Green-Fingered Volunteers Start Back in Hanley Park
In the last month, Hanley Park Gardening Volunteers restarted again.
All of them, were very glad to be back in the Park. They have missed the physical and social interaction that being a gardening volunteer offers them.
So far, they have started to tackle the Wildlife Garden, by clearing the stream, removing docks and nettles and raking up cut material. In the coming weeks, the focus will be on working in the Wildlife Garden and helping the Park staff with some bulb planting.
Green Flag
In August, judges from Green Flag were shown around Hanley Park.
The Green Flag Award scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
The Purpose & aims of Green Flag are:-
• To ensure that everybody has access to quality green and other open spaces, irrespective of where they live.
• To ensure that these spaces are appropriately managed and meet the needs of the communities that they serve.
• To establish standards of good management.
• To promote and share good practice amongst the green space sector.
• To recognise and reward the hard work of managers, staff and volunteers.
We will find out in October if Hanley Park will be awarded Green Flag status - fingers crossed!
Community Hub Works to Commence
Works to convert the 1960’s building Pavilion into a Community Hub are scheduled to start this month.
Eventually, the building will be a base for Community Activities, events, house gardening volunteers, friends Group and Heritage Lottery Fund Park staff.
What to Look out for in Hanley Park in September/ Self-led Activities:
As we now enter the autumn season here are some things to look out for:-
• Fungi – see if you can spot any fungi around Hanley Park. If you do, please leave it alone for others to enjoy and nature to use.
• In the Cauldon Grounds you may sport some Cyclamen (that flower in autumn) in some of the beds.
• Gradual leaf colour change. Collect some leaves from the same tree(s) each week to notice each colour change.
• Birds :- Can you spot swifts, swallows, house martins, lining up on telegraph wires awaiting to depart to warmer climes?
• Using sticks, your child can create a maze of any size on the ground for parents, friends and siblings to find their way around by following the paths they’ve laid.
• Play noughts and crosses/ Jenga with sticks and stones collected in the Park .
Let’s get Physical
Although the weekly Parkrun in Hanley Park is unable to go ahead at the moment, enjoy getting exercise in the Park in other ways.
If you fancy doing some indoor exercise at home, you can find tutorials suitable for all ages from the leisure centre staff's tutorials click here.
Rule of Six
From Monday 14th September - as a result of the large increase in Covid 19 cases the 'Rule of Six' regulation comes into force.
The "rule of six" applies to both indoors and outdoors in England. So, when you are in the Park please ensure that your group consists of a maximum of 6 people, (unless there are more than six people who live in your household).