Thoughts from the London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network

London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network (LFN)

The main topic of the meeting was Strengthening Friends Groups. Some good ideas came from the numerous reps from the London Boroughs. Here are some of the key points bearing in mind parks are not a statutory service:

It was felt most committees were made up of elderly members and they never changed, and many were inactive. Friends groups tend not to engage with other park user groups. How can this change as most groups are frustrated at being ineffective. Bring in the other groups with their agendas.

Work with commercial groups and make partnerships with Housing Associations etc. Make parks fun spaces. How do people know you exist? Build an activity day so that you do have something to say.

Don’t moan about lack of help the 10% rule is:

5,000 people – means 500 members – with 50 active and only 5 on the committee!

Friends groups should not just be a talking shops – good web site and use of social media for communicating. Organise a bat walk for Halloween when people are around rather than during the summer holidays when they are not. Use musicians to accompany bulb or tree planting – make it an event.

Be sure you are clear on your objectives – what’s the group for? And who are your providing it for? Set up sub groups for wildlife, community garden, parent/toddler group, art. Sign people up to get a commitment.

Concern was expressed about schools taking over parts of parks for their sports ground.

Get your park registered with the Fields in Trust – another level of protection. Get ready to lobby General Election candidates.

Fields in Trust

10/11/14

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 6-11-14

A digest of the week's marshy goings on! View this email in your browser

SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! This is the Weekly Digest of Save Lea Marshes (SLM), a group of people who live in the Lea Valley area, concerned to keep the marshes and other local green spaces, open and green for wildlife and people. Just in time for Christmas, the What I Love About the Marshes calendar is now available via our website! The A3 calendar (A4 when folded) features all the winning photos from the competition in full colour, costs £4.99 and will be a stunning and useful addition to any home whilst helping to fund our work (all proceeds go to the campaign). You can see a sneak preview here, get yours quick as they are going like hot cakes! In the 'Shake'N'Mix' this week: STOKEY LOCAL FIGHT ON – at this Monday night’s meeting attended by 60 plus people, the vote was overwhelmingly to go on with the campaign and appeal against last week’s court decision, despite the financial cost.  Funds are urgently needed to meet court costs – so any donations welcome (and tell your friends).  However, the campaign is keen to raise funds by giving local people a good time to so is planning and open to ideas about events.  Further details go to www.stokeylocal.org.uk IN THE MEDIA – If you missed the excellent Shared Planet programme on Radio 4 this Tuesday morning, please go to the BBC iPlayer – there was an interesting item on beavers – including (veggie/ vegan alert!) they beaver can be discovered in “natural flavourings” used in strawberry flavours and ice cream (gulp!). Also featured was a very good debate regarding land costing and the environment – the pros and cons of putting a monetary value on our open spaces. In The Guardian on Monday 3.11, p.1 Science has spoken: UN call for action on climate – an official report makes clear that carbon emissions, mainly from burning coal, oil and gas, are currently rising to record levels, not falling; action is now critical. Also in The Guardian on Monday:  “Common birds losing out in Europe’s Conservation attempts; environmental impact fear as numbers fall by 420m.”  Tuesday’s Guardian quotes Environment Secretary Liz Truss saying that “Gardeners should let their grass go rogue to help save the bees..”  Hope the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority et al will take some notice instead of mowing the” bee-jeesus” out of the land. Meanwhile, Monday’s Evening Standard has an article on a project called Cody Wilds, which wants to put in a natural meadow in the Lower Lea Valley in the Canning Town/Bow area.  It awaits the results of funding from a “Grow Wild Competition”. We have asked if the re-wilding will involve any use of herbicides. LIGHT NOT FANTASTIC – SLM’s Halloween Bat Walk (complete with home-made bat costumes), was enjoyable but not very successful on the bat spotting front.  Unlike the butterflies, we felt that they may have got the message that the extraordinary warm weather was not really summer and had hibernated or it could have been the sheer amount of unnecessary background light that spills over from the Olympic site and other flood lighting that is putting them off.  However, we met some other interesting folk marking the traditional way of marking the winter in a Samhain festival on the filter beds... EVENTS Voluntary Action Waltham Forest is having its AGM on Thursday 27 November from 4-7 p.m. Included will be a workshop organised by the Young Foundation and in attendance will be Stella Creasy MP for Waltham Forest and local councillors.  All welcome but please RSVP to Barbara@voluntaryaction-wf.org.uk if you want to attend. London’s Friends Groups (LFGN) are meeting on Monday 10 November from 6-8 p.m.at Committee Room 2, City Hall (by cafe), Queen’s Walk.  The main topic will be “Buiding strong friends and users groups”.  All welcome.             There will be another Urban Harvest Walk, guided by Joan Yeadon on Saturday 15 November.  Meet by the Riverbank Cafe, Spring Hill at 1pm or Coppermill Lane Car Park at 1.15pm: walk around the Coppermill Fields and back around 4.00 to the same place or to another cafe (cafe will be closed by 4.00). Details from Joan on 07908398905.  She would love any recommendations on nearby cafes open on Sunday afternoons. 2015 World Wetlands Day is being planned – to see how you could get involved or help support this go to www.ramsar.org Next SLM Meeting – following last week’s Quiz (SLM’s team came second losing by four annoying points!), we will be back at the Princess of Wales on Monday 17 November at 7.30 for our normal meeting.  Newcomers and old friends welcome. Facebook Twitter Website

Copyright © 2014 Save Lea Marshes, All rights reserved. You signed up for this email by contacting us directly or ticking a sign up sheet on a petition. Our mailing address is: Save Lea Marshes c/o The Hornbeam Centre 458 Hoe St Walthamstow, London E17 9AH United Kingdom Add us to your address book

Online Trails

Create an online trail/walk for your green space - exciting, easy and free!The trails, and how to create one, are explained in this Step-by-Step Guide: 
http://www.natfedparks.org.uk/create-a-trail.html

Many groups have been thinking about creating trails and walk guides for their green space. Well, now all groups can do them!  Park users can access any trail through a mobile phone whilst walking there - via a free phone App. They can also enjoy any of the trails created by others from all over the country, and even view them on their pc if they wish. .. You can do one or more trails to highlight your trees, facilities, landscape and heritage features, or for a treasure hunt! 

The National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces has partnered with TiCL Media Ltd to ensure that every local Friends Group can create such trails easily and free. See all about the trails here: https://ticl.me/trails    Download the free App here: https://ticl.me/ticlapp 

The advantages to your group include: 

- the content is under your control and editable whenever you choose
- it's the same App for ALL Friends Groups, ensuring that members of the public can access trails in their favourite parks via the same app.
- although one App - it can be branded locally by individual Friends Groups
- you don't have to pay for it or pay for its maintenance - TiCL do it
- by incorporating your own weblinks your trail integrates with and adds value to what you're already doing
- it's fun and allows possibility of games, treasurehunts, geocaching etc... 'gamification' encourages participation.
- it's easy to do

The trails, and how to create one, are explained in this special Step-by-Step Guide for Friends Groups: http://www.natfedparks.org.uk/create-a-trail.html 

So why not create one this week?! And then publicise it to your members and local communities for them to access and enjoy...

best wishes

Dave Morris and Sarah Royal
National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces
c/o vice-chair@natfedparks.org.uk 

Funding the LVRPA

Raz Razzy has left a new comment on your post "Protect our Green Spaces":

As a Merton resident, I don't believe Merton council are justified in building on Dundonald Park or for cutting sports facilities provided to those local residents,HOWEVER, I do believe Merton would be in a stronger position to avoid this sort of cost cutting measure and develop another site; if we, and all the other residents of Greater London Boroughs didn't have to pay hundreds and thousands of pounds of OUR council tax, year on YEAR to Lea Valley. A park which is too far away and with which residents feel no connection whatsoever, and reap few benefits. We need to spend OUR revenue on redeveloping our own parks and areas. The Lea Valley tax is well overdue to be abolished. 

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST - 30-10-14

SLM WEEKLY DIGEST 30 OCTOBER 2014

This is the weekly digest of the Save Lea Marshes Campaign.  We are a group of people living in the Lea Valley area concerned that the lovely green marshlands and spaces that we enjoy are maintained and kept for future generations of wildlife and people to enjoy.  To find about more about our work, current activities and buy our fundraising merchandise go to http://www.saveleamarshes.org.uk/

Although we are in the season of merry fruitfulness and Halloween ghoulishness, the weather is unusually warm and I have seen two tortoiseshell butterflies on separate occasions this week.  Here’s a round-up of current stories and internet discussion ...

SPOOKY NO SHOW FOR PAVILION REPORT – SLM were expecting that Hackney Council might have put a report up on the Hackney Marsh North Pavilion plans for its November Planning Committee.  It is not on the next agenda, so we wait and continue to work on our arguments.

TOMBS-DAY? – I am greatly saddened to report that the Stokey Local Campaign’s case taken to the High Court against the building development set to overshadow Abney Park Cemetery, in Hackney, has been given the “thumbs down” by the judge Mrs (in) Justice Paterson in her written judgement last Friday on both grounds of challenge to the development scheme.  You can read the full ghoulish story in this week’s Hackney Gazette on p.2.  However, I do want to draw your attention to the shortfall in legal costs, that the group have incurred and really need some support on – to donate go towww.stokeylocal.org.uk.  There is also a meeting on Monday 3 November at 7. P.m. at St.Paul’s Church, West Hackney in Stoke Newington Road, to discuss the ruling. 

BACK OF A BOX IDEA – also featured on p.2 of Hackney Gazette is a story about Hackney Council in partnership with the Charity Groundwork, putting up giant white cubes in local parks (Hoxton Square, Mark Street Gardens and Hackney Road Recreation Ground), for people who live and work near Hackney Parks to have their say on how these spaces could be re-imagined.  The idea is that you write your suggestions on the cubes.  Hmmn. This could be a good idea but could also be another way to make money out of local parks – suggest we get to these parks and scribble about keeping parks as spaces for nature and places of quiet and exercise for local people...  You can also email your thoughts topackhack@groundwork.org.uk or tweet with the hashtag #parkhack.  Oh, and this has been funded with a £90,000 grant from Nesta.

HERBICIDE WATCH – this week’s Waltham Forest Guardian has a story about herbicide use leaking into someone’s garden see

 www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/wfnews/11566579.Train-track-herbicide-leaked-into-garden/

HAVE YOUR SAY 1. – our friends at Sustainable Hackney have drawn up a draft response (following the recent “Big Green Pow Wow), to Hackney’s Transport Plans.  There is still time to make any points either email viainfo@sustainablehackney.co.uk or go to the survey on the website http://sustainablehackney.org.uk/?xgsource=msg  2. If you live in the Waltham Forest area, the local Friends of the Earth group want to hear from you about what green issues you would like followed up e.g. solar panels in schools or more natural green spaces.  You can sign up for their newsletter on their website http://www.foeuk/groups/walthamforest

EVENTS

Bit short on news of events this week but if you would like to join us on our Halloween “We’re Batting for Hackney”, Bat Walk (fancy dress as a bat optional) on Friday 31 October, we’ll be gathering at about 7.30 at the Old Sports Pavilion on Hackney North Marsh (near the Cow Bridge), and probably going in the direction of the Waterworks Centre to start off with.  Bring binoculars if you have any.  We are aiming to see how many species of bat we can see.

Next SLM meeting – we’ll be having a quick discussion and then taking part in the Monday night quiz at the Crooked Billet in Upper Clapton Road, from 7.30, to raise funds for our campaign coffers.

Greater London Park

Become a Founder of the Greater London National Park #GLNPhttp://www.greaterlondonnationalpark.org.uk
Campaign update27 Oct 2014 ­ Hello,

Our campaign continues to make good progress! 

Let’s turn London into the world’s first National Park City. Sign this petition to become a founder of this new kind of National Park.
A Greater London National Park has the very potential to improve health, quality of life, education, prosperity, biodiversity, recreation, liveability, resilience, planning and design across the capital. It would allow for new thinking, solutions and opportunities, with the power to transform how we look after London’s environment, educate our children, design our gardens and much, much more.

London is an incredibly diverse place. 8.3 million humans speaking 300 languages share the city with 13,000 wild species as well as lots of cats and dogs. You may be excused of thinking there was not much space for all these Londoners, but 60% of London is open land and 47% of Greater London is green. As well as the 3,000 parks, 142 local nature reserves, 36 sites of special scientific interest, 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 2 National Nature Reserves within the city’s limits, there are 3.8 million private gardens. For its size, London is one of the very greenest cities in the world – something to celebrate.

Recruit your BoroughAre you in London? Can you recruit the support of your ward or council? Kingston Council and Northfields Ward are showing their support and they are the only ones we have properly asked. Councils asking for a report into the costs, benefits and options for a Greater London National Park creates precisely the kind of powerful support we need, so please do ask. For more details see http://bit.ly/1wCp5zU. 

Campaign meetingWe having a campaign meeting in Holborn on Wednesday evening. Come if you can. Full details are athttp://bit.ly/1FQmSXK. 

Reimagine London at City HallVisit the cafe in City Hall this week and you will be invited to reimagine London as a National Park. The Reimagine London exhibition includes 1,584 photos that were taken across all of the capital's 33 municipalities by 132 students from the School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London . For full details visit http://bit.ly/1xvC2f1. 

Are you at UCL?If you are a postgraduate at UCL or work with someone who is, take a look at the new Institute for Global Prosperity Challenge on how a Greater London National Park could influence prosperity. See http://bit.ly/ZTxMLc for details and how you could win £1,000 and the opportunity to co-author a report.

Do you blog or tweet?Please help to make some noise and raise the profile of our campaign by telling people about it. 80 organisations are now Friends of the campaign, but we could do with lots more names on this petition. Can you help?

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this update and for your support.

Have a great week!

Daniel
@DanRavenEllison
#GLNP
@LondonNP
http://www.greaterlondonnationalpark.org.uk/get-involved/help/

Protect our Green Spaces

National Federation of Parks and Green Spaceswww.natfedparks.org.uk


Parks Federation meet with Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and call for Government action to protect green spaces and prevent UK parks' slide into crisis
28.10.2014

On 27th October the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces met up with Government Minister Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Dave Morris, the Campaigns Officer of the Federation, was part of a deputation organised by the Protect Dundonald Rec Campaign, who've been leading a 4yr-long local community campaign, backed by thousands of supporters, to prevent the loss of public open space in their much-loved and well-used park in Merton, south London. The Minister was asked to exercise his powers to revoke a controversial Merton Council grant of a planning application to transfer some of the park's public facilities (including tennis courts) to a local school, in breach of local, regional and national planning policies. [Details below]. As this raises issues of national importance, the local deputation was supported by the Federation and also a representative of the Open Spaces Society. The local MP also attended in support. The Minister is expected to respond in a number of weeks.

Dave Morris explained to the Minister that the wider context of the planning dispute was the national 'slide into crisis' caused by the underfunding for maintenance and management of the UK's public green spaces. He presented to the Minister a copy of the Summer 2014 Report: The State of UK Public Parks 2014 – Renaissance to Risk?  He urged him to read it, and particularly drew attention to the highly relevant and alarming statistic revealed by the report that '45% of Local Authorities are considering either selling parks and green spaces or transfering their management to others’. Mr Morris pressed the Minister to support the Federation's calls for the Government to hold a National Inquiry into the funding and management of the UK’s green spaces, bring in a Statutory Duty to monitor and manage these spaces to Green Flag Award standard, and ensure adequate public resources for all green spaces. [See full Federation letter to the Minister, below].


Background to the Merton planning dispute
The Dundonald Campaigners say: ' The Merton planning application breaches all national, regional, and local planning policies which protect public open space and sports facilities. There is nothing in planning policy which can be used to justify these breaches. Agreed policy does not allow educational provision to override protection of public open space. Allowing this planning application to proceed would have major implications for public access to open space and sports facilities, so we are asking Eric Pickles to revoke the grant of planning permission. Failure to revoke would legitimise the breaches and undermines national policy.

' We have lost 2,578sqm of our local recreation ground, Dundonald Rec, because Merton Council wants to expand a local primary school by building on the site. This land is very well used for sport and recreation. It was originally protected by a covenant from 1896, but this has been overriden. The Local Authority has granted itself planning permission for the development (despite objections from over 2,000 local residents and users of the Rec) and then appropriated the land from recreational open space to educational use.

' Protect Dundonald Rec brought a legal challenge but we were unable to persuade the court that the Council had failed to follow the process. However, during the court hearing it became clear that the Council had misrepresented the status of the land to Sport England. Sport England had withdrawn its original objection to the scheme based on this information. If Sport England had continued to object to the loss of sports fields then the matter would have been referred to the Secretary of State. '

Letter to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local AuthoritiesFrom the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces 
27.10.2014

We represent the ‘grass-roots’ movement of 5,000 local Friends of Parks Groups.

I am sure you are aware of the vital and unique role of the UK’s highly-popular and much-loved green spaces: they are central to our communities and to family life, vital for public health and happiness, and deliver a wide range of essential environmental services (biodiversity, flood control, urban climate cooling etc). 

Please find enclosed a copy of the most important and authoritative report in 20 years about the UK’s public green spaces, published this summer: The State of UK Public Parks 2014 – Renaissance to Risk?
Despite the Report’s cautious and understated approach it concludes that, due to ongoing reductions in maintenance and management budgets, the UK’s parks and green spaces are ‘at serious risk of slipping back into decline as they did in the 1970s and 1980s.’
It also found that ‘45% of Local Authorities are considering either selling parks and green spaces or transferring their management to others’.This alarming statistic underlines the need for an urgent and effective Government response to the Dundonald case in order to provide protection to urban public green space.

However, as set out in the Report, the threats to public green spaces go much further and deeper, and require immediate strategic action to avert the looming crisis.

We are calling on the Government, especially the next Government in 2015, to:
-         Hold a National Inquiry into the funding and management of the UK’s green spaces
-         Bring in a Statutory Duty to monitor and manage these spaces to Green Flag Award standard
-         Ensure adequate public resources for all green spaces

As Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government we are asking you to support this, and to support the UK’s parks and green spaces.

Dave Morris
Campaigns Officer, National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces