There were only a few volunteers available today but we achieved a lot, doing a park-wide litter pick, clearing up and cutting back the shrubs in the rockery and bench alcoves, bagging up refuse and leaving it close to one of the park bins for the council to collect. Upkeep was also done on the labyrinth which unfortunately seems to have been disected by a 'desire line' straight through the middle of it. Nevertheless the labyrinth design, based upon one at Chartres Cathedral in France and also echoing traditional English 'turf mazes', is to be used as a focus for contemplation and meditation by people visiting St George's Church for the 24 hour Advent vigil. It is hoped that people from the church will make the short journey to the labyrinth in order to use it for one of the original purposes of European labyrinths as a focus for Christian devotions. As our recently posted temporary sign explains the idea of a labyrinth or maze predates the arrival of Christianity by at least two thousand years. In Greek mythology, the hero Theseus successfully travelled through the Labyrinth of Crete and slayed the Minotaur with the help of the goddess Ariadne, who gave him a ball of golden thread, called a clue. This is the origin of that essential component of solving puzzles, mysteries and crimes and the modern use of the term 'clue'. The original Chartres Cathedral 13th century labyrinth was later covered up by those who were concerned about it's pagan origins. Today it is still available for visitors to walk on certain days, interestingly including Midsummer Day - the Summer Solstice - which harks back to its pre-Christian roots, just as earlier prelates had feared. English turf mazes are usually based either on the Chartres' design or its Cretan rival. Shakespeare makes several mentions of mazes and labyrinths including this warning to all Labyrinth keepers across the centuries when Titania, Queen of the Fairies in Midsummer Night's Dream (Act II Sc I) says "The quaint mazes in the wanton green, for lack of tread are undistinguishable." This is precisely what we want to avoid and the reason why Spike set about the upkeep of our own turf maze today - ahead of the walkers who could visit at any time of the day or night this weekend - and whose tread will trace an ancient path.
The LEAP team met in St George's Park today to examine the new addition to the project, a fifth raised bed constructed by WFDC staff earlier this week. These beds are funded out of LEAP budgets and this one will add to the production of edibles in the park next year alongside other developments to be announced shortly. There were only a few volunteers available today but we achieved a lot, doing a park-wide litter pick, clearing up and cutting back the shrubs in the rockery and bench alcoves, bagging up refuse and leaving it close to one of the park bins for the council to collect. Upkeep was also done on the labyrinth which unfortunately seems to have been disected by a 'desire line' straight through the middle of it. Nevertheless the labyrinth design, based upon one at Chartres Cathedral in France and also echoing traditional English 'turf mazes', is to be used as a focus for contemplation and meditation by people visiting St George's Church for the 24 hour Advent vigil. It is hoped that people from the church will make the short journey to the labyrinth in order to use it for one of the original purposes of European labyrinths as a focus for Christian devotions. As our recently posted temporary sign explains the idea of a labyrinth or maze predates the arrival of Christianity by at least two thousand years. In Greek mythology, the hero Theseus successfully travelled through the Labyrinth of Crete and slayed the Minotaur with the help of the goddess Ariadne, who gave him a ball of golden thread, called a clue. This is the origin of that essential component of solving puzzles, mysteries and crimes and the modern use of the term 'clue'. The original Chartres Cathedral 13th century labyrinth was later covered up by those who were concerned about it's pagan origins. Today it is still available for visitors to walk on certain days, interestingly including Midsummer Day - the Summer Solstice - which harks back to its pre-Christian roots, just as earlier prelates had feared. English turf mazes are usually based either on the Chartres' design or its Cretan rival. Shakespeare makes several mentions of mazes and labyrinths including this warning to all Labyrinth keepers across the centuries when Titania, Queen of the Fairies in Midsummer Night's Dream (Act II Sc I) says "The quaint mazes in the wanton green, for lack of tread are undistinguishable." This is precisely what we want to avoid and the reason why Spike set about the upkeep of our own turf maze today - ahead of the walkers who could visit at any time of the day or night this weekend - and whose tread will trace an ancient path. LEAP Work Party Today at St George's Park Meet at the Shelter at 10.30 (please note later time) to catch up with some more community gardening/free food growing with the LEAP team.
As always gloves and tools will be available as will free refreshments for all party goers! Get some free wellbeing, outdoor activities in good company and make a difference. Hope we'll see you there - look out for the hi-viz LEAP vests - All Welcome! Let's Eat the Park! The 2015 Annual General Meeting of the Friends of St George's Park took place on Friday 13 November at the Youth House. It was a fairly low key affair where we recapped on the past year, made some small changes to the Constitution and re-elected the existing officers to their current positions on the management committee. The Friends agreed to delete the vacant Vice Chair position ahead of forthcoming changes to the group's legal structure. Many thanks to those who attended for being there and for their support over the past year Also a word of appreciation to them for giving us such positive feed-back.
Today we were in St George's park on a productive work party that saw the volunteers clean out the shelter, do a park-wide litter sweep, plant 300 crocuses on the edge of the Triangular Bed and 100 red onions in the Bay Tree bed area. Most of the fruit trees were sprayed with an organic winter wash -comprising eco-washing-up liquid, coffee and chillies which we hope will stop aphids attacking the cherry trees in particular as they've done previously. Repairs were also carried out on the notice board and the last two pumpkins were harvested from the Three Sisters bed, tree labelling done, refreshments as usual and an effective 2 or 3 of hours work in the park for a party of five LEAP activists. The images below were all taken today during the work party and show the effects of unseasonably warm weather confusing the Autumn landscape that retains random splashes of Summer colour everywhere. Please click on photos to expand. |
Friends of St George's ParkWe are an active community group that is committed to working with others in order to further develop and improve St George's Park in Kidderminster for all of the community to enjoy. Tell people about usRespectWe welcome different ideas and opinions on how to improve our park and we hope you will share yours with us. Please remember this is a community based website and whilst we will not censor different opinions we will remove any posts that are offensive or abusive. Archives
November 2022
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