Crooklands Orchard has been the focus of events this October
Apple Juicing
How lucky were we with the weather this afternoon? It’s been a golden, autumn Sunday, and nothing better than having a good natter as we worked in a team to wash, chop, scratt and press the apple juice from local apples. It can now all be frozen for winter culinary use.
So that’s a wrap for this year’s apple harvest – we start again in deepest winter with a wassail, followed by tree pruning to ensure a good crop in 2024.
Thanks go to Vivien Hornsby Smith, Barbara Winfield, Susan Wright, Marguerite Clatworthy and husband, Peter Kirkby and Martyn Hornsby Smith.
Art In The Park
A lovely time was had by all the budding artists who attended the Art in the Park event in early October. It was held in the Orchard as there are a variety of views from that location. You can see some of the pictures produced in the photographs below.
Looking at the weather tomorrow afternoon it should be dry at least. However, after all the rain and drizzle the Park is becoming a mud bath, and not safe for us to use one area intensively as the mud will become slippy. We cannot really mitigate this on a risk assessment, especially when we are dealing with a consumable product.
So, we are going to set up the apple juicer at the end of the drive of the house on Kelcliffe Lane, where, it meets Oxford Avenue and the Sycamores. You will see us there.
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GATHER UP YOUR GARDEN APPLES AND COME ALONG TO OUR APPLE JUICING DAY JUST INSIDE THE FARM GATE OFF KELCLIFFE LANE
CHANGE OF VENUE TO PLEASE SEE POST FROM 28 OCTOBER ABOVE.
Apple Juicing Day 2022
Every year FOPP hires the apple juicing kit from Urban Harvest for local people to make use of all those unwanted apple crops that would otherwise go to waste.
This year there has been a mixed crop; some trees have done well but a lot haven’t. However, if you have some apples you’d like to make juice from bring them along to our community apple juicing day. The juice can be kept in a fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for use during winter.
All apples will be mixed together to create a blend and the juice shared out – bring a plastic container if you’d like some. It would be helpful if you can wash the apples before your bring them. Please don’t bring any apples that have blight, insect holes or are beginning to rot.
There are still apples around the Park to gather up. So we’ll be sending out foragers to gather those.
If it has rained make sure you have sturdy footwear, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Clean hands are also vital.
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Weather looking good; here’s the timetable for this afternoon’s events. There will also be refreshments and lots of stalls. Have a go on our fairground games fun for all the family and we have some great raffle and tombola prizes.
Please bring cash.
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The Queen’s Jubilee Plaque that was stolen last Christmas has now been refurbished and returned to its place under the Jubilee Tree which is part of the Queen’s Green Canopy. We’d like to thank everyone who helped in it’s return and repair.
We’d also like to thank Phil Todd, Gavin Birkett and the Honey Badgers Explorer Scout Unit (ESU) for creating a tree pit around the Jubilee Tree in July. And also to Phil Todd and Roger Garnett for putting the plaque back in place. Fingers cross there are no more Jubilee Tree happenings !
New Bug Hotel
Another casualty of vandalism was the old bug hotel, which had been made by the local cubs. However, we are very pleased that Year 4 from Guiseley Primary School helped us create a lovely new one in July. The hotel is in the top copse which was cleared and tidied. Then it was built using waste wood and pallets, the children then filled it with a variety of bricks, pipes, wood and cones – donated and collected by various people.
Atop the new hotel is a shiny new name plate. We hope the bugs enjoy using it
Children’s Gala 2023
We are pleased to announce this year’s Children’s Gala on 3rd September, the theme is Superheroes.
Heritage Open Day
FoPP will be taking part in Heritage Open Days this year with a talk and film on the social life of Crompton Prakinson’s on 8th September, 2pm in St Oswald’s Church, where there will also be a display of Crompton’s memorabilia. Details here.
Frank Parkinson, known as Britain’s shyest millionaire in the 1930’s, together with brother Albert, ran a family business in Guiseley that was also a highly renown international company. Their staff were at the heart of this successful company, and the brothers ensured that there was a full programme of social activities.
The event involves an introduction to the Parkinson brothers and their legacy by Jennifer Kirkby of Friends of Parkinson’s Park, followed by a film made by ex Crompton employee David Myers, ‘MEMORIES OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT CROMPTON PARKINSON’S GUISELEY FACTORY‘ as remembered by staff. It features the Children’s Gala, Horticultural Show, Annual Events and the legacy of the Parkinson brothers which continues into 2023.
St Oswald’s will also be running an open day on 9th September. Details here.
FoPP has been getting creative as our own contribution to My LEEDS Summer a Leeds 2023 Programme of Community Events in each of the 33 wards of the City.
THIS EVENT WAS CANCELLED ON 14TH JULY, DUE TO BAD WEATHER FORECAST
On Saturday 15th July 2023, we’re inviting you to come and draw or paint in Crookland’s Orchard, between 11am and 12.30pm. Bring a sketchbook, and spend a lovely mindful hour being creative. There will be a local artist available to offer informal advice and suggestions. It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned artist or a newbie, all welcome.
Bring a cushion or garden chair as well and maybe a picnic lunch or light refreshment.
There will also be an art table for children where FoPP will supply the materials. (Children should be accompanied by a parent or carer.)
If it is wet, we will cancel the event.
Crooklands Orchard in Parkinson’s Park
ART EMBROIDERY
Members of FoPP have also been busy creating art works for the Good Grief Guiseley, Community Art Embroidery Project. This is an exhibition of embroidered photographs of evocative food memories – food or meals shared with loved ones from our past. With each picture there is a story to share with those of the present.
In all, thirty people contributed an embroidered or embellished picture to the exhibition, which was organized by Good Grief Guiseley, supported by Dying Matters and Leeds 2023, and led by Daisy Croft Crafts.
The Exhibition was first shown on Sunday 2nd July at The Feast – Guiseley & Rawdon My Leeds Summer Celebration , and has now moved to Otley Courthouse where you can have a coffee in the cafe, whilst you read through the stories. There are some really lovely and poignant contributions. The exhibition will be there for the month of July.
Good Grief Guiseley Art Exhibition in Otley Courthouse
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A thoroughly enjoyable evening last night as the guests of Aireborough Historical Society who invited David Myers and myself to talk about the History of Parkinson’s Park, and show some of the films that David has made in the past about the legacy of Frank and Albert Parkinson.
The association of the site of the Park with Frank and Albert Parkinson began in 1918 when the first F & A Parkinson Ltd works was built on Netherfield Road in order to produce electrical motors.
One of the slides from the History of Parkinson’s Park
Hedgerows are an important habitat for both plants and wildlife. Here in the Yorkshire South Pennines we tend to have dry stone walls (also an important habitat but for different wildlife), but there are hedges too; many originally planted as ‘quick hedges’.
The Park has several hedges, the big one along Kelcliffe Lane, planted in the early 20th century from hawthorn: it now has a mix of species, including some cyclamen in Autumn. FoPP has added to the species mix via the Jubilee and Queens Green canopy projects.
Kitchen Table Teacher (whom you may have seen at the Children’s Gala) will be running an Easter Trail in Parkinson’s Park for Primary age children over the Easter holidays, with educational activities at each of the Park Benches.
Easter Decorations, particularly of the fabric, knitted and crochet kind, can also be added to the celebration tree when you visit
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The bottom of the Park is fairly wet, and there is a lot of willow growing there. A few years ago FOPP decided to make use of this and create a Willow Walk. Money was raised from the Co-Op Community Fund throughout 2021/22 and yesterday (16 March 2023) the first part of the Walk was put in place – a willow tunnel to form the entrance.
ART EMBROIDERY 
Friends of Parkinson's Park CIC 
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