Park News
November 2023

 Book your tickets now for our Quiz Night
Saturday, 25 November, 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Church Hall, Rushams Road, RH12 2NT

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Who won the Sport’s Personality of the Year in 2019?
                     2. What is the smallest planet in our solar system?
                     3. What is the collective name for a group of crows?
                     4. What is rapper P Diddy’s real name?
                     5. From what grain is the Japanese spirit Sake made?

 Answers at the end of this newsletter

The Quiz Night is the most important fundraiser of the year for the Friends, and enables us to make more improvements in the Park.

Now you can book your tickets through Philippa, our Treasurer, at [email protected]. Tickets are £6.00 per person.  You can either pay for them on the door or Philippa will send you our bank details so you can pay in advance.

If you’d like to come along but have no one to join you or don’t have 6 people, don’t worry as we can put you together to make up tables of 6.

It’s always a great evening, very sociable and lots of fun. There will be wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks for sale, fabulous raffle prizes, and of course our amazing quiz.
Door and bar opens at 7.00pm and quiz starts at 7.30pm.

It’s at our usual venue – Holy Trinity Church Hall, 12 Rushams Road Horsham RH12 2NT.

A night not to be missed!

____________________________

 What the Friends did in 2023

At the Friends’ AGM in October, Chair Sally Sanderson gave a comprehensive review of what the Friends have done since our AGM last year. If you weren’t able to attend (or even if you did), here’s a summary. We achieved quite a lot actually!

Sally reported:

• It has been another great year for the park with the completed skatepark and the pond project showing ongoing investment and improvements.
• Horsham Park won another Green Flag and Silver Gilt for the second year running in the Large Park category of South & South East in Bloom. Winning ‘Outstanding’ – the top category in the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ competition is great recognition for the hard work and achievements of the Friends and so this meeting records a big thank you to all who have volunteered this year.

The Committee

• They have contributed over 1000 hours. They have run events such as the two successful litter picks and a stand at Funday in the Park with a focus on supporting bees and butterflies and our climate change bed.
• Some of their other work is less visible but just as critical in enhancing, promoting and protecting the park. They have liaised with other organisations:  HDC, Denne Neighbourhood Council, Horsham Green Spaces, Fields in Trust, Strawford Centre, Shelley Memorial Project and corporate sponsors.
• On promoting the park, David Lee has enhanced our website significantly and helped with our social media. He has had to step down recently and we will miss his valuable input.
• We have been joined by Alejandra Teodosia who has taken on responsibility for Instagram and is doing a great job, especially as she is part of the Wednesday gardening team and so can post what they do each week.
• Steve Sandham’s newsletter is now going to over 400 Friends and Stefen Hepburn’s posters continue to inform and delight. Sadly we have also had to say goodbye to Stefen who has started a career with Surrey Wildlife Trust.
• We have also been joined by Jodie Fitz-Hugh, Jennifer Ryan and Philippa Charman who is our new Treasurer, taking over from Barbara Hammond who did a great job setting up our CIC, accounting procedures and other policies.
• Therefore, although we are sad to say goodbye to friends who have contributed so much to our achievements, we are really pleased to welcome new talent to the team. 

Bulbs for Lives

• This was our biggest project of the year, working closely with the Horsham and Crawley Samaritans and with the Parks and Countryside team. It has created a wonderful legacy with the carpet of spring bulbs and the popular reflection benches.  In recognition of this, we have awarded the Samaritans with a Certificate of Excellence for their own outstanding contribution to winning our awards.

The Wednesday morning gardening group

• The group has continued to grow and each week there are between 15-20 volunteers. They have contributed over 2000 hours of weeding, pruning, clearing overgrowth, planting, growing seeds and making the park more attractive and providing good habitat for wildlife.
• The areas they look after continue to grow too – with the new pond bed and now the Human Nature Garden.
• They are a fantastic team and as well as achieving so much are friendly and welcoming, sharing their expertise and friendship to new comers and supporting those who join the team to improve their own wellbeing. We owe them many thanks for all they do.

Corporate volunteers

• This year has seen continued interest in volunteering in the park from the corporate sector. This includes individuals, such as Richard, who join to undertake their own CSR hours allocated by their organisation, and teams from Next Phase Recruitment, for a second year, and now Schroders.  It works particularly well when they join the Wednesday morning session, even if working as a separate group on a mini project such as cleaning up the sheep sculptures in the Human Nature Garden.
• Recently we learned from a potential CSR volunteer that she couldn’t join the Wednesday team as we are not a charity – for tax reasons. We are currently looking at the benefits of converting form a CIC to a charity so this is another thing for us to consider.

Our Finances

Treasurer Philippa Charman presented accounts for year ending 31 August 2023. Key points included:

• Income: total income was £1,812. The Quiz is the main revenue source, contributing c£1,206, with HDC Lottery ticket sales contributing £606.
• Outgoings: total expenditure was £963. Of this, £526 was spent on plants and other supplies for the gardening volunteers; other spend included a stall at Horsham Fun Day, print of posters promoting our protected species, insurance and the annual quiz.

A full copy of the accounts can be obtained on request from our Treasurer, Philippa Charman [email protected].

The Meeting also spent time on 3 Key Topics, and a good discussion developed amongst everyone present, with some useful suggestions put forward by members.

The 3 Key Topics:

1. Mental wellbeing,

2. Horsham Town’s pollinator flyways

3. Future plans for the Human Nature Garden.

Mental Wellbeing discussion (Conversation Starter Project)

• Dr Quinn-Cirillo spoke about the Conversation Starter Project, which she started in lockdown, as a way of combating social isolation and loneliness. She explained that walking in green spaces offers unique benefits, as the brain processes information and emotions in a different way outdoors.
• There is now a Walk & Talk in Horsham Park every Wednesday morning, and a walk has started in Southwater recently. Walks are free to join and led by walk co-ordinators and guides, with a flexible format to encourage people to join in.
• The walks have been a success with growing numbers of participants and friendships forming between them.
• More information at: https://drtara.co.uk/conversation-starter-project/

i-Rock

• This is a new service offering support for young people living in West Sussex. Friends of Horsham Park have contacted i-Rock and offered volunteering opportunities for 18-25 year olds as we know that for some people, taking part in volunteer gardening can be helpful
• More information at: https://www.sussexcamhs.nhs.uk/our-services/service-finder/i-rock-horsham-district

Get Horsham Buzzing discussion

Sally Sanderson reported on this project, which is run by Horsham Green Spaces Forum – representatives from groups managing/supporting communal green spaces in the town including the Friends of Horsham Park, Warnham Nature Reserve, Chesworth Farm, allotments, a school representative and neighborhood councils. Its aim is to Enhance, Connect and Protect our Green Spaces

• Over the last 2 years some projects have included: Ancient and veteran tree mapping and a SWOT analysis of each green space.
• The new project is Pollinator flyways – see this article in AAH – which links into the Sussex Wildlife Trust ‘Weald to Waves’ project trying to create a nature corridor which cuts across Horsham town.
• The following routes in Horsham Town have been habitat mapped this summer and are proposed as pollinator flyways with the aim of connecting the town’s green spaces for insects, birds and bats – for a copy of the corridor maps please email [email protected]
  • A1 Warnham Nature Reserve- Hills Farm – along the Arun
  • B1 Bens Acres (St Leonards Forest) to Hills Farm – includes ‘Wild Denne’ initiatives
  • C1 – tricky route but critical as connects to the Weald to Waves core corridor
  • D1 & 2 Railway
  • E1 Bens Acres to Hop Oast/Denne Hill

Routes including the Park

• F1 Leechpool and Owlbeech wood to Hills Farm
• G1 From Beech Road allotments in Roffey to Park
• Some of the routes are easier to connect than others and HGS has put forward a proposal for how to do this to Horsham District Council.

To link with the Weald to waves project, Sally suggested the Friends could make two pledges.  Pledges are shown on the Weald to Waves pledge map to show support:

• The Friends as an organisation can pledge that they will work towards the 30% target for space in the Park to be devoted to wildlife by 2030 – the majority of attendees supported this and it was agreed the committee would take this forwards.
• Individuals can pledge to devote 30% of their garden or balcony to being wild-life friendly. Simple things like leaving the lawn uncut for the summer, having a small log or leaf pile, having a small pond, planting some wildflowers or choosing pollinator-friendly plants can make a huge difference even in a small town garden. Ben Brace reported on a successful initiative in London to lift one paving slab in your garden and replace with wild-life friendly planting.

Human Nature Garden: discussion of future plans

The HNG opened in 2011, with an aspiration to grow plants that could be used in medicine, food, building, clothing. The garden is now looking tired, the signage is outdated and doesn’t link to what happens in the garden.  HDC’s Management Plan for the Park will be renewed in 2024 and so this discussion can contribute to the consultation on how to develop/manage the HNG.

Discussion included the following suggestions:

• Growing vegetables: the volunteers have experimented with some vegetables to fill gaps – but this showed what a lot of work it would be, with people needed every day of the week for watering.
• Community allotments for groups eg Little Monkeys, care homes
• Could the overarching theme for the HNG become a garden for wellbeing?
  • Planting for good physical health – edible flowers etc – and mental health – eg lavender and valerian to help sleep
  • Colourful flowers to lift mood
  • Gardening as an activity for well being
  • Hosting small-scale wellbeing events on the stage
• In the meantime, the Wednesday volunteers suggested that a plan is needed for managing the existing beds as there are too many plants that have self-seeded so it looks crowded and nothing is thriving – these need to be removed.

South & South East in Bloom Awards

The Friends volunteers and directors celebrated with HDC Councillors and officers with a group photo in the Sensory Garden. There was a write up in the County Times on 26 October.

Friends Chair Sally Sanderson said: “We are thrilled to have won this award. Our Wednesday Gardening Team is very strong contributing over 2,000 volunteer hours this year…” She went on to thank all the other many volunteers and partners who gave their time and have contributed to the park’s success.

Council Cabinet Member for Leisure Jon Olson said: “…These awards celebrate the massive amount of hard work that goes into planning, developing and maintaining Horsham Park. I am particularly pleased we have also been recognised for creating such a vital community hub…My thanks go out to our officers, Friends of Horsham Park, Denne Neighbourhood Council and the many volunteers and partners who have contributed so much to have achieved these awards.”

Park House Sensory Garden

If you visited Park House Sensory Garden in the late summer, you will have noticed that the box hedge surrounding the central beds had been badly damaged by the caterpillar of the box hedge moth.  What was once a smart, green border, had almost overnight become a hedge of brown lace and twigs.

Last week this was removed and will be replaced with 660 Lonicera plants; the resulting hedge will look much the same.  These will be planted up soon by the Wednesday morning volunteers.

It is likely that the cherry tree, which is much loved for its cheerful spring blossom, will also be removed before the hedge replanting.  This is sad but the tree is now old, the crown is in serious decline and decay is extensive.   It will be replaced with a tree that will provide shade for our curved bench and one that, of course, has sensory appeal.

Children’s Play Area improvements

The surface under the popular zip wire play equipment in the children’s play area has been improved. The existing grass matting surface had become very tired and unsafe.   A retaining wall has been built to create an enclosure where tonnes of bark nuggets have been used to create a better surface.  We’re sure the children will love the improvements.

Help the Friends and you could win a prize

£25,000 Jackpot every week!

Have a better chance of winning the lottery when you play the local Horsham District Community Lottery, and you will be supporting the Friends!

By signing up to the local weekly draw, you can subscribe any amount from £1 upwards. Each £1 ticket has a chance to win £25, £250, £2500, or £25000. Just match from 2 to 6 numbers to win a prize.

By selecting The Friends as your chosen good cause, 50p from each £1 ticket goes to support much-needed funds for the Friends of Horsham Park; and 10p goes to other local causes.

Why not sign up today? It’s a win for the Friends and could be a bigger win for you!

Events in the Park

• Every Weds & Fri.    Walk and Talk in Horsham Park. Meet at The Human Nature Garden Weds 10 -11am and Fri 12-12.40pm
• Every Sat                     parkrun 9.00am
• 25 Nov                          Friends’ Annual Quiz!

Volunteering Opportunities

• Ribbon Border Volunteer group – every 2^nd Sunday
  The RBV group meets every second Sunday in the month at 10am by the entrance to the North Street carpark, everyone welcome.
  For more information please contact David at [email protected]
• Gardening and Conservation group – every Wednesday
  The Wednesday Morning Group” meets at 9.30am at the Jubilee car park next to the entrance sign to the Human Nature Garden. Their main tasks are planting and pruning and generally making improvements to the park’s appearance for all to enjoy. All tools provided.
  Please contact“ Sally at [email protected]
• Helping at events – as required
  We need Friends to help out at events we hold in the Park. It may be just for a couple of hours occasionally, or as a one off. It can be great fun. Any help is much appreciated.
  Please contact Sally at [email protected]

Quiz Answers: 1. Ben Stokes; 2. Mercury; 3. Murder; 4. Sean Combs; 5. Rice.

South & South East in Bloom Awards 2023

Alejandra Teodosio and Felicity Owen collecting at the awards,
photo by Daniel Cool 

We are delighted that the Park has maintained the Silver Gilt Award in the Large Park category of the South & South East in Bloom competition for the second year running. 

This is a great achievement and recognises the hard work of HDC’s Parks and Countryside Team, Denne Neighbourhood Council and the Friends of Horsham Park in ensuring the Park is a fantastic community asset which we can all enjoy.

The standards are high and comprehensive covering: 

• Making Way for People (access and signage)
• Design (appearance and layout of the park)
• Welfare of Park Users (staff/voluntary presence and control of dog fouling)
• Facilities (appropriate provision, accessibility, appearance and maintenance)
• Maintenance of hard landscape features (benches, bins, play areas, artificial surfaces, control of litter, graffiti and vandalism)
• Environmental sustainability (planting schemes that reduce uses of scarce resources such as water and peat)
• Conservation (management of natural features, wildlife and flora)
• Community involvement (volunteering & promotion of the park as a community resource)

The Friends were hoping that the fabulous new skate park facility, the pond project and other horticultural improvements in the park would get us the gold but we were still 5 marks short!

The judge’s comments were complimentary with just three suggestions:

• improvements to the maze,
• removal of a couple of dead/unhealthy trees with explanatory signage,
• the conservation opportunity of wildflower meadows near the skate park.

We were pleased that he commented ‘the herbaceous borders were well tended’ as we know that our Wednesday volunteers contribute greatly to this and that ‘The Park has an excellent Friends Group who do a lot of gardening on a regular basis and also get involved with events’.

The new bed by the pond

It’s Your Neighbourhood Category

We were absolutely thrilled to get Outstanding this year – Level 5 which is the top category.  This is the category which focuses on community groups so specifically about the activities of the Friends.  For the past two years we were at ‘Thriving’ (Level 4) and in our first year of entry we were only at ‘Improving’ (Level 2) so we have come a long way since 2020.

The award focuses on:

• Community Participation (eg being inclusive; making a difference to local people; getting support eg from local council, grant-aid, sponsorship; planning for the future; working in partnership with other organisations)
• Environmental Responsibility (conservation, composting, recycling, sharing knowledge and skills, addressing issues such as litter, graffiti, dog fouling)
• Gardening Achievement (good plant choice, good maintenance, creativity, innovation, enhancing the area)

Many volunteers, too many to name, have contributed to the achievements listed in the judge’s feedback below.  You know who you are – so a massive thank you and congratulations for your outstanding input and effort. 

The judge’s feedback

‘Areas of Achievement

1. The Friends of Horsham Park is a very active group and carry out a variety of activities within the Park. The regular Wednesday volunteer working group works with a variety of other Groups including Strawford Centre, Samaritans and others.
2. The Group consulted with a number of Groups regarding the restoration of the Sensory Garden which resulted in the curved bench being installed.
3. At events held in the Park there is strong engagement with schools, scout groups and other local charities and this is also achieving getting bulbs planted and litter picking. A good working relationship remains between the Friends Group and Horsham District Council.
4. The group are very active when events are held within the Park. A monthly newsletter is published once a month and distributed to the 350 members of the Group.
5. The Strawford Centre come along every Wednesday and do litter picking and have started cleaning bricks in the maze area and are making a real difference.
6. Herbaceous plants are split and reused around the site with the addition of seeds grown in peat free compost. There are three different tree trails available and an award winning bee friendly flower bed including a bug hotel is great for pollinators. Other beds are planted to encourage pollinators. The gardening hours from the volunteers amounted to 1775 over the past year.
7. Another successful project was Bulbs for Lives field created with the local Samaritans and was very impressive planting 12500 bulbs.A few of the volunteers who helped to plant the Samaritans’ Bulbs for Lives field.

8. The Friends have a very good and informative website and information about the Friends was on noticeboards.
9. A regular Park Run takes place.
10. Obelisks made from willow from the Park have been made by the Friends and used within the planted borders.
11. Around the Park the Friends group have put up some posters to inspire and educate about various issues including Water and Climate change within Horsham Park and how to save Bumble bees amongst others.

Willow play tunnel created by some of the Wednesday volunteers
with guidance from HDC Parks Operations Manager, Sorin Caraiman,  

Areas for Development

• The compost area is small for the amount of compostable waste the gardening activity produces. Perhaps it could be increased or taken away by the District Council and brought back as recycled compost to be used on the beds.
• The Human Nature Garden needs to be one thing or the other as vegetables were being grown amongst shrubs.
• It would be useful to Park users if a record of birds seen in the Park, because no doubt migrant birds visit the park, also bat species.’

Join us at the AGM on Tues 10 October

7.30 – 9.30 pm
at Horsham Park Barn

It’s been a busy year in Horsham Park and we’d love to share our news with our Friends, and hear your views on what we’ve done and what we could do next year and beyond.  We know that the more of our Friends who get involved, the more we can achieve for our beautiful Park.
So please do join us at our AGM on 10 October.  This year we are discussing some important themes so this is your chance to have your say :

1. Wellbeing – how can we make the most of the park to support residents’ wellbeing?.  Our guest speaker will be Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo who will talk about Wellness Walks and we will consider what else we can do eg to support the new i-Rock mental wellness service for 14-25 year olds.
2. The future of the Human Nature Garden – next year the Management Plan for the Park will be renewed so the aim of the discussion is to come up with ideas to be considered as part of the Management Plan consultation.
3. Horsham Green Spaces’ pollinator flyways – if you saw the article ‘Grass Routes’ in the September edition of AAH you’ll know about this project.  We’ll discuss the latest developments and the role the Park and all our gardens have in creating these pollinator corridors across the town.

It would be lovely to see Friends old and new, so we hope you can join us. We’ll be serving wine, beer and soft drinks and if you’d like to bring a family member or friend who’s interested in our work, they’d be most welcome.

We look forward to seeing you!

Sally Sanderson
RSVP: chair@friendsofhorshampark.co.uk

Promote Horsham Park

The Countryside Charity is running a national programme to promote local green spaces. So now’s your chance to step up and say how much you enjoy Horsham Park. Send a short video (less than 1 minute) of you in Horsham Park, and you could be in with a chance to win a £50 Patagonia voucher!

How to take part :

• Head to Horsham Park.
• Film a short video (under one minute) of you saying why the Park is special to you.
• Send your video to Countryside Charity via WhatsApp – just attach it as a file and send it to 07718 494 647. You can also use this direct-to-Whatsapp link. Include your name and “Horsham Park.”
• Submissions close on Wednesday 11 October at 5pm. 

If you want some prompts to help your video: think about why you love the park. How did you discover it and how has it become part of your life? What’s your favourite thing about it? Do you enjoy it alone or with friends and family? Where is it and what’s nearby? Who uses it?

Volunteers clean up in the Park

A group of 25 enthusiastic volunteers took part in the Friends of Horsham Park’s litter pick on 24 September.

The team collected 30 bags-worth of rubbish, some visible on grass and pathways, most of it hidden in the undergrowth.  Bottles, cans, fast food wrappings and cigarette stubs were among the debris removed and bagged.

Steve Sandham, Friends of Horsham Park director who organised the litter pick, said: “We were delighted that so many volunteers took the time to help us in this vital task, which really makes a difference.

“There’s clearly a desire to keep Horsham Park free of the rubbish that spoils users’ enjoyment, and can be harmful or even fatal to the birds and other wildlife who share this beautiful space with us. Our litter picks take place every six months or so, as a ‘booster’ to the ongoing great work from the Horsham District Council parks team, and everyone who takes part enjoys it – it’s really rewarding to fill up a bag with rubbish and know you’ve helped to improve the park.”

The Friends of Horsham Park aims to protect, enhance and promote Horsham Park as a place of recreation and enjoyment for the long-term benefit of everyone. Anyone with an interest in the Park is welcome to join the Friends and get involved in their activities, which include a weekly gardening session on Wednesday mornings. For more information, contact [email protected]

Sycamore Gap

We are sure many of our Friends will be dismayed at the brutal cutting of this iconic tree which we featured in our ‘Tree of the Week’ series during lockdown. If you missed it, you can see it here:  

Although the Wednesday morning volunteers have a constant battle with sycamore seedlings, this destruction of a mature and beautiful tree reminds us all of need to celebrate, protect and care for the wonderful trees we have in Horsham Park.  They are part of our landscape, they contribute to our sense of wellbeing and are a haven for wildlife.

Quiz Night 25 November

Save 25 November in your diary for our annual quiz. It’s always a great evening, very sociable and lots of fun. There will be drinks and snacks for sale, fabulous raffle prizes, and of course our amazing quiz. Start getting your team together!

It will be in our usual venue – Holy Trinity Church hall, 12 Rushams Road Horsham RH12 2NT

A night not to be missed!

Help the Friends and you could win a prize

£25,000 Jackpot every week!

Have a better chance of winning the lottery when you play the local Horsham District Community Lottery, and you will be supporting the Friends!

By signing up to the local weekly draw, you can subscribe any amount from £1 upwards. Each £1 ticket has a chance to win £25, £250, £2500, or £25000. Just match from 2 to 6 numbers to win a prize.

By selecting The Friends as your chosen good cause, 50p from each £1 ticket goes to support much-needed funds for the Friends of Horsham Park; and 10p goes to other local causes.

Why not sign up today? It’s a win for the Friends and could be a bigger win for you!

Events in the Park

• Every Weds & Fri.    Walk and Talk in Horsham Park. Meet at The Human Nature Garden Weds 10 -11am and Friday 12-12.40pm
• Every Sat       parkrun 9.00am
• 10 Oct            Friends AGM at the Park Barn 7.30pm.
• 25 Nov           Our Annual Quiz

Volunteering Opportunities

• Ribbon Border Volunteer group – every 2^nd Sunday
  The RBV group meets every second Sunday in the month at 10am by the entrance to the North Street carpark, everyone welcome.
  For more information please contact David at [email protected]
• Gardening and Conservation group – every Wednesday
  The Wednesday Morning Group” meets at 9.30am at the Jubilee car park next to the entrance sign to the Human Nature Garden. Their main tasks are planting and pruning and generally making improvements to the park’s appearance for all to enjoy. All tools provided.
  Please contact“ Sally at [email protected]
• Helping at events – as required
  We need Friends to help out at events we hold in the Park. It may be just for a couple of hours occasionally, or as a one off. It can be great fun. Any help is much appreciated.
  Please contact Sally at [email protected]

Park News
September 2023

a previous litter pick

Autumn Clear up! – 24 September

Join us for our ‘Autumn Clear Up’ litter pick on Sunday 24 September at 10.30am. We’ll spend one hour clearing litter from around the park’s paths and hedgerows before it becomes hidden by Autumn leaves. We have a clear up every Spring and Autumn and it provides a boost to the good work of the park contracting team, helping to keep our lovely ‘Green Flag’ park looking pristine and a space to be enjoyed.

We provide litter pick sticks, hi-viz jackets and rubbish bags. We just ask you to bring your own gloves. Meet us by the North Parade car park in time for a 10.30am start.

If you want to spend just one hour of your time and make a big difference to the park, please come along on the 24^th.

It will help us if you can let us know you’re coming. Please email Steve:  [email protected]

Friends of Horsham Park AGM

Tuesday 10 October, 7.30 – 9.30 pm
at Horsham Park Barn

It’s been a busy year in Horsham Park and we’d love to share our news with our Friends, and hear your views on what we’ve done and what we could do next year and beyond.  We know that the more of our Friends who get involved, the more we can achieve for our beautiful Park.

So please do join us at our AGM on 10 October.  We are finalising our guest speakers but are planning to cover conservation of the Park and its wildlife, and hold an open floor discussion on the future of the Human Nature Garden. Now is your chance to have your say!

It would be lovely to see Friends old and new, so we hope you can join us. We’ll be serving wine, beer and soft drinks and if you’d like to bring a family member or friend who’s interested in our work, they’d be most welcome.

Please save the date and we’ll confirm speakers shortly.

Sally Sanderson
RSVP: [email protected]

Park People

Neal Matheson – The Friends would like to extend a warm welcome to Neal, HDC’s new Parks & Leisure Tree Officer. We understand that he has some exciting plans for improvements in selected areas of the park and remedies for damaged and failing trees. We’re looking forward to working with him. Watch this space!

Asif Mahmood – Asif has been a volunteer on the Friends’ Committee up until the middle of August, and we would like to thank him for his helpful contribution. Unfortunately, after a short time with us, he can no longer continue as he has moved to Essex. Asif and his wife are refugees and are currently in the processing queue. We wish them both all the best for the future.

Alejandra Teodosio – We welcome Alejandra who has joined the Friends’ committee and will help with our social media. She is also a member of the Wednesday morning gardening volunteers. Alejandra has already posted on Instagram, and will be helping us reach a wider audience. See our Instagram here.  Look out for her in a future Committee Spotlight.

Committee Spotlight – Jennifer Ryan

Jennifer has recently joined the Friends’ Committee and we are delighted to have her on-board.

How long have you lived in Horsham, why you moved here, what your job is?
I find it hard to believe that I have been living in Horsham for nearly six years; it only feels like yesterday when I was circling potential ‘locations’ on the map to relocate to, due to embarking on a new job post as a Town Planner at a coastal local authority.

It was quite a risk given that I didn’t know West Sussex but Horsham had a good feel to it and I liked the fact that it offered good logistics so I went with my gut-feeling and decided to give Horsham a try! I haven’t looked back and I feel like I have landed on my feet! I am very settled here, importantly I feel very safe and I have the best of both worlds – easy access to London and to the coast and countryside. What more could I ask for?!

How often are you in Horsham Park?
During lockdown, Horsham Park became my saving grace and I visited the park everyday. At the time, I was living in a small flat that directly fronts Horsham park. The park was effectively my adopted garden where I could do my daily exercise of trying to hit 10,000 steps a day (no, I didn’t always hit it!) and it offered me a temporary respite from the pandemic world we were living in.

The park made me appreciate the importance of nature and access to outdoor space for health and wellbeing purposes. This prompted me to move to my new home with balconies and I am now able to fulfil my joy of growing plants, listening to the birds singing and undertaking al-fresco dining. Whenever I have family / friends visiting me, I always take them to the park; for picnics, for coffee and a stroll or for a scenic walk into the town centre. The park really is the pinnacle of Horsham!

What’s your favourite spot in the park?
This is quite a difficult question as I feel we are very spoilt for choice for things to see and do in the park! However, my top pick would be the sensory garden. It’s a very tranquil place and from time to time, when the sun is shining, I enjoy sitting on a bench and getting absorbed into a good book!

What’s your best memory of the park?
Hosting a Platinum Jubilee themed picnic in the park with my family to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022!

What do you enjoy about being involved in Friends? What do you think our biggest achievements have been?
I have been volunteering with the Ribbon Borders (the group meets once a month on the second Sunday) for just over a year now. It has given me a lot of confidence and it has enabled me to develop my gardening skills whilst meeting fellow Friends to socialise with. I found it particularly touching that the Friends, in partnership with the Samaritans charity, undertook ‘Bulbs for Lives’ planting exercise last autumn. This was a very poignant tribute with the installed bench providing a space for reflection.

If you could change or add one thing in the park, what would it be?
It would be great if some of the footpaths especially those located to the north (near the skate-park) and north-east of the park could be made to be a bit wider to allow ease of access for people to pass each other. Another suggestion is to have a segregated cycle and footpath.

What would you like the park to look like in 10 years’ time? And what needs to happen for that to be a reality?
Climate Change and biodiversity loss are the biggest challenges affecting the long term sustainability of the Park. I hope that in ten years’ time that the Park will be resilient to the increasing effects of climate change through the planting of new trees for carbon capture. By increasing awareness through campaign and conservation efforts, I hope everyone can play their part to protect the Park.

What would you say to other Friends thinking about getting more involved?
If you are looking to make new connections and to become part of the local community then please do get involved!

Walk & Talk

Feeling low? Walk and Talk sessions in Horsham Park where people connect, talk and enjoy the fresh air could be just what you’re looking for. Walking and connecting can enhance your mood and overall wellbeing.
Every Wednesday at 10.00am-11.00am and Every Friday at 12 noon – 12.40pm

Meet at the Human Nature Garden, Horsham Park.  No need to book.

Our Quiz is back!

Save 25 November in your diary for our annual quiz. It’s always a great evening, very sociable and lots of fun. There will be drinks and snacks for sale, fabulous raffle prizes, and of course our amazing quiz. Start getting your team together!

It will be in our usual venue – Holy Trinity Church hall
12 Rushams Road Horsham RH12 2NT

A night not to be missed!

Sussex Green Living column, West Sussex County Times

If you missed our article in the WSCT about the climate change bed in Park House Sensory Garden, here it is:

Sally shows Carrie Cort, Sussex Green Living CEO, the climate change bed.

Planting for Climate Change

As water is scarce in our District, the Friends of Horsham Park wondered ‘How well can a garden do without being watered, especially in a raised bed where conditions are really tough?’

We wanted to create an experimental bed and happily were awarded a climate change grant from Horsham District Council in 2021 to plant one in the very popular Park House Sensory Garden.

The multiple challenge was: Can we plant drought resistant species that are also good for wildlife and still have a sensory appeal: sight, smell, taste, touch?

Hannah Neale, Landscape and Horticultural Officer at HDC, kindly designed the planting scheme, knowing that plants survive by adaptation, developing particular characteristics in their natural habitats.  In Autumn 2021 the south facing raised bed was planted with a range of carefully chosen bulbs, herbaceous perennials and shrubs, selected for their ability to survive long periods without rainfall.

Summer 2022’s heatwave was a big test!  We watered sparingly, only twice, and the summer was followed by a long, cold, wet winter meaning that the plants were tested at both extremes. In Spring 2023 we were concerned that there would be some big gaps in the border, but the bed overall has done well and even during our very hot and dry June, we did no watering at all.

The main plants are: Agapanthus ‘Bressingham Blue’ , Anthemis ‘Sauce Hollandaise’ , Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ , Choisya ‘White Dazzler’, Cistus x purpureus ‘Alan Fradd’ , Geranium ‘Orion’, Hylotelephium (Sedum) ‘Matrona’ , Lavendula x intermedia ‘Grosso’ , Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’, Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’, Verbena bonariensis and Yucca filamentosa.

Some plants have thrived so far – the Alliums, the Anthemis, Stachys, Eryngium, Yuccas, Geraniums, Rosemary, Verbena and Lavender.

How do some plants tolerate hot dry conditions while others require deep nutritious moisture retentive soils?

Narrow and small leafed plants reduce water loss from their leaves (transpiration) because their leaf surface area is minimal. Perovskia, Anthemis, Verbena and Lavender all have small leaves.

And in the same way that wearing a white T-shirt on a hot day reflects the light  away, plants with white or pale foliage, such as Brunnera and Salvia Icterina reflect more light, which helps to reduce transpiration. Sedum, being a succulent, is able to store moisture within its leaves and stems so it withstands long periods of drought.  Other plants (such as Stachys) have waxy or hairy foliage, which helps them to retain water.

All these plants provide a colourful display appealing to our eyes, ears, noses that helps us become calmer.  They also provide great habitat for the all-important bees and insects – adding yet more dimensions to our enjoyment in the garden.

Sally Sanderson and David Hide

Help the Friends and you could win a prize

£25,000 Jackpot every week!

Have a better chance of winning the lottery when you play the local Horsham District Community Lottery, and you will be supporting the Friends!

By signing up to the local weekly draw, you can subscribe any amount from £1 upwards. Each £1 ticket has a chance to win £25, £250, £2500, or £25000. Just match from 2 to 6 numbers to win a prize.

By selecting The Friends as your chosen good cause, 50p from each £1 ticket goes to support much-needed funds for the Friends of Horsham Park; and 10p goes to other local causes.

Why not sign up today? It’s a win for the Friends and could be a bigger win for you!

SIGN UP HERE

Events in the Park

• Every Weds & Fri.    Walk and Talk in Horsham Park. Meet at The Human Nature Garden Weds 10 -11am and Friday 12-12.40pm
• Every Sat       parkrun 9.00am
• 24 Sept          Autumn Clear Up litter pick (North Parade Car Park) 10.30 till 11.30am.
• 10 Oct            Friends AGM at the Park Barn 7.30pm.
• 25 Nov           Our Annual Quiz

Volunteering Opportunities

• Autumn Clear UP! Litter Pick 24 Sept at 10.30 -11.30. Contact Steve [email protected]
• Ribbon Border Volunteer group – every 2^nd Sunday
  The RBV group meets every second Sunday in the month at 10am by the entrance to the North Street carpark, everyone welcome.
  For more information please contact David at [email protected]
• Gardening and Conservation group – every Wednesday
  “The Wednesday Morning Group” meets at 9.30am at the Jubilee car park next to the entrance sign to the Human Nature Garden. Their main tasks are planting and pruning and generally making improvements to the park’s appearance for all to enjoy. All tools provided.
  Please contact Sally at [email protected]
• Helping at events – as required
  We need Friends to help out at events we hold in the Park. It may be just for a couple of hours occasionally, or as a one off. It can be great fun. Any help is much appreciated.
  Please contact Sally at [email protected]

Park News
August 2023

The Pond // Green Flag Award // Wednesday Volunteers // Corporate Volunteers // Climate Action Survey // Spotlight on Philippa // Funday Sunday // Thanks to David Lee // Battle of the Bands // Habitat Mapping // History of Horsham Park // Wild Denne //  Help the Friends and Win a Prize // Events // Volunteering opportunities //

The Pond

The final phase in the pond restoration work continues and is nearing completion. The viewing area has been levelled and a refurbished, more accessible path has been created. The pathway is now open, and all that remains is to landscape the borders. We are looking forward to seeing it completely finished for everyone to enjoy its peaceful calm. 

Green Flag Award 2023/24

We’re delighted that Horsham Park has won a Green Flag again for the fourth year in a row.  This is a prestigious award, which shows the park has great facilities, is welcoming, safe, and a lovely green space. Well done to the Parks and Countryside team Horsham District Council, and all the volunteers who make the park so lovely.  What a fantastic community asset for all to enjoy.

HDC Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Green Spaces Cllr Jon Olson commented:

“I am thrilled that our iconic park in the centre of Horsham has been honoured again with this prestigious national award.

My thanks go out to our officers, the Friends of Horsham Park and our many volunteers and partners for all the hard work they put in planning, developing and maintaining this much loved green space to achieve these standards.”

Chair of Friends of Horsham Park Sally Sanderson said:

“We are delighted that we have another prestigious Green Flag for the park. It is recognition for the wonderful range of facilities in the park, the hard work of the Parks and Countryside team and the generosity of the volunteers.

The Friends’ Wednesday volunteers last year provided over 2,000 hours of gardening and litter picking and there are many more who volunteer in the park too. We are lucky to have such a fantastic, well-used and supported community asset at the heart of the town.” 

Wednesday Volunteers

As you can see from the Green Flag photo above, our Wednesday morning volunteer group continues to thrive and there are now over 20 people who come along regularly, making it a very sociable group who have fun and achieve an amazing amount each week.  Our committee nominated them for HDC’s Volunteer Awards for the ‘Dream Team’ category.  We were delighted that their fantastic efforts were recognised as runners up in the competition and they were each awarded a badge.

They have been very busy this summer, now that they are maintaining additional beds at the pond and in the Human Nature Garden.  If you visit the latter you will find that some gaps have been filled with vegetables – tomatoes, courgettes and butternut squash.  Some of these have started to fruit, so if passing, and you see a tomato or a courgette that you fancy for your supper, please help yourself.  This is a community garden.

In the Sensory Garden you will also notice that the defunct fountain has now been turned into a planter and has been planted with the following:   Caryopteris X Clandonensis ‘Dark Knight’, Sedum ‘Sunsparkler Plum Dazzled’, Scabiosa Incisa ‘Kudo’ Thyme Sparkling Bright’ and Thyme Rose’.  This continues the theme of the Climate Change bed with its Mediterranean feel!

Thanks to all our volunteers. We appreciate all that you do, and long may you continue.

Thanks to our corporate volunteers

Sometimes volunteers from local companies join our Wednesday team.
Schroders sent a team in July and they helped clean up the sheep in the Human Nature Garden. Richard did six sessions with us.
Next Phase Recruitment send a small team every few weeks.  They really enjoy giving back to the local community and we enjoy working with them.

Thank you to the local companies supporting the park. 

Climate Action Survey

HDC has started working with organisations and communities to try to get the District’s carbon emissions down to zero by 2050. Reaching Carbon Neutrality across the whole District will be a big challenge and the council is seeking the views of all residents by asking them to complete a short survey.

Please complete the survey, click on the link below. It should take about 10 minutes and you will be asked questions about what climate actions you think are most important, as well as what you are already doing, or would consider doing if you had more support.

Click here for the survey 

Spotlight on Philippa Charman

This month we Feature Philippa Charman who has recently joined the committee as our new Treasurer.

How long have you lived in Horsham, why you moved here, what your job is?

I’ve lived in Horsham for all my life. Although due to work I moved away for short periods, I always kept a base in Horsham. I am now permanently based in Horsham and I’m involved in a variety of voluntary roles. I have recently joined Friends as treasurer, having qualified as an Accountant in 1991.

How often are you in Horsham Park? 

The park has been a small but constant part of my life. My childhood memories of the swings, slides, sandpit and outings to the pool. My excitement at the visit of the annual fair. I even participated in some carnivals, which finished in our stunning park.

These days I regularly attend Pavilions mostly for Pilates or the gym.
The swimming pool has always been a regular outing, both as a child myself and later with my family, my nieces and nephews. Hopefully it will soon be the turn of my greats; my great niece and great nephew! I regularly visit the sensory gardens when meeting friends for coffee and a catch up. I’ve also seen a number of bands in the Nature Garden and at the annual fake festival. The over-riding thought from my memories is that the park has provided enjoyment at all stages in my life.

What’s your favourite spot in the Park?

It has to be the duck pond. As a child, I always loved to visit to see the ducks and swans.

What’s your best memory of the Park?

It isn’t a personal memory although it feels like it is, as I have heard the stories so often. My father and his 5 siblings used to visit the old outdoor pool throughout their childhoods as they lived nearby. They would spend their summers at the pool, even throughout the war!

What do you enjoy about being involved in Friends?  What do you think our biggest achievement/s have been?

I am new to the group, but immediately felt involved. The group is so welcoming and inclusive. I’m not yet qualified to give an opinion, but I am impressed that I have already been able to meet a judge who was assessing the park for an award. So much is going on, behind the scenes.

If you could change or add one thing in the Park, what would it be?

I think the park needs accessible toilet facilities. We hold so many activities and should have modern toilet facilities on our 60-acre site. If I am cheeky a second thing would be renewing the track used by the park run.

What would you like the Park to look like in 10 years’ time? And what needs to happen for that to be a reality?

I would like the park to have maintained its size and availability to the Horsham community.  The council should still maintain the park, aided by volunteers. It must be respected by all.

What would you say to any other Friends thinking about getting more involved?

We are so lucky to have such a great park available to us, we should all give a little back in whatever way we can.

Funday Sunday

The Friends had a stall at the Funday Sunday event in the park on 9 July. We enjoyed meeting lots of people and had great fun with the bumble bee and butterfly activity where visitors voted for their favourite – the bumble bees won!

Children had fun with our spinning wheel, featuring the 6 protected species in the park, and getting an information card all about the creature or plant they landed on.

We were delighted that over 30 people agreed to become Friends and receive this monthly newsletter – Welcome everyone!

Thanks to our Webmaster

David at the Funday

We are all very sad that David Lee, our fantastic webmaster, has had to stand down from the Committee due to other commitments.  He will be a loss to our team.  He has transformed our website and built up our social media presence.  He has also been a great contributor to our meetings and events.  David, with Jess Ryan, created a fantastic bees and butterflies activity for the Funday Sunday, which we also used at the recent Strawford Centre Culture Day.

We get many comments on how good and useful the website is, including recently from the In Bloom judge who was impressed by how informative it is. 

Battle of the Bands

Weekend of 22-23 July the Battle of the Bands was hosted in the Human Nature Garden.  Saturday was very wet but didn’t dampen the enthusiasm (or the volume!) of the bands competing.  It’s a great competition for up and coming bands such as Fire Escape, below, the youngest original band to get to the finals.  Although they didn’t win, they are a great illustration of the purpose of the event to give bands a professional platform on which to develop their confidence and talent.

Habitat Mapping

Habitat mapping team on 8 July

On 8 and 10 July, Horsham Green Spaces held habitat mapping workshops in Horsham Park as part of the ‘Get Horsham Buzzing’ project to identify and create pollinator flyways through the town.  Nigel Langridge gave us an hour’s introduction on how to map habitats and then we went into Horsham Park to try out our new skills at identifying and recording the different habitats.

We looked at one section, which has a wide range of habitats – from the North Street entrance to Park House, to the maze.  Tim Thomas joined the team to identify species as we walked around and recorded 45 plants, 11 animals and 9 bird species.  The base of Park House estate wall proved surprisingly rich, and of course Park House Sensory Garden was an insect haven.

Here are some of the insects we came across. The first one is a Wool Carder Bee (Anthidium manicatum). This loves the Stachys in the Sensory Garden and shaves the hairs from the leaves to furnish their nest cells, which is no doubt where its common name comes from!

The little one found by the wall is one of about 34 species in the Lasioglossum group. These are generally known as Furrow Bees and most (if not all) need to be identified to species by microscopic keys. Most nest underground.

The Beetle is known as a Yellow and Black Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculata). Quite common and easily identified by its bright colours. It loves undisturbed decaying timber especially birch where it lays its eggs. The adult really stands out especially when feeding on top of large wide-open flowers.

History of Horsham Park

In last month’s Park News you will have read about our plan to write a book on the History of the Park, in time to publish it for the park’s centenary in 2028.  We are very excited by the people who have stepped forward and want to get involved – a very impressive team with a range of research, writing and editing skills and experience.  This all looks very promising.  Our first meeting will be during Love Parks Week – very fitting!  We’ll keep you posted.

More about Horsham Park’s history here 

Wild Denne

We’ve been finding out about an exciting wilding project in the Denne area of Horsham which we thought you’d like to hear about too.

Wild Denne is a small independent project that has been running for two and a half years in the Denne neighbourhood with great success.  Its aim is to establish wildflower meadows within the area, which is part of Horsham Town. As a result of its activities, not only has the number and range of plant and animal species grown dramatically, but littering has declined to zero and the site has become very popular with nearby residents and other members of the public, some of whom have been inspired to create similar re-wilding projects in their own gardens.

Horsham’s Denne Neighbourhood has lots of open spaces ranging from small to large, which could be converted to wildflower meadows, to both increase the quality and beauty of the neighbourhood and town and to restore habitat for butterflies, bees and other vital pollinators.

In Horsham we are blessed with a significant amount of open space, which could be managed as meadow and other habitat, and in so doing help offset the impact of a densely populated urban area on the wider environment.

The Wild Denne project is organised by Horsham Denne Neighbourhood Council and is part of the Wilder Horsham District project, set up by HDC and Sussex Wildlife Trust.

Help the Friends and you could win a prize

£25,000 Jackpot every week!

Have a better chance of winning the lottery when you play the local Horsham District Community Lottery, and you will be supporting the Friends!

By signing up to the local weekly draw, you can subscribe any amount from £1 upwards. Each £1 ticket has a chance to win £25, £250, £2500, or £25000. Just match from 2 to 6 numbers to win a prize.

By selecting The Friends as your chosen good cause, 50p from each £1 ticket goes to support much-needed funds for the Friends of Horsham Park; and 10p goes to other local causes.

Sign up here. It’s a win for the Friends and could be a bigger win for you! 

Events

• Sat 19 Aug         Fake Festival

• Every Weds        10 -11am and Friday 12-12.40pm Walk and Talk in Horsham Park. Meet at The Human Nature Garden
• Every Tues & Fri Bowls taster sessions
• Every Fri              Bowls Bash – until 25 August
• Every Sat             parkrun 9.00am

Click here for details of all the Summer events.

Volunteering Opportunities

• Ribbon Border Volunteer group – every 2^nd Sunday
  The RBV group meets every second Sunday in the month at 10am by the entrance to the North Street carpark, everyone welcome.
  For more information please contact David at [email protected]
• Gardening and Conservation group – every Wednesday
  “The Wednesday Morning Group” meets at 9.30am at the Jubilee car park next to the entrance sign to the Human Nature Garden. Their main tasks are planting and pruning and generally making improvements to the park’s appearance for all to enjoy. All tools provided.
  Please contact Sally at [email protected]
• Helping at events – as required
  We need Friends to help out at events we hold in the Park. It may be just for a couple of hours occasionally, or as a one off. It can be great fun. Any help is much appreciated.
  Please contact Sally at [email protected]