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@kingsnortonpark
March 2014 - ADDED DETAILS APRIL, MAY & JUNE
Dear friend of Kings Norton Park
Fingers crossed, the deluge season stops soon and the suns
breaks through lasts and feeds us the crocus and daffodils. Purple, yellow and white is peeping though
our borders to bring that refreshing splash of spring colour. During
the dark early months of the year we have been considering some new ventures,
some things we should revisit and how we as a community support the environment
and encourage out of doors activities to suit all tastes and abilities.
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We commence 2014 by thanking
everyone who has managed to do
something towards helping to keep
our flower beds neat, to litter pick,
help to organise or take part in
environmental activities and events,
who has explored or put in bids,
represented us at other green forums,
attended training, purchased new
equipment or carried out the essential
but less than glamorous administration
and financial functions all of which
are equally valuable and enhance
experiences in our park. Thank you.
everyone who has managed to do
something towards helping to keep
our flower beds neat, to litter pick,
help to organise or take part in
environmental activities and events,
who has explored or put in bids,
represented us at other green forums,
attended training, purchased new
equipment or carried out the essential
but less than glamorous administration
and financial functions all of which
are equally valuable and enhance
experiences in our park. Thank you.
relies very much upon the contribution of volunteers and a continued good working relationship with our Birmingham City Parks Department, local ranger team, wider support of elected representatives and other local groups. We encourage joint working for and hope local people and groups will link up to deliver projects or events - please do get in touch there is something for everyone.
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Birmingham City Council has just set another budget which significantly
reduces spending on essential services which will change the face of the public
services. The Government is cutting back on funding for
local councils. No matter what our point of view may be regarding making cuts,
it cannot be denied it will have an impact on vulnerable people in our
community. One thing we can do is try to help improve the experience of local
residents who will be affected could be to help protect our natural environment for the future and in
those surroundings develop activities which does not cost families large sums
of money.
The Friends of Kings Norton Park voiced its concerns about
budget cuts during the consultation process, we made representations to other
groups, attended public meetings and responded online because initially BCC
were proposing devastating losses to parks - many jobs and play areas were to go
and services were to be withdrawn.
A
budget rethink by the Council was welcomed Our Friends group was concerned at one
point that there was an implication that volunteering could be used as an
alternative to trained directly employed staff.
Birmingham Open Spaces Forum (BOSF) facilitated joined up working with other
parks and green groups across Birmingham which may have influenced a BCC Parks
Budget rethink to a reduced £600k cut instead of a £2m (since then I have heard
an extra £400k cut has been added) BOSF
and BCC has piloted a
BeActive initiative in 5 of the city’s parks and through public
health policies is extending this provision to 50 more outdoor spaces – we may
be fortunate to become one. It will
bring funding for healthy activities which do not necessarily have to be sporty.
Our Friends are clear that we have only
achieved any improvements to our park because of the positive working
relationship we have with BOSF and parks staff, especially our Constituency
Parks Manager, Sue Amey and local rangers from the Lickey Hills hub. If you are interested delivering activities in
Kings Norton Park please let me know, coaches will need to get insured and undergo
normal safeguarding checks.
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Our Friends group does not charge for membership and relies
on donations. If you wish to make a
donation please do so at one of events.
2014
Activities Update
January was a complete wash out so we started planning.
February we were off site at Ley Hills Park
for Freshwater Vertebra Network Training a project with Birmingham Black
Country Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency, encouraging local groups and
residents to help survey parts of rivers and their tributaries to support fish,
invertebrate, small mammals and birds. www.yourstream.org.uk Friends of Kings
Norton Park will test the river rea inside its stretch of the park during this
year at the same time some upriver groups like Balams Wood, Friends of River
Rea and Friends of Kings Norton Nature Reserve.
We were trained to identify various types of stream life eg) moth and
fly larvae, bugs, shells, mites and worms. I discovered under a microscope they
are fascinating and far more attractive than I imaged. We were shown how to identify different types
of pollution too and were let loose, with wellies and nets, into Merritt’s
Brook and the Bourn. The resulted pleased
the experts and were submitted as part of a national survey. If you want to learn how to test the water
or have a local group of people who would like to take part in our testing
later in the year please get in touch.
Day two of our training will take place in onsite on Friday 28 March at 11am;
meet at the POD on this occasion. 
March we have sprung into action installing
our new lockable Friends noticeboard purchased with funds from Big Lottery and
installed by our wonderful Rangers, Steve, Adam, Dave and Robert – may thanks. This will act as focal point for sharing
information and compliment to the BlogSpot.
We also invited Lee Copplestone to explain WaterCare UK projects aims and
what we might achieve together, for example raising water course cleanliness,
opening up a view to the canal, however, but these rely on your support. Together we litter picked along the canal
feeder in the playing fields In just 1½ hours
10 bags of rubbish were collected a bit
concerning!
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Our committee meeting was held on Friday 14 March 2pm at the
Lickey Hills the rangers and Lee Copplestone were able to join us - thanks for the venue an coffee chaps! A very productive and enjoyable planning meeting sharing great ideas.
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April Two accessible picnic tables have been
ordered. We are awaiting delivery and installation and thinking of siting one
in the Park by the children’s playground next to the canal feeder and the other
in a quieter spot behind the Library overlooking the playing fields. Tell us what you think.
2014
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Notable
Dates
INFORMATION
ONLY
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FRIENDS of KNP EVENTS
Check noticeboard & Blog for updates
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PROGRESS
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January
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27-Holocaust
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×
Friday January 3 rained off
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FIN & Keep Britain Tidy
Explore Be Active Parks
Materials for memorial activity
Reports request SA
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February
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20
World Social Justice
17
half-term
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×
Friday February 7 activity at Ley Hills Park - Fin Training attended
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FIN
training course or litter pick
Assess
flower beds
Programme
2014
A4A
Monitoring form
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March
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1 St David’s
8 Int Women’s Day
16 St Patricks Day
21 Int Eliminate Racial Discrimination
22 KNNR clean up
24 KNHS Talk
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× Tues 4 March BCC
Budget Set
× Friday 7 March 10.30am
Friends active in Park
× Sat 8 Farmers
Market stall 9am
× Mon 10 March
BOSF meet 5pm
× Friday 14 March
2 pm group meet at Lickeys Hills
× Friday 21 March
WB&DC planning 12pm Library
× Friday 28 March
FIN Day2 11am meet at POD in playing field
× Friday 28 March
NEF Oddingly Hall 2pm
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Budget cuts engagement
Litter pick canal feeder playfields
Install noticeboard
BOSF Insurance
Lock on POD
Order paint for benches
AGM social talk, food & music Walk
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April
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18-
21 Easter Weekend
23
St Georges Day
28
Workers Memorial
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×
Friday 4 April Friends active in Park - flower beds
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NEW Friday 25 April Walk talk stay play - local history walk quiz little ones activity in park and refreshments in Old Grammar School . Meet 11am at The Green, to Playing Fields, Canal, Park and nature reserves.
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Plant
up Memorial Garden Bed
Plan
activities for Be Active
Install
Picnic benches
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May
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1 Int Workers Day
5 May Day B/H
17 KNNR Open Day
26 May Spring B/H
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× NEW Friday 2 May Friends and FIN River Rea dipping and finding underworld waterlife. Join us at 1`0.30am meet in Car Park.
- NEW Friday 16 May Waterside sampling care for the canal feeder & Lint Brook working with keep Britian tidy - litter pick too.
× Sat 17 May KNNR Open
day activities
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Flower Bed Tidy
AGM social plans
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June
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5
World Environment
20 Refugee Day
23
World Public Service
16 June BOSF AGM
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×
Friday 6 June Friends active in Park
× NEW Friday 13 June evening social at Kings Norton with AGM talk music food and social at Kings Norton Bowling Club at 7pm
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Tues
24 June 6pm NCEF
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Prepare
memorial activity
Officers elections on 13 June
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July
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Sat 5 July Cocomad
11 World population
18 Nelson Mandela
25 July Love Parks Wk
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× Friday 4 July Friends
active in Park
× Saturday 12 July Kings Norton Festival - conflict and peace poppy making and messages
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Plan River Rea sampling
Stain glass windows nature images
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August
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4
WWI commemorate
12
Youth Day
23
Anti-slavery Day
25
Summer B/H
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×
Friday 1 Aug Friends active in Park
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Sat 16 Aug - Balsam Bash canal feeder
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Balsam
clearance
Keep
Britain Tidy
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Sept
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11-14 Heritage wknd
21 Int Day of Peace
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× Friday 5 Sept Friends
active in Park
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Sat 20 group meet 11am Library
× Tues 30 Sept 2pm NCEF
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River Rea Sampling
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October
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31
Halloween
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×
Friday 3 Oct Friends active in Park
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Meadow
cut collect mow seed
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November
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11 Remembrance Sunday
16 Tolerance
25 Elimination of violence against women
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× Friday 7 Nov Friends
active in Park
× Sat 25 Nov group
meet 11am Library
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Playing fields canal clean up
Review of 2014
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December
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1
World Aids Day
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× Friday
5 Dec Friends active in Park
× Friday 12 Dec
12 pm NCEF
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Planning
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2015
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WB&D Canal
Bicentenary Celebration
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×
June/July (tbc)
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In conjunction WB&DCS and local community
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June You may have noticed we are going
to try something a bit different this year for our AGM we would like grow an
evening with more of a social emphasis.
Considering an interesting talk, followed by music, food and possibly a
bar. If you fancy this sort of an event or
have any suggestions on a suitable local venue, refreshment or entertainment
providers please share. Likewise for any
future skills share, funding opportunities or reliable contacts - the more
active we become the more likely we are to see things we want to in our park.
These dates are subject to postponement due to inclement weather or last minute changes to best check your weather app, our notice board or this blog.
Hope
to see you soon!
From FoKNP committee members Lynn, Dinny, Chris,
Liz, Claire, Lucy and Andy.
FoKNP contact
Lynn Horsnett
Chair of Friends of Kings Norton Park
Email: info.foknp@gmail.com
Twitter: @kingsnortonpark
