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Olympics: update on consultations May 2009
Members of the four local amenity groups concerned about the Olympics equestrian events in Greenwich Park - Friends of Greenwich Park, Greenwich Society, Westcombe Society and Blackheath Society - are all are to be invited to a special meeting which the societies plan to stage, most probably in September, ahead of the formal submission for planning consent for the events in December. Further news about when and where that meeting will take place will be publicised on the Friends’ website.
Members of the Friends Olympics sub-committee, together with the chairmen of the other three societies, met the London Organising Committee for the
Olympic Games (LOCOG) last December and in April this year to discuss Park-specific matters, as well as access and traffic movement. LOCOG are organising further ‘pre-Planning Consultation’ meetings with the chairmen in late May/early June and in August to ensure that local opinions are fully heard before wider public consultation begins this autumn. Specialists who have worked on the environmental impact assessment studies will be present at both the chairmen’s and the members’ meetings to talk about their findings and answer questions. This will give the Friends an invaluable opportunity for input into the early stages of the whole consultation process.
LOCOG are also organising a new round of drop-in sessions in the Greenwich area during the coming months (including the Pavilion Tea House, most probably in May) which all local people are invited to attend. An updated version of the LOCOG explanatory brochure Greenwich Park will be reissued shortly and a leaflet drop in the area is also promised. Keep a look out for details on the Friends website, the Friends notice boards in the Park, on the Royal Parks web site www.royalparks.org.uk/London2012.cfm, and on LOCOG’s website www.london2012.com.
The Greenwich Society Special General Meeting on 29 January rejected a resolution that the society should oppose the holding of the Olympics cross country event in the Park. This follows a similar rejection by the Westcombe Society at its SGM on 19 July 2008.
The Friends SGM on 15 July 2008 voted to support the resolution opposing the cross country event and at the same time voted to continue liaising with LOCOG to mitigate damage and minimise disruption and closures should the equestrian events go ahead as planned. The Blackheath Society meeting on 23 July 2008 called for all the membership to be consulted and finally voted in favour of the same position as agreed by the Friends.
NOGOE (No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events) is now campaigning against the holding of any equestrian events in the Park, not just the cross country. It has recently published a lengthy report, together with an economic assessment, setting out their views (www.nogoe2012.com). The operational issues raised by NOGOE are all ones that the Friends (and the other three amenity societies) are, or will be, discussing with LOCOG.
The Olympic transport system and traffic measures will affect us all. A consultation paper from the Department for Transport sets out an ‘Olympic Route Network’ (ORN) showing ‘core routes’ and ‘alternative’ routes to be used during the Games period. The Friends have responded, as has the Greenwich Society, arguing that although the four residential roads adjacent to the Park (Maze Hill, Crooms Hill, Park Row and Park Vista) may be needed as alterative emergency routes, there is no need for their inclusion as ‘core’ components of the ORN.
May 2009When the Friends committee invited Ben Reynolds from London Food Link to give the 2009 Annual Lecture on the move to grow more food locally they hit on a highly topical subject. Newspapers, magazines and organisations from British Waterways to the National Trust, from Hugh 
Fearnley-Whittingstall to the RHS are encouraging us to plant up spare land and unused corners.
London’s carbon footprint is 44 million tonnes of which 25-40% is from importing food. But with 4300 Londoners on waiting lists for allotments, alternatives are needed. Ben Reynolds described innovative schemes, many put up by local people, to add to London’s growing spaces. Housing estates are choosing to use some of their surrounding grass for community vegetable gardens and are being given financial help by local councils who can save money by not having to cut the grass. ‘Growing Greenwich’ is a local project involving, among other areas, Woodlands Farm on Shooters Hill.
May 2009The Royal Parks’ demonstration allotment in St James’s Park has
been visited by some 200,000 people since it opened in spring 2007.
Friend, architectural historian, writer, photographer and former Professor of Architectural History at the University 
of Greenwich, Anthony Quiney, is a familiar figure with dog Rex in Greenwich Park. He has written and taken the photographs for an informative and beautifully illustrated book, A Year in the Life of Greenwich Park. Publishers Frances Lincoln have agreed a special price for the Friends of £13.59, including free UK p&p, a 20% discount on the recommended retail price. Call Bookpoint on 01235 827702 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) and quote the reference "46GRFR" and your Friends membership number. The offer lasts until 31 August 2009.
Greenwich Park Artist in Residence 2007-8, Pat Rae, has created an exciting series of prints inspired by the Park’s ancient sweet chestnut trees. They can be seen at Blackheath Art Society chairman Ann Dingsdale’s studio at 10 Hardy Road, SE3 on 2 to 3 and 9 to 10 May between 12pm and 6pm as part of Blackheath Art Society’s ‘Open Studios’. Other local artists will be opening their studios as part of the event. For further information telephone 020 8853 2269, email info@blackheathartsociety.org.uk or visit the Blackheath Art Society website at www.blackheathartsociety.org.uk.
May 2009In a year dominated by the controversial Olympics equestrian events planned for the Park in 2012, Friends chairman, Liz Coyle, can still note a number of other interesting activities and developments during 2008. These includeda stimulating Annual Lecture by Lindsey Davis, creator of the ‘Falco’ detective stories. This was followed by two separate wildlife talks on grassland conservation and on veteran trees by Royal Parks specialists. The Midsummer Jazz concert again proved a popular attraction, aided in 2008 by kinder weather, while ‘Art in the Park’, a new venture, attracted some 300 enthusiastic children eager to submit their work for judging at the end of the day.
Other fund raising events included the annual plant sale, a Friends’ visit to the Roman collection at the Greenwich Heritage Centre and a fascinating talk by Peter Kent on parks along the Thames. The Secret Garden Wildlife Centre has been well attended during ‘Drop In’ days throughout the year. Children’s activities on all these occasions including our annual Open Day are managed by the volunteer Friends Wildlife Group who make a great contribution, much of it unseen, to the success of the Centre.
Friends 17th Annual General Meeting is in the Howe Lecture Theatre, Queen Anne Building, University of Greenwich on Thursday 21 May (7.30pm for 8pm).
Officers and committee members proposed and seconded for 2009 are: Chairman Dr Brendan Hicks, 60 Greenwich Park Street SE10 9LT Vice chairman Liz Coyle, 3 Orchard Drive SE3 0QP Committee members John Mitchell, Ann Hutchinson, Clive Corlett, Richard Jones and Sue Yates continue to serve. Volunteers coordinator Jenni Newnham is a coopted member of the committee. Elaine Warrell retires at this AGM. Liz Coyle will continue to head the Olympics sub-committee.
The committee confirms the reappointments of Christine Bevan as Secretary, Julie Punter as Treasurer and Fran Tyler as Membership Secretary.
May 2009Ever optimistic, the Friends have invited the Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band back for another outdoor ‘Midsummer Jazz’ concert, this time on Sunday 21 June. As regulars will know, the concert is a family event open to all. Appropriately it falls on Fathers’ Day this year so make it part of your celebrations.
The gardens open for picnics from 12 noon and the band plays from 1pm to 3.30pm with a break for ticket holders to indulge in Company of Cooks ice creams and cold drinks at the Pavilion Tea House.
Tickets from Friends of Greenwich Park c/o 2 Lock Chase London SE3 9HA Tel: 020 8852 6158 or at the Garden from 12 noon. Adults £5, five to 15 year olds £2.50 and under fives free. Cheques made out to Friends of Greenwich Park with an sae please. As is usual with outdoor events, tickets are not refundable but if we are completely rained off we will try to re-run the concert.
May 2009The Friends will have their annual plant stall and information point at the Blackheath Farmers’ Market in Blackheath Station Car Park on Sunday 14 June from 10am to 2pm.
Garden Plant Fairs are now a regular feature of the Farmers’ Market. The next one is on 17 May.
May 2009Create, formerly Greenwich Alive, initiated by the local amenity societies with Greenwich Council backing, takes place from 5 to 14 June. As the Friends’ contribution, John Mitchell is leading a history walk in the Park on Thursday 11 June starting at St Mary’s Gate at 10.30am. The walk, which is free, will take about an hour and will, of course, include a ‘puff’ for the Friends booklet, Greenwich Park: walking through history. (If you haven’t already bought your copies for spring and summer visits to the Park, email John on john@jandhmitchell.com. They cost £1.25 post free.)
Other Create activities in the Park include the annual Blackheath/Greenwich Society cricket match on Sunday 6 June (2.30pm to around 6pm) and a primary school choir followed by a junior Morris dancers team on Saturday 13 June (12pm on). A Create website should be available for more information at the end of April.
May 2009The Friends Wildlife Group ran what volunteers coordinator Jennie Newnham described as ‘our most successful Open Day ever’ in and around the Secret Garden Wildlife Centre on Saturday 18 April. ‘All the activities were well supported and there was a buzz about the day.’ Helpers were so busy that numbers were not recorded but an estimated 600 visitors, mostly children, made apple bird feeders, created wildlife bookmarks, watched Kim McGee’s puppet shows, went on bird and tree walks, asked questions about wildlife and had hands and faces painted with wildlife images by RSPB volunteer Nadia Penn. 
This robin has been ringed, weighed and checked over in front of a very quiet and fascinated audience of children at the Friends 2009 Wildlife Open Day. Photo: Eve Cane
The fallow deer herd came into the paddock outside the Secret Garden Wildlife Centre so could be seen in close up through the one way glass. The other delight was the bird ringing demonstration by the Dartford Bird Ringing Group on their second visit to a Park Wildlife Open Day. Last year the day was so wet that the highlight was unravelling a pigeon caught up in some loose string. This year, the mist nets used by the ringers gently caught a total of 16 small birds during the day, including a robin, blue tit, wren and goldfinch, reports Wildlife Group chairman, Sue Yates. The bird ringers are so skilled that the birds to be ringed seem quite calm and unworried by having a wing opened out to check age, being popped into a tube to be weighed and having a lightweight ring put on a leg before being released.
May 2009
The Royal Parks’ working Shire horses,Jed andForte, come back to the Park this summer. Visits are planned to coincide with the 27 May, 29 July and 26 August last Wednesday of the month Secret Garden Wildlife Centre ‘Drop Ins’. The timing will be publicised on the Friends notice boards outside the Park office and in the Pavilion Tea House, and on the gates into the Flower Gardens on the day.
Photo: Anne-Marie Briscombe
May 2009
In preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games, The Royal Parks is expanding the team who look after Greenwich Park. Current Park manager, Derrick Spurr, becomes Project Manager for the 2012 Games in April and a new Park manager and assistant Park manager are being appointed. Stuart Goldsworthy, at present assistant Park manager, becomes Technical Manager.
Derrick Spurr has been Park manager for 10 years. His new role will involve working closely with the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) and other organisations and groups to coordinate and facilitate the Olympic, Paralympic and Modern Pentathlon events planned for Greenwich Park. Part of his remit is to ensure that the Park is returned to its pre-Games condition. ‘I believe Greenwich Park will make a fantastic venue for the Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon events. I am delighted that my new role will allow me to focus on ensuring that these events are a great success and that they have a minimal impact to the Park and the Park users‘, he says.
January 2009