I wandered lonely as a cloud ……

Posted on March 1, 2019 by

Well, we haven’t quite reached Wordsworth’s standards but over the years the Friends have planted many daffodil bulbs in the Park courtesy of the charity Groundwork who work to provide ‘green places’  with the aim that People who live in places that are greener, cleaner and safer are healthier and happier.

On this St David’s Day here are some of the photos of the work that has been done .

Dydd Gwyl Dewi ‘Hapus i bawb.   Happy St David’s Day to All.

Enhancing the gate at ‘Old Man’s Corner.

Brightening up Jubilee Walk

Hillside Entrance – photo Vikki Clayton

Posted in Ecology

Winter Work

Posted on January 31, 2019 by

The New Year has seen a number of maintenance jobs completed around the Park.   Firstly,  woodchip has been laid on the bottom path to help making walking easier.   Thanks to Shaun Smith and helper from Elite Garden Maintenance for this.

Next, we have had work done to fix the broken gates, and to replace the vandalised gate on the Kelcliffe Lane entrance.  Thanks to Ian Walker for this.

Finally,  we have started renovating some of the old apple trees; this one is the one that is thought to be a cider apple tree, and was rather a thicket.   We had the hawthorn tree growing too close removed, and have then pruned the apple tree back by around the recommended 25%  to start forming an ‘open goblet’ shape.  We’ll continue the work on the shape in future years.   Hopefully, this will help improve the quality of the fruit – if we have done it right.

Apple Tree Before Pruning

Apple Tree After Pruning

Posted in Ecology, Facilities, Regeneration

Lunar Eclipse Over Parkinson’s Park

Posted on January 21, 2019 by

Super Blood Wolf Moon 21st January 2019

Lunar eclipse over Parkinson’s Park around 4.40am, this is nearly total eclipse. Across the moon are some tree branches. As the eclipse became almost total, some birds began to sing. This is as close as I can get it to what it looked like with the naked eye.

This type of occurance is called a Super Blood Wolf Moon and is a rare phenomenon, caused in part when a lunar eclipse makes the surface of a full moon appear a reddish hue while seeming brighter and closer to earth than normal.  Astronomers are particularly interested in this year’s blood moon as it is the last of its kind for two years.

Tomorrow, a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter will appear in the east sky before sunrise on January 22, showing the two bright planets 2.4 degrees from each other.

(Super Moon information taken from the Sunday Telegraph.)
Posted in Uncategorized

Learning to Wassail

Posted on January 20, 2019 by

To get the Community Orchard into good shape and renovate some of the old apple trees in the Park some of the Friends are attending pruning courses run by the Orchard Project. We are also lucky to have people from the Northen Fruit Growers Association in the area to advise us, as well as the RHS at Harlow Carr.

So, on a cold (-2 degrees) January morning we set off to Tingley to learn how to renovate apple trees and also how to do an Orchard Wassail, an old Anglo Saxon customer to encourage healthy orchards:  ‘waes hael’ means ‘good health’.

For us the Wassail  involved, soaking the tree roots in rough cider, singing a Wassail folk tune, hanging cider soaked toast on the pruned trees, and eating ‘cake and ale’ (or in our case, as we were driving, warm, spiced apple juice).   You can also process through the orchard making a noise with pots and pans to drive away ‘bad spirits’, and dress up as mummers.

An Orchard Wassail is done on ‘Twelfth Night’ – although this could be the modern calendar date of 6th January or the old calendar of 17th January.  We thought that next year we’d give it a go and have our own Parkinson’s Park wassail event.

If anyone would like to help organize it let us know – parkinsonspark@gmail.com.

Posted in Ecology, Events

2019 Parkinson’s Park Events

Posted on January 16, 2019 by

Our 2019 Events will be as follows: over the year we may well add in new events and confirm dates when we know them.  We’ve also added several significant local and national anniversaries.

EVENTS

24th March – 10.30am Great British Spring Clean

Spring – Wildflower Planting (date to be confirmed)

June – Christmas Lights Summer Market Continue reading →

Posted in Events

New Year In The Planning

Posted on January 12, 2019 by

The Friends of Parkinson’s Park would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.   Planning is now underway for the 2019 maintenance and event schedule for the Park and now is the time for ideas for Park improvements or events you would like to  get involved in – email us on parkinsonspark@gmail.com with suggestions.

Work on trees safety has already been done by Meadfleet, and we are planning on putting more woodchip paths down just as soon as we’ve sourced supplies and funds.  The Farmgate is in need of repair, along with the latches on two other gates, and that is in hand.  We will also be installing a new gate near the top bench to replace the one that got vandalised Continue reading →

Posted in Friends

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM PARLIAMENT

Posted on December 21, 2018 by

Posted in Friends

OUR 6TH LANTERN PARADE

Posted on December 17, 2018 by

Considering the dreadful weather the night before,  we were very lucky again with the Lantern Parade that the weather held.  Everyone came together to have another hour of fun bringing in the Parkinson’s Park lanterns from the Park to the Town Cross, and singing carols to the sound of Guiseley Brass Band.

This is a truly community affair with many different people doing their part and giving of their time and skill.   The cast list this year was as follows and we’d like to thank everyone.

PROJECT MANAGERS
Parade – Jennifer Kirkby
Refreshments – Chris Parapia
Music and Announcers – Vivien Hornsby Smith

MUSIC AND ANNOUNCERS
Guiseley Brass Band
Drums- Jacob Phillips, Codswallop
– Variety of Children
Welcome – Micky Munro (Guiseley Baptists)
Carol calling – Roger Smith (Guiseley Methodists)
Blessing – David Pickett (St Oswalds)

LANTERN CARRIERS
Peter Kirkby
Martyn Smith
Brian Gill
Diane Gill
Andy Cheetham
Jack Cheetham
Stuart Andrew
Michelle Phillips
LANTERNS MADE BY Lucy Phillips

REFRESHMENTS
Chris Parapia
Barbara Winfield
Guiseley Working Mens Club
Sian Cartwright – Buns and pies

MARSHALLS
Josie Brooks
Davide Tkac
Jennifer Kirkby
Vivien Hornsby Smith
Nicola Parkinson
Leekie Parapia
Carolone Herries – Carol Sheets

PHOTOGRAPHY
Leekie Parapia

STREET DRESSING
Karen Smith and Residents

ADVENT TREE DRESSING
Little Friends of Parkinson’s Park

SPONSORS
PA System – Cllr Graham Latty/Andy Cheetham
Blue Residential
Woodchip – Brooks Ecological
Gazebo – Guiseley Lights

PUBLICITY
Leaflet Design – Lucy Phillips
Churches – Vivien Hornsby Smith
Digital – Jennifer Kirkby
Delivery – Becky James and children
Josie Brooks

If there is something you would like to do on next year’s parade just let us know – we are always open to all ideas.

 

 

Posted in Events

LANTERN PARADE ARRANGMENTS

Posted on December 15, 2018 by

Well the Friends’ 6th annual Lantern Parade takes place tomorrow; we are looking forward to it, and hoping for decent weather.

Below is the route we will take led by the large Lanterns and the Sound of the Mill band. If you want to join in the band be in the park for 3.45pm and talk with Jacob Phillips who will have some spare ‘implements’.

Make sure you pick up a carol sheet either when you come in or when you leave the Park – they will be by the Farmgate which is our exit route.

Bring wellies, and lanterns.

This year a number of people on the route have decorated their gardens so big thanks to them.

As last year, we’ll stop in Kelcliffe Grove for a few minutes for people with little ones to catch up. Please do keep to the pavements, and if there are any problems there will be a number of marshalls in ‘yellow vests’ as well as first aid and a fire blanket !!

If the weather is too wet, we’ll take a rain check at lunchtime and move the event to Guiseley Methodist Church. We’ll still parade down from the Park at 4pm with whoever wants to do that, but the carols will be from 4.20pm in the Methodist Hall. Check on Facebook or the website  to see if we’ve decided to do this.

Finally, there will be two photographers taking pictures, so if there is anyone who does not want to appear in a photograph that may be used for publicity please tell one of the marshalls.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Posted in Uncategorized

LOCAL GIVING MATCH FUNDING – GROW A TENNER

Posted on December 10, 2018 by

THIS HAS NOW ENDED. Friends of Parkinson’s Park are asking people to help raise money for our annual events eg  Children’s Gala,  Lantern Parade,  Apple Day,  Bird Watching through Localgiving’s Grow Your Tenner 2018 match funding campaign.

Grow Your Tenner 2018 will start tomorrow on 11th December 2018 at 10am and will run until the match funding runs out (or 10th January 2019 – whichever comes first).

People can donate Continue reading →

Posted in Friends