Team creates new community garden in Mayow Park

Thursday 7^th April 2011, a warm and sunny day, and over 30 people came to work  on the Pavilion Triangle, a new public space within Mayow Park where there were previously rose bushes and a grassy area.

Teamwork has been a key feature of the project, from initial proposal to this latest phase.

Our thanks go to the volunteers from Nature’s Gym, Grow Mayow and Friends of Mayow Park, to Glendale, Greenscene and tree surgeons. Next Thursday 14^th April we will plant fruit bushes and herbs.

How did it all start? Back in October 2010, at the 2-day Introduction to Permaculture Design course at Grow Mayow, a practical task was given to participants to design a space for park users with edible plants. The area is now called Pavilion Triangle.

After the course, Suriya and Ruth took on the challenge and drew fresh designs based on Permaculture principles, which were presented to Glendale Officers (who manage the park) and Lewisham Council’s GreenScene officers. One design was then revised further.

This design was discussed at the FOMP meeting in early March and unanimously approved. Nature’s Gym co-ordinators Jess and Lara offered 2 workdays in April with Nature’s Gym volunteers to get the project started. Grow Mayow volunteers arranged with tree surgeons to provide logs and woodchip.

The Pavilion Triangle is now registered as a Capital Growth Community Garden and FOMP was successful in applying for a grant to buy plants, timber and compost. So many people contributed time and energy to the project.

Photos of the day to follow.

WORKDAYS IN MAYOW PARK 7th & 14th April 2011

 JOIN US FOR 2 WORKDAYS IN MAYOW PARK

Friends of Mayow Park with Nature’s Gym

DATE: Thursday 7^th April and Thursday 14^th April

TIME: From 11am to 2pm

WHY: To develop the new Pavilion Triangle area.  

Help turn the Pavilion Triangle into a community food-growing resource:

plant fruit bushes, herbs and create a woodchip path.

Meet by the Pavilion.

Please wear suitable shoes and clothes for gardening.

Dacres Wood Nature Reserve Sunday 27 March 2011

Dacres Wood nature reserve and field centre open day
Friends of Mayow Park with  Forest Hill Society have organised an open day at  Dacres Wood Nature Reserve on Sunday 27th March 2011 from 1pm to 4pm. There will be history talks in the Field Centre, guided walks, nature activities,  gardening tips and refreshments. A great way to celebrate the return of spring!
 We will use the entrance via the field centre, which is off Dacres Road,  down the unmarked driveway between Homefield House and Catling Close

TREE FELLING MARCH 2011

There has been concern at the tree felling during the past week in Mayow Park. Word from Lewisham Greenscene is that the trees were diseased and needed to come down.

The Friends of Mayow Park will be talking to Greenscene about plans for future tree planting so that this park will still look magnificent into the next century.
We have asked that, in future when such works are undertaken,  park users are given advance warning so that they will be assured about  the purpose of the work. 

FOMP 19^th March 2011

Advance notice film night in July

We are still in March and already plans are being prepared for a film night in Mayow Park in July. So get your diaries and note the date:

Advance notice: Date for your diary

        FREE FILM SHOW

WEDNESDAY 13^TH JULY 2011 from 8PM-11PM [time to be confirmed]

For one night only, Sydenham Arts Festival will transform Mayow Park into an open-air cinema.

Following 2009’s screening of The Bride of Frankenstein and last year’s Fantastic Mr Fox, this year film fans can get to see the original version of classic British crime caper The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine. One of its most famous scenes was actually filmed locally in Crystal Palace Park – see if you can guess which one!

The film will be introduced by film historian and broadcaster Matthew Sweet. The main feature will be preceded by short films made by local film-makers.

Bird walk 6th March 2011

Twelve hardy folk came on the bird walk around Mayow Park, at 7am on a cold but dry Sunday 6th  March 2011.

We had hardly begun the walk when we were confronted by two male blackbirds squabbling!

As we walked round we looked at possible nesting holes in the ancient oaks and found holes of different sizes to suit a range of tree nesting birds, the largest big enough for stock doves.
Thank you to Paul for leading today's enjoyable walk.
Thanks also to those who joined us.

Here is a list (in no particular order) of the birds seen:

Blackbirds

Black headed gulls

Wood pigeons

Chaffinch

Blue tits

Starlings

Great tits

Parakeets

Redwing

Magpies

Stock doves

Carrion crows

Robin

Pair of mistle thrushes

Greenfinch

Birds we heard:
 

Song Thrush    
Wren
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming

Bird Walk

   Bird walk in Mayow Park                                                  

When:

Sunday 6^th March 2011 at 7am

Where:

Meet at the Pavilion, near the Burghill Road entrance

The walk will take approximately 1 hour.

Please bring binoculars if you have them.