting five Goddesses to the Park representing Earth, Wind, Fire, Water and Sky.
of Peterborough, and that nature is for everyone – it belongs to everyone and cannot be gifted. Photo credit: Filipa Pereira Stubbs (Caroline Wendling)
Caroline invited participants to spend 10 minutes creating their own space in nature and enjoying the enchantment of the Park. Caroline is currently developing the images and stories she has captured into a series of screenprints. For more information on the project visit www.nenepark.org.uk/artists-in-residence-2020
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Yvonne Harris-Hercules
Singer Songwriter, Yvonne Harris-Hercules has written two new songs and created a new film during her residency. Here she describes the themes and ideas behind her new work. “The first song I wrote is called Nene. Just before the residency we were all in lockdown and this experience made me more aware of our connection to nature. The locations in the Park that I was drawn to were near water and discovering the beauty of
Rivers of the World
Banners at Thorpe Meadows and Orton Mere
An exhibition of river inspired artwork Six magnificent river-themed artworks have been created by young people across Peterborough working remotely with artists Jeni Cairns and Stuart Payn. Because of international lockdowns, the work has been generated at home (rather than in school), using digital resources and short films made by artists exploring river themes and teaching new creative skills. The finished artworks show young people’s strength of spirit and imagination in the face of Covid-19.
these areas inspired me to write a new song. One of my family friends is Turkish and she mentioned that the Turkish word for grandmother is nene, and I incorporated the idea of the river being like a grandmother, a nurturing figure, into the lyrics. The song also conveys how we are damaging the environment and the importance of realising that we are all connected to nature and the need to care for it. The two new songs will be included in a new film artwork. The film depicts Mother Nature and humanity and the relationship between them. The film also includes a new poem called Nature Is… “
The project links secondary schools in Peterborough, and other towns and cities across the UK, with partner schools in developing countries overseas. Over two thousand 12 to 14 year olds from across the UK got involved. The programme helps young people understand the importance of their local waterfront and the environmental challenges it faces. The creative process they go through is aimed at inspiring them to imagine the potential for art in their lives. Their ideas come together through collective effort and the final designs are exhibited around the world, connecting everyone, this year more aptly then ever! Locally, the series of artworks can be seen at Orton Mere and Thorpe Meadows. Peterborough participating schools include: City of Peterborough Academy, Ken Stimpson Community School, Queen Katharine Academy, St John Fisher Catholic High School and Thomas Deacon Academy. Young people were also able to get involved through a public competition inspired by a poem by Peterborough’s Young Poet Laureate Faith Falayi. #riversoftheworld #nenescape
http://girlsinfilm.net/videos/ nature-is Yvonne will be presenting the poem within the Park by creating a sound installation for visitors to encounter. Her two new songs will be released next year.
For more information visit www.nenepark.org.uk/rivers-ofthe-world-art-project 1111
Nene Park Trust
to run Lost World and Peterborough Sculpture Collection From 30 November 2020, Nene Park Trust will take on the remaining activities of local charity Vivacity, following the termination of Vivacity’s contract with Peterborough City Council.
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This arrangement will ensure the continuation of the popular Lost World soft play and activity centre at Serpentine Green and the maintenance of the Peterborough Sculpture Collection, much of which is already on permanent outdoor display at Thorpe Meadows. In September, the Trust also took over hosting Peterborough Presents, the community arts programme funded by Arts Council England. Matthew Bradbury, chief executive of Nene Park Trust said, “By bringing together the remaining activities of Vivacity with the growing offer provided by Nene Park Trust, we take another step closer to delivering our Master Plan ambitions of providing an improved environmental, cultural and leisure offer for the city. By operating assets away from the Park itself we can ensure more people benefit from our work. Our aim now is to build on the work of Vivacity and develop these destinations to improve the culture and recreation offer for the benefit of the community.”
New share farmers Our new share farmers have started work on the Rural Estate and have introduced Lleyn Sheep to Normangate fields. Nene Park Trust is delighted to see the livestock from our share farmers, brothers Craig and Ryan, out on our Rural Estate at Normangate. The Lleyn sheep are part of the herd, which will also include rare breeds, such as the charismatic Hebridean. Craig and Ryan have entered into partnership with the Trust to help farm the Trust’s Rural Estate in more environmentallyfriendly ways, supporting nature, as well as forming closer links with the community and the general public. The livestock are looked after with high levels of animal welfare and are pasture fed, rather than relying on lots of environmentally-harmful artificial feeds. They are also much more suited to grazing areas of habitat managed for nature conservation, promoting biodiversity. Over time we will look to run events for the public and wider educational activities to help people better understand the role farming plays in managing land for nature. We also hope that some of the sustainably reared meat will also feature on the menus of our cafes and be available through our shop. May we remind our visitors when visiting the Rural Estate to keep their dogs on leads where they see signs for livestock, to help keep these beautiful animals safe. 13 13
Opportunities at Nene Outdoors Despite the quieter season and the second national lockdown, the team at Nene Outdoors is still busy with school groups taking part in a range of activities. The Department for Education is encouraging schools to make full use of the outside spaces available to them in their local area to support delivery of the curriculum. So whether school groups wish to take part in adventurous activities or environmental education sessions, there is a huge range of opportunities for outdoor learning at Nene Park.
Hiring your own space Did you know you can hire our campsite area for your school or youth group as an enclosed private space to use? To discuss your requirements, email the team at nene.outdoors@neneparktrust.org.uk
RYA accredited courses We are hoping to have our RYA courses in sailing, windsurfing and powerboating up and running again as soon as we are able to and these can run throughout the winter months. We can hold private courses for 2-3 people from the same household unless guidelines change further. Please get in touch now to provisionally book your course. While the Activity and Watersports Centre is closed for public drop-in Pay & Play activities until early March, we can accommodate bookings made in advance for watersports and private launch. To find out more about the range of activities on offer at Nene Outdoors and to discuss how we can help you, please email nene.outdoors@neneparktrust.org.uk
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Run your own self-led education sessions For teachers who prefer to lead their own visit to Nene Park without booking on to one of our sessions or courses, we have developed a Teachers Information Pack, available on our website. The information provided in this pack is intended to help you plan your visit to ensure the very best experience for yourself and your pupils. We also have ‘Teacher in a Trolley’ resource packs available for self-led visits. Three different packs are available for hire, covering the topics of Natural Art, Plants and Animals, and containing everything you need to hold an informative, interactive and fun learning experience in the Park with your pupils. For all the details, visit our website www.nenepark.org.uk/schools
Badger play area
Funding boost for Fox Play We are very pleased to report that the FCC Communities Foundation has approved a grant of up to £100,000 towards the redevelopment of Fox Play, which we hope to embark on in early 2021. Located close to Gunwade Lake, Fox Play will be an engaging playful environment for children of all ages and constructed from natural materials to help reconnect people with nature. Fox Play has been designed by Davies White, the designers of the other two play areas at Ferry Meadows, Badger and Otter play.
E UPDAT
Fundrainsing
helps us twice! Over the past 4 years the Mick George Community Fund have been fantastic benefactors to the park, and this continues with not one but two grants approved by them in recent weeks. Firstly, they are assisting our recreation provision at Woodlands with contributions towards the purchase of a state-of-the-art electric cylinder mower for pitch maintenance, as well as a set of movable competition-size goal posts. The fund is also providing support for our conservation work through funding materials for a new tern raft as well as new bird and bat boxes and wildflower seeds for the Park. Thank you Mick George Community Fund!
Wildflower area
Woodlands sports pitches in use Existing tern raft
And further thanks goes to… Asda - A big thank you to ASDA for donating a range of prizes towards our Scarecrow Competition as part of the Autumn Festival this year. Viridor - We were pleased to receive £15,000 from the Viridor in Peterborough Fund. This will fund a new Trimax mower for park maintenance. A big thank you to Viridor for their continued support. British Sugar - Thank you to British Sugar for their kind donation to our Volunteering and Education departments. This money will be used to purchase necessary volunteering equipment and a new gate for the forest school.
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GROUPS RETURN
Volunteering
Firewood Vounteers
The return of the Firewood Volunteers! We welcomed back our team of firewood volunteers in October. The team has been waiting patiently to return. We are back cutting, splitting and storing firewood ready for winter 2021. We have also recommenced firewood deliveries in and around the Peterborough area. All firewood has been seasoned for one year and ready to burn.
The return of the corporate groups! We welcomed back our first corporate group in October! We received some excellent support from a British Sugar team who worked across three sessions helping to coppice hazel in Lynch Plantation. The British Sugar team thoroughly enjoyed their team day carrying out the task with great enthusiasm. The cut hazel will be used to make Hurdles and provide stakes and binders for future hedge laying.
hurdles; carrying out valuable maintenance on the Willow Tunnel weaving new growth into the willow frame and clearing weeds from around the base.
Woodlands Volunteers Our Woodlands site Volunteers continue to keep the grass looking beautiful and fit for sport at Woodlands.
Parklife Audio Volunteers Our Audio Volunteers will be recording this Parklife from their own homes so you will be able to have an audio version too! Thank you all – you super bunch!
Conservation Volunteers
If you are interested in volunteering with us, please email volunteer@neneparktrust.org.uk. Not all our roles have returned yet, but we do have availability in the Volunteer Ranger role.
Our Conservation Volunteers continue to carry out important maintenance tasks and some of their work has involved: weeding the Wildlife Garden, Lakeside and Centre Point beds; clearing the wood yard to make way for the new Nene Park Nursery; coppicing hazel in Lynch Plantation with the material to be used for hedge laying and hazel
There will also be some exciting new volunteer roles created through the Your Community Greenspace project – bike mechanics, walkie-talkie rangers, cycle leads, ‘Welcome’ tour leaders. If you have an interest in any of these, we would love to hear from you. We find out if we are successful with the funding for this project by the middle of next year!
Forthcoming events As there is continued uncertainty about Covid-19 restrictions affecting our events programme we are only listing our forthcoming events on our website rather than in Parklife. British Sugar volunteers
To see what is coming up and how to book your place, please visit www.nenepark.org.uk/events