"So Many Projects !" "Great Community Spirit!" "So Many Different Groups I Didn't Know About" "Please Do This Again, A Great Idea" "Lots of Amazing People Doing Amazing Things"
As you can see from the slideshow and feedback above we had a great night at our very first "Park Night"
- a special event to celebrate and promote some of the great work going on with community and voluntary groups in Crystal Palace Park and beyond. It was a pleasure to co-host the event with Katie Rose and I'm really looking forward to Park Night 2 later in the Spring and our planned tour of projects in the park.
In case you missed it here's a list of all the great groups that came along.
Click on the green titles to go straight to their websites !
Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs
Learn everything about there is to know about the iconic CP dinosaurs and their latest Paleo Planting project
Capel Manor College
Find out about a wide range of courses and volunteer opportunities involving animal husbandry, horticulture and much more
Palace Trees
A Transition Town project that allows you to buy trees as a gift that will be planted in the park. There are plans for lots of planting in 2018 !
Friends of Crystal Palace Park
Hosting information sessions in the Info Centre every Sunday and acting as contact point for the other projects in the park, including the "Secret Garden".
Crystal Palace Park "Shadow Board"
The body that is working to take over the management of Crystal Palace Park from Bromley Council
Rising Stars Support
Developing young people's confidence through martial arts, kick-boxing and anger management
The Patchwork Farm
The network of community gardens in Crystal Palace and the surplus produce stall at Crystal Palace Food Market. Part of Crystal Palace Transition Town.
Crystal Palace Library of Things
A space opening in April 2018 where you can borrow things you need at an affordable rate. A partnership between the Transition Town, Upper Norwood Library Hub and The Library of Things .
We were also pleased to welcome our friends from The Ache Garden in CP Park, Crystal Palace Sports Partnership, The Secret Garden Beekeepers, cpneighbours , The CPCA, Invisible Palace, Friends of West Norwood Station, Upper Norwood Library Hub, The Great North Wood Project, and the Transition Town's own Crystal Palace Food Market and CPTT Choir !
Amazingly, we only featured some of the projects based or working in Crystal Palace Park. From new projects like Friends of Crystal Palace Skatepark, to established projects like Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, and The Crystal Palace Festival, there are even more ways to engage with and volunteer in this amazing park.
Watch out for Park Night 2 and our Park Tour coming later in the year to find out more. Sign up for our newsletter or join us on facebook or twitter to keep updated !
Very special thanks to all the groups and members of the public who came along to make it a special night.
Remember we also have our regular Green Drinks - next one is on Wed 21st March, 8.30pm in The Paxton Centre.
Best wishes
Joe Duggan
Co-Chair Crystal Palace Transition Town
Special thanks to:
Bromley Council's Crystal Palace Park Community Fund
Elaine Harrison for her guidance and Lucy Hopkins for her support
Katie Rose for co-facilitating the event
Beth Mander and Stephen Sinn from the Paxton Centre for such a lovely setting
Photos : Katie Rose and Joe Duggan
And to David Vallade for his wonderful poster below .... see you next time !