Many issues were covered on the walkabout tour that visited three of the four parks in DY10. Amongst the main points raised in St George's Park, at the BRAG project in Sion Hill and also at Springfield Park was the lack of community facilities across the area and most particularly the absence of any community centre hubs where voluntary activities could be based and co-ordinated thereby broadening the scope and reach of the Friends groups operating in the area. It was great to be able to meet with Clare Marchant and to tell her about the issues we face every day as local activists and park volunteers. We are grateful to Cllr Rayner for making this networking event happen, not only because it helped develop links with County Hall which is of course most valuable in itself, but also the tour further cemented links between the parks groups and their shared vision for our parks and our communities.
It will come as no surprise to visitors to this site that the issue of our Let's Eat the Park project and our hopes of rolling out the community growing project beyond the park gates was high on the agenda in St George's Park, just as each of our sister parks had an opportunity to showcase their own projects and proirities.
As an exercise in sharing and spending some time outdoors in DY10's green spaces together the walkabout was a great success, providing opportunities to experience other perspectives and strengthen the bonds between the community sector and the local authority.
For FoSGP it holds out the prospect of adding to the existing partnerships with Wyre Forest District Council and the People's Health Trust a new relationship with the County Council, while reaffirming the existing bonds between the friends of parks group in the area. Clare took away with her a first hand account of our strengths and weaknesses and ways in which the various Friends groups hope to work in closer partnership with Worcestershire County Council to raise the profile of the DY10 locality for the benefit of our communities.
Pictures by Colin Hill of Friends of Broadwaters Park