Friends of Parkinson's Park CIC

Tales Told Festival in Parkinsons Park – Events 7 – 15 July 2017

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

Parkinson’s Park is the venue for three of the events run during The Tales Told Festival – 7th -15th July 2017. The Festival is run by Codswallop CIC and details of the full programme can be found here.

EVENTS

9th July 2017, 12 – 4pm – A Day In The Woods – An event for children to make dens, learn about birds and survival with Forest Found.

10th July 2017, 10 – 11am – A walk around Parkinson’s Park with Jennifer Kirkby to hear about the history we uncovered during the Heritage Lottery Funded, All Our Stories research. Meet by the Farm Gate.

15th July 2017, 7.30 -10pm – A lantern parade from Guiseley Continue reading →

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Successful Coffee Morning

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

Well, the weather was kind, the help was plentiful and the cakes were ‘scrummy’. Our Coffee morning last Saturday 4th raised £175 for our Children’s Gala and Lantern parade. We’d like to thank everyone involved, from those who manned stalls, baked cakes, grew plants for sale, helped in the organizations and donated prizes. We’d also like to thank those who came along and supported us. Special thanks go to Susan Wright at Whitaker Firth Solicitor for allowing us to use her premises, making the refreshments and generally being a unique community asset.

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Park Improvements – Bog Garden and Orchard – Can You Help?

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

The Bog Garden near Nethercliffe has now undergone a complete overhaul by Open Country. The issue with the liner has been addressed and some new soil put in. Then, plants such as Ragged Robin, Water Aven, Yellow Flag Iris and Water Forget Me Nots have been planted around the edges. Local residents are keeping the new garden watered in the dry weather, if you can help with this that would be really useful.

In the recent visit by Alan Thornton from the Orchard Project, he recommended some tidying work for the Community Orchard. This will be done on the 25th May, at 9.30am. If you would like to help, please come and join us.

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Development of a 20th Century Park

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

We have acquired a number of pictures of the Park as it developed over the years.

This is the earliest picture we have of the Park taken around 1926 just before F & A Parkinson merged with Crompton & Co to form Crompton Parkinson’s. The Park is still grazing fields, some belonged to Kelcliffe Farm, and some to Dibb’s a local grocer. You can see the field walls and a small pump house near where the top copse is now – the ground there still gets very wet. The area with the trees was called Clapper Brow with a link to an historic rabbit warren. The large field had been called Potterton Brow after a 16th/17th century tenant.

This is probably the late 1930s (we think 1938) Continue reading →

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NEWS UPDATE – Park Maintenance and Events

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

Just a few updates on ‘happenings’

Forest School

Last Sunday’s Forest School for the Little Friends of Parkinsons Park went very well. The day was lovely and Amanda Newham from Chevin Forest School brought lots of activities for the 19 youngsters to do – all related to the natural environment. We will be looking to hold more such events in the Park in the Future. Photo by Liakat Parapia.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Further to the issue with bonfires being lit in the Park. The Police have now been notified and will follow up several lines of enquiry we have given them. In addition, FOPP attended the Guiseley and Rawdon Forum meeting on Wednesday 17th May, to talk to the Police and Local Councillors about the issue.

The Police informed us that there is a ban on drinking within the parks in Guiseley including Parkinson’s Park: and that they will be patrolling in the Park more regularly. They added that the ban was due to be expanded to drugs!! One lady also that she had seen torches in the Park late at night and heard gunshots; this was a surprise to many; has anyone else heard gunshot?

Aireborough Housing Needs Survey

Local groups are being asked to promote a Housing Needs Survey being run in Aireborough by Leeds City Council. The intention is to use the information to look at development plans. Currently Leeds City Council Continue reading →

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Fund Raising – Coffee Morning 3rd June

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

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The Sound of the Birds

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

We had a beautiful morning this morning for our walk through the Park with birder Linda Jenkinson of Start Birding Linda pointed out the different bird calls she heard, and gave us an idea of the differences and how to recognize them. We also learnt a lot about the ‘life’ of a bird, how it acts at different seasons, and the different types of habitat. Birds we heard (or saw)

Blackbird
Blackcap
Buzzard circling overhead
ChiffChaff
Crow
Coal Tit
Dunnock – used to be called a hedge sparrow
Goldcrest
Magpie
Robin
Starling
Whitethroat
Willow warbler
Wren, apparently one of the most common birds
Flock of racing pigeons
Wood Pigeon

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Longer Evenings Bring Fire Hazard

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

Longer nights bring out the people who like to light ‘camp’ fires in the bottom copse and by the top bench. This is obviously dangerous and to be discouraged. The park can get dry, there is a lot of trees and scrub, and it runs very close to the houses on Bellway. There was an incident last night, where local residents had to put out a fire lit by a ‘group of lads’, who also left debris scattered around. If you see anything that needs reporting to the Police, then call 101 after an event, or 999 during an event.

We have set up Parkwatch so that if people see such incidents they can send out a quick alert and the matter can be dealt with as appropriately and reported. If you’d like to join Parkwatch email us on parkinsonspark@gmail.com. It might stop a serious event occurring that endangers life and property.

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Working Party Saturday 13th May 10am – Noon.

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Jennifer Inskip Kirkby

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Welcome to Parkinson’s Park

Posted on May 10, 2017 by andyeyeam

Parkinson’s Park sits on the hillside behind the old Crompton Parkinson site on Netherfield Road: access is via entrances on Kelcliffe Lane, Greenshaw Terrace, Parkinson Way, Nethercliffe Crescent and Hillside Avenue. This historic area was given to the people of Guiseley to use as a park by Frank & Albert Parkinson in the 1930’s: it has been used for walks, play, and events ever since . Now owned by Bellway Homes, basic maintenance is done by Meadfleet The Friends of Parkinson’s Park CIC (FOPP) was set up to once again make the Park an attractive green space for community use and events, whilst helping to manage its varied natural habitats. On these pages you can read the history, examine the ecology and sign up to follow and comment on progress – as well as tell us your own stories of the park.