Category Archives: Events

APPLE DAY TOMORROW 24TH OCTOBER 2-4pm

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GATHER UP YOUR GARDEN APPLES AND COME ALONG; rain permitting, we’ll be setting up the hired apple press from Urban Harvest in Crooklands Orchard in the Park tomorrow afternoon for apple juicing.

Apple Pressing

Now is therefore the time to gather up all those decent apples on garden trees, and bring them along to turn them into juice. Please can you wash the fruit before you bring it. Windfall are fine as long as they are not decaying or badly damaged.

The fruit in the Community Orchard has nearly all gone, but we’ll be sending out foragers to gather the fruit on other Park trees.

All apples go together to make an apple juice blend. If you want to take juice away, bring your own clean bottles or jugs, the juice can be stored in a fridge for 3-4 days or frozen. Donations to our Local Giving page are also appreciated.

If it is dreadful weather the event will be cancelled so please check here first if wet. Otherwise, if it has been raining please make sure you have study footwear, you know what the Park can be like.

Children must be accompanied by adults. Clean hands are vital.

Autumn Events To Join In

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APPLE DAY 24TH OCTOBER 2-4PM

On Apple Day, we’re inviting people to bring along apples from their garden trees for the production of a blended juice.

We’ll set up the equipment from Urban Harvest in Crooklands Orchard in the Park, then all apples are mingled together, washed, cut up, scratted ready for juicing and pressed to make juice. This is shared out (bring a clean jug or plastic carton) and can be stored in a fridge for a week, or frozen for later use.

  • Our first apple day
The Apple Juicing Process

Between now and then is a good time for picking ripe apples for the juicing. Just store them in a cool, dark place in a single layer, not touching each other. Don’t include any that are rotten or diseased.

How canyou tell when apples are ready?

You know when an apple is ready to pick when you cup it in your hand and give it a slight twist, and it comes off in your hand. If you need to give the fruit a yank, or it leaves its stalk behind, or even a bunch of leaves, it is definitely not ready! You can also look at the pips to check if the apple is ready – they should be brown if the fruit is ripe, and will be green if unripe.

REMEMBRANCE WEEK 2021

Following on from 2020, we are going to continue with creating a blanket of poppies to cover the farmgate for a commemorative display during Remembrance Week 2021, 8 – 14th November.

2020 Poppy Display (picture Aireborough Camera Club)

2021 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Royal British Legion and there will also be a collection near the display for the RBL.

Last year a number of people contributed poppies to the display – and we’d like to invite more to do so this year; you’ll find a pattern here. The display will go up on 8th November – just add your poppy when you pass by.

HOOLA HOOPING IN THE SUN

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Well, the weather was certainly kind to the Parkinson’s Park’s 2021 Children’s Gala. Glorious, warm, sunshine brought out the crowds ready to have fun, picnic, and just go for a Sunday saunter. More than one person commented that it was such a pleasure to see so many people enjoying the sunshine, fun and games, and to bump into so many people they knew.

Guiseley Brass Band entertaining visitors

This year was a little different with an orienteering Space Trail, devised by David Alcock with a map, and a bag of space goodies. Meanwhile, Guiseley Brass Band* took a couple of turns sandwiching ‘have a go‘ Circus Skill performances by Pete’s Suitcase Circus.

(*We found out this year that in 1936 the band led by Whybert Stevenson, father of the current leader Roy Stevenson, was provided with new instruments by Frank Parkinson – this was also the same year that F & A Parkinson acquired the fields to make the Park for Crompton Parkinson. The band was formed in 1870 by Sir Matthew Thompson of Parkgate, who had helped fund Guiseley Town Hall in 1867.)

Pete teaching circus skills
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SPACE THEME FOR THE 2021 PARKINSON’S PARK GALA

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After a break of a year, the Friends of Parkinson’s Park are pleased to announce that our Traditional Children’s Gala is back. Scheduled for Sunday 5th September from 2pm to 4pm, the theme this year will be Space.

We’d love children (and parents if they wish) to come in space inspired costumes for the fancy dress competition. This all adds to a fun afternoon where attractions will include :

  • Pete’s Suitcase Circus
  • Guiseley Brass Band
  • An Orienteering Space Trail
  • Face Painting
  • A Hoola Hoop Competition
  • A Space Quiz
  • And lots of stalls including Aireborough Camera Club

There will also be a Raffle and Refreshments, but why not bring a picnic as well – we are hoping for good weather.

CHILDREN’S GALA PROGRAMME – 5TH SEPTEMBER 2021

1.45pm Onwards – Space Trail. Come and get your Space Bags at the Farmgate entrance to the park. The bags will be £5.00 each and contain – A Space Trail map, a space quiz, a space themed notebook, a small alien space kit and a raffle ticket. First Prize will be a Family Ticket to Harewood House but there will be lots of other prizes too. We have 100 bags.

2-2.45pm Guiseley Brass Band

2.45-3.15pm Pete’s Suitcase Circus* including Hoola Hooping. Suitcase Circus is a show full of circus skills, comic inventions, audience participation and family fun.

3.15-3.45pm Guiseley Brass Band

Around 3.30 – 3.45pm Fancy Dress Competition Judging

We are also asking children to send in their space pictures for a display, here is our first one from Ayaan showing the planets in the solar system. Email parkinsonspark@gmail.com and we’ll let you know where to drop it off.

Planets in our solar system by Ayaan

*HEADLINE ACT AT THE CHILDREN’S GALA – PETE’S SUITCASE CIRCUS

Pete’s Suitcase Circus events provide a fantastic learning experience for children and adults. Circus skills are a great have-a-go activity; learning new skills such as hula hooping, juggling and plate spinning promotes a great sense of achievement. Pete will be doing circus activities to link in with our Space theme. Suitcase Circus has performed at both local and national festivals over the past 20 years from the Ilkley Literature Festival to the Albert Hall. Glastonbury, to Leeds Festival.

YARN BOMBING TO CELEBRATE SUMMER AND PICNICS

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The Park has been yarn bombed by three crafty Friends, to celebrate the month of midsummer and the season for picnics – particularly the week of 19th – 27th June, which is National Picnic Week. If the weather is fine, buy some local food from our range of Guiseley Delis, Cafes, and food retailers, spread out a blanket, relax and enjoy the whimsical decorations.

Abi Helen, Becky James and Barbara Winfield have been working hard over the last few months with a group of other residents to produce an array of ‘yarn’ bees, butterflies and flowers. These now adorn the Celebration Tree, and some entrances. The highlight is a community artwork decorating the Natter Bench. The artwork has been designed to represent the wild flowers found in the Park around May and June.

Yarn bombing is a form of street art that goes up in unexpected places for a period of around 6 weeks. It is becoming more popular and Abi, who teaches yarn techniques as Daisy Croft Crafts, has also done an artwork for the top of the post box at Towngate.

The Ladies are inviting anyone to add their own work to the yarn bombing extravaganza over the coming weeks. And, if you would like to get ready for future ‘yarn bombing’ events, we have a timetable set out here.

Racy Books and Carpet Underlay

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On a beautiful May, Whitsun morning 14 cleaners turned up in the Park to do a Spring clean for the Keep Britain Tidy, Great British Spring Clean. This included ‘the Professionals’, a group from Little Free Guiseley who have always supported our event, and do such great work every week of the year.

Litter Free Guiseley – were impresed with how clean the Park actually was; an accolade to the regular litter pickers for such a good job.

Amongst our finds on Sunday were, some old, crumbling, underlay with a stash of empty bottles underneath, an aged metal sign probably left from Cromptons, and a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey (which was put in the Kelcliffe Little Library). In the copse were two Menston Primary School Tops – we’ve left these on the natter bench by the Farm Gate to be collected.

A local resident has said she’ll make a collage from the rest of the rubbish found for display – that should be interesting !!

PARKINSON’S PARK, GREAT BRITISH SPRING CLEAN, 30 MAY, 10AM – 12 NOON

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As usual, Parkinson’s Park will be taking part in the Great British Spring Clean, run by Keep Britain Tidy. The Park clean up will take place on Sunday 30 May 2021, between 10am and 12 noon.

If you’d like to come and help tidy the Park, to get rid of all the rubbish and pieces of plastic from various activities, email us on parkinsonspark@gmail.com to book a litter picker and bag.

Please bring your own gloves and hand sanitisers. We have some nice new litter pickers for you to use. If it is fine you could bring a picnic and make it a family event.

Keep Britain Tidy are asking #litterheroes to let them know how many hours & minutes of litter-picking you will pledge during the Great British Spring Clean here. You can pledge as an individual or group

GUISELEY BRASS BAND

From Sunday 23rd May, Guiseley Brass Band will be using the Park for rehearsals (probably in the afternoon), weather permitting.