Thursday 10th July 2024 at 7.00pm
Meeting on The Bandstand, West Ham Park
Attendees
Alan Cooper (Incoming Chair), Ricky O’Garro (Senior Park Ranger), Dries Indesteege, Nicky Brown, Roger Jones, Ron Innell, Marion Innell, Yvonne Brouwers, Helen Mossop, Pat Mossop, Eugene Czauderna, Ute Saatz, Pearl Saunders,, Jules Maurice-Williams, Ian McDondald, Jules Maurice-Williams, Des Blake, and Lyndsay Jones
Apologies
Charlotte Cook (Outgoing Chair),Ciaran O’Keefe (Formal Parks Manager, North London), Bill LoSasso, Superintendent North London open spaces, Lucia Rios-Steele, John Rands
Introduction
Alan welcomed everyone to the meeting. As deputy chair, it was agreed unanimously that he will take over as chair. Other roles will be agreed at the formal AGM part of the meeting
Minutes of the last meeting
Minutes from the meeting on 8 May 2025 were agreed as a correct record
Treasurer’s Report
We have £2583.84 in hand, after receiving a grant of £500 from the Philanthropunks, towards the costs of ParkFest. Thanks to Nicky for making this contact.
Report from Formal Parks Manager
Ricky reported that the water play area is working properly (at last!) and the contract for its future care and maintenance has been given to the original installer. Hopefully it will now be trouble free
The new planting bordering the playground and the mounds is growing well, apart from one species of small bush (Sarcococca) which will need to be replaced with a more suitable one for the poor soil. There is still a problem with foxes chewing through the water bags around the new trees. Alan asked if a Thames Water hosepipe ban would apply to the park. Ricky responded that businesses are exempt
The Exchange Library and Reading Corner has been well received, books are being exchanged regularly. Thanks to Dries, Ron and Marion for all their work in preparing this addition to the Park.
General bench repairs are still to be completed, but should be done this month
All trees are inspected regularly but the occasional fall of branches is nature at work, and cannot always be foreseen
The Green Flag and Heritage awards have been regained for this year, and the London in Bloom judge seemed happy with everything, especially the Vegetable Garden and the new Book Exchange Library, so we hope for a good result
Publicity and Media
Newham Voices. Marion will write about the story of the Pearly Kings and Queens, who are opening ParkFest, for the August edition. Lyndsay will write a review of ParkFest for September. Articles need to be with Nicky by 15th of the previous month
Our Facebook page had 7000 views last month. Nicky posts a picture or comment most days. There have been several enquiries for stalls at ParkFest since the banners went up. Nicky’s work on the design of these, and all our material, was praised by all
ParkFest – 151st Anniversary Celebrations, 13th July 2025
Roger thanked everyone for all their help in planning this event. He has issued detailed plans of how it will work, and it was agreed that everyone knew what to do on the day
Consultation Meeting regarding proposed changes to CoLC management of the Park
A number of the Friends had a discussion with the consultants the CoLC have engaged to review the opportunities for increasing the revenue and grants etc that each CoLC open space charity could attract. They emphasised their research was treating each location as having unique opportunities and this was only about increasing income and not organisation or legal status etc. We shared our significant concerns with them. They promised to share the results of their analysis with the Friends Group
Ongoing Activities
• Vegetable Garden. All is well and volunteers continue to visit. Eugene will have the garden open for ParkFest
• Butterfly Surveys have started and will be done monthly. A group of women, Sustainably Muslim, may be interested in helping or having an introductory walk
• Health Walks and Litter Picking are ongoing
• The new Office Support Assistant, Ayesha, is keen to help with the survey, so hopefully we will be able to cover the whole area once again
• The Exchange Library and reading bench have been so well received, it was suggested that a children’s box could be added. The “Chatty Bench” idea was also mentioned again
POST MEETING NOTE: It is agreed that this should be a separate bench, as it is observed that both adults and children have been seen reading quietly on the bench by the box
Links and Affiliations with other Environmental Groups
Nicky, Lyndsay and Roger had taken part in a LFGN visit to RHS Wisley to see and experience the research and work they have been undertaking on planting, management and rainfall/water management for a changing and more extreme climate. There were some transferable lessons that could be used in West Ham Park and Roger had sent a note of these to Ricky
We have continued to help The Friends of Beckton Park in establishing their group. Beckton Park is likely to be the location of Newham’s Green Fair in 2026
The upgrade of the Park’s SINC status to Borough, rather than Local importance, still rests with LB Newham. We await their updated Local Plan
Grant Applications
We have no grant applications pending at the moment
Future Events
Dries suggested a Christmas Market, but it was generally felt that there are lots of these now and stall holders would be unlikely to make enough sales in the park.
• ParkFest – 13th July
• Bat Walks – 29th August and 26th September
• Leaf Pile –16th November – leaves permitting!
• Park in the Dark – 5th December.
Future Meeting Dates in 2024
Second Thursday every other month. These will all be Zoom meetings except the AGM, which will be held on the Bandstand.
NOTE DATE CHANGE: Thursday 18th September
Thursday 13th November
AOB
Yvonne asked about the Learning Team activities in the park, and whether they were fully inclusive of children with learning difficulties. Ricky advised that the schools involved bring their whole class, and that there is no local separate Special Needs school
Annual General Meeting
Alan read out Charlotte’s annual report as outgoing chair. This is shown below
Dries was agreed to act as new Deputy Chair, many thanks Dries!
It was agreed that everyone was happy to continue with their current roles:
Treasurer, Marion; Events and Education, Lucia; Communications, Nicky; Nursery Site Coordinator, Jules; External Liaison, Roger and Alan; Membership Secretary, Ron; Meetings Secretary, Lyndsay
The minutes of the AGM held in 2024 were agreed as a correct account
The meeting closed at 20.59
Chair’s address
Firstly, my thanks to Alan for deputising for me today. I am sorry not to be with you, particularly in what should have been my last formal outing with you as Chair.
It has been a fabulous three years for me, and I take this opportunity to thank everybody for all their support and assistance with me in this role. You are a fabulous bunch, and I will certainly continue to be actively involved in all Friends matters once I hand on the mantle of chairmanship.
As such, to my address to you on what has been, yet again, a fabulous year for the Friends.
We started last July with the celebration of the Park’s 150th year, and what an amazing weekend that was.
It was fabulous to be able to showcase our Park, and particularly the things that the Friends do so well, in that celebration. To be frank – they could not have done it without us!
And we will continue that with this weekend’s ParkFest 25!
I am so proud that the Friends are more than capable of matching the might of the Corporation of London in our celebration of all things park related.
Particular thanks to Roger and Lindsey for spearheading the arrangements here, but of course we could not do any of our events without the support of all of the Friends and the wider community.
Here’s to ParkFest 26…
That wider community in action was also evidenced by the group activities carried out last year, featuring much work with spades and digging – the planting of the hedgerow around the playground (with thanks to our “friends in the north” for their financial support here) and in the planting of the mounds.
I am particularly exciting to see the results of the latter, and especially in its attracting greater wildlife activity.
The Park’s work also continues as regards trees and how we can work to help those survive the projected climate change. We’ve had such testing weather over the past year – the heatwave we have been experiencing over the last couple of weeks is testament to that.
I am not sure how many of us can remember back to the winter months when the Park saw a number of closures due to the wind speeds.
But we are here, whatever the weather…well, save when we have to cancel “eye to the skies”!
Butterfly hunting was a great part of last year, and we hope to see the impact of the newly planted mounds retaining butterfly numbers.
And as ever, Newham’s Biggest Leaf Pile was a great success. It was wonderful to see the Mayor of Newham in attendance – seeing her, clad in that fabulous yellow cagoule, will remain one of the highlights of last year for me!
Showcasing what the Friends do is so important – so here particular thanks to Nicky for her amazing social media campaigns. We do still need to work on our messaging out there, and of course to continue to encourage more involvement in Friends’ membership and management. New ideas and new members will keep us young.
Autumn last year saw the inaugural Halloween event, with the Friends helping the Corporation of London. There were some fabulous outfits to be seen.
Likewise, Park in the Dark was, as ever, complete fun. Hot chocolate, mince pies, glowsticks, and singing. What’s not to like?!
And those events also allow use to seek donations “in kind” (by way of foodbank donations) as the price of entry to our events, continuing the Friends’ decision not to charge financial contributions to those attending. Whilst the demographic of our vicinity continues to change, I believe our mission remains to ensure that Friends’ events can and are as widely attended as possible – and that we are open to all, whatever their financial circumstances.
Which is not to say that we should not seek financial support where we can – but that should not determine who attends our events.
And talking of free events, how wonderful is the new “mini lending library”? Thanks to those who were involved in the painting of this, and of course the supply of the books. It is wonderful to see them being loaned, shared, and always replaced. Perhaps 2025-26 will be a year for further promotion of the “Chatty Benches” as the Park itself works to repair and replace the damaged benches within the Park itself.
Thank you also to those involved in the Friends support at the Newham Green Fair. Whilst not in the Park, this did allow us to showcase Friends’ activities.
And of course, the usual day to day activities at the Park should not go unnoticed – thanks to all those involved in any of the same, including the vegetable garden and nature garden works, bird and butterfly surveys, and of course everyone who greets those in the park and shares their love for it amongst other park users.
The Park will be operating under the auspices of its new Management Plan 2025/2035 from now on in, and the Friends were very pleased to be able to contribute to the same. Likewise, our recent meetings with the Corporation of London’s representatives in connection with fundraising matters have allowed us to showcase both the Friends’ work and our commitment to all Park activities, and our desire to ensure that the Park remains open and accessible to all, as was originally the intention by its original benefactors, to the people of the local area.
As Friends we must acknowledge continued concerns over fundraising activity, and the stated demands placed on the City of London. The Friends have continued to work with the Park to support it in its work, and I am sure we will continue to do the same for a number of years going forward.
And so, to end on a fabulous note, I look forward to seeing everybody on Sunday at ParkFest 25. Again, thanks to all involved in the organisation of this.
The Friends are not any individual one of us, but how we work together as a team, always in the best interests of the Park.
We will shortly “come of age” – turning 21 in 2026 – so perhaps even more room for celebration and parties?
Thank you once again for supporting me in my three year period as Chair. It has been a privilege to do so.