NEWSLETTER
AUTUMN 2013 ISSUE NUMBER 3
A productive year IT’S well over a year since the ’Friends of Calverley Grounds’ was formed. A lot seems to have happened in that time. Not surprisingly perhaps most of the activity has centred on gardening where enthusiastic Friends and other volunteers have already replanted two beds and participated in the RHS ‘Edible Britain’ initiative. Well done to everyone involved. We have also established good communications with the Council Officers particularly the Parks Team of Peter Every and Sharon Carter. They have regularly worked alongside us in their spare time a great encouragement for us. We are also in regular contact with local Councillors and this helps to keep our park and its challenges and opportunities on the agenda a real need in these times of financial constraints. We have also contributed to the establishment of a formal Management Plan for Calverley Grounds. This document forms the basis of the maintenance and development programmes for the next 3 years. You will hear more about this in future as we try to build a vision for the park for the next 10 years. It sounds like a long time but just think how long it takes for trees to grow and mature! We now get advance notice of events proposed for the Grounds and have the opportunity to comment on them. The next event that we’ll welcome to Calverley Grounds is the 3rd annual appearance of the Ice Rink. This increasingly popular attraction will be with us from 22nd November until the first week in January. I look forward to seeing you on the ice ideally we’ll all be standing up! Jim Kedge, Chairman FoCG
Alex Atkinson answered the call from FoCG on Twitter to design our new logo (above) which has captured the essence of Calverley Grounds. Thank you Alex.
BLOOMING FANTASTIC its first attempt in the RHS In Bloom competition, FoCG is now the proud holder of "an establishing group" certificate. FoCG’s Sue Daniels, Barbara Kedge and Lisa Grant took up the challenge and harnessed the digging power of Friends and locals to help spruce up the Grounds. The activities ranged from renovating the Dowding Memorial bed (below) to distributing seeds and growing vegetables and herb as part of the RHS's Edible Britain campaign. These seedlings were put in planters near the café along with those of Claremont School's own gardening club (see p2). AT
the rockery bed near our noticeboard. New shrubs have been planted to brighten up the area with autumn and spring colour, and homemade cakes and home-grown plants were sold for FoCG funds. On 26 October, as part of the RHS's Wildlife Week, FoCG voluneers will be planting insect friendly bulbs to make a woodland garden in the copse by the Mountfield Gardens entrance. Do come along and help us with the planting the bulbs.
Next year we want to improve our In Bloom performance. That relies on each of you and other local volunteers to build up community involvement It doesn’t stop there. This month which is a large part of the overall volunteers are turning their attention to judging for the competition.
'Seeds to sunflowers'
Grounds are a schoolroom for Claremont kids
part of our Tunbridge Wells in Bloom effort we provided local children with sunflower seeds to plant in April as part of our tallest sunflower competition. The spring weather was very difficult for the young plants but there were still some triumphant green fingered growers in our two age categories.
THIS year we
AS
In the under 7s Fran Burles, aged 2, won with Delilah and Quentin Webb runners up. In the 7s and over Sophie Mansell triumphed with Finn and Louis Taylor runners up. Fran was the overall winner with a 1 m tall sunflower. Needless to say all their sunflowerss surged on upwards after the judging date in July! Well done to all. Following FoCG?
of Calverley Grounds has been on Twitter and Facebook since summer 201 2 and now reaches more than 1 ,300 people. If you don't already like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter it's not too late! Follow us to keep up to date on news, and share your photos and thoughts. Addresses are in FoCG Information below. FRIENDS
have enjoyed a fantastic partnership with Claremont Primary School. In April we provided the school with edible seeds to nurture as part of the Britain in Bloom campaign. Despite the terrible growing season they produced some fantastic beans, peas, tomatoes and cabbages and the Gardening Club joined us on a baking hot day in June to plant up their own container next to the cafe. The results were stunning and the day ended with well deserved ice creams all round. In September the Kent High Weald Partnership (KHWP) offered the school a nature morning in the Grounds, again to foster a respect and appreciation for the natural environment. Year 4 came to the park and collected natural materials to grind up to make their own paints which they they used to create a mural to take back to school. The weather was fantastic and the children wandered to every corner of the Grounds, seeing elements previously undiscovered, One said it was their best school day ever! A big thank you to Saul at KHWP who worked with us to create such a fantastic experience and made it truly memorable for the children. Planting the tall planter with edible plants are (lr) Lisa Grant, Barbara Kedge and Lauren Grant.
Prizes for super snappers GREY skies,
leafless trees, damp underfoot – yes, winter is coming but so is our annual photographic competition. There is no better time to find unusual, beautiful and amazing scenes in Calverley Grounds in the winter months. The competition has one category for adults and another for under 1 6s, and runs from now until the end of February 201 4. Just load
your photos onto the FoCG Facebook competition page www.facebook.com/FriendsOf CalverleyGrounds before the end of February 201 4. If our judges think your photo is a winner they will contact you via Facebook.There will be prizes for the winner of each category. For competition rules go the Facebook page or contact us by
email at FriendsOfCalverleyGrounds@ yahoo.co.uk
FOCG INFORMATION
FoCG AGM
Come to the Friends Annual General Meeting, hear about Friends activities, elect your committee and put forward your views for the future. Monday 18th NOVEMBER 7.30 pm The Camden Centre, Market Square, Royal Victoria Place
AGM TALK
Chairman: Jim Kedge (521787) jimkedge@blueyonder.co.uk Vice Chairman – Nick Pope nicholas.pope@yahoo.com Secretary – Jane Fenwick fenwickjane@yahoo.com
Museum curator and local naturalist, Dr Ian Beavis will be speaking about the wildlife and natural history of Calverley Grounds.
Treasurer – Lisa Grant chavassier28@yahoo.co.uk www.facebook.com/ FriendsOfCalverleyGrounds Twitter: @FoCGTunWells