Updated: Bush Farm Collective calls for support for application for shipping containers on site for up to 5 years for barn restoration

 

The barn and orchard are remnants of the former Bush Farm in a corner of Fryent Country Park. The barn is in a pretty dilapidated state and restoration is a long term aim.

The Bush Farm Collective has appealed on Facebook for people to support its planning application for the siting of two shipping containers on the site to contain materials for the restoration The area where they would be installed is outlined in red on the site map below. The barn is next to the site labelled Riding School:

 

 

This is Bush Farm Collective's Appeal:

 

BUSH FARM URGENTLY NEEDS YOUR HELP!

As you are aware we will be renovating our barn we've put in a planning application to have storage containers on site for a maximum of 5 years which is essential to do the works and before our full renovations planning application. 

 Brent wants people's views on this so please go to https://www.brent.gov.uk/.../viewing-or-commenting-on... (you will have to register if you haven't already) the only thing you need to enter is 25/0734 you will then add a wonderful comment about how beneficial everything is etc and click SUPPORT.

 I can not explain how vital this is, please please please share with your contacts for those that don't know bush farm collective is a grassroots community project with a dilapidated 400 year old barn the BFC team have worked endlessly to raise money to save it and bring it back to life to provide much needed education and well-being to all. feel free to view our instagram @bushfarmcollective or email bushfarmcollective@gmail.com with any enquiries.

 

The planning statement gives the cost of renovation as up to £2m.

At present there are 19 support submissions on the Brent Planning Portal and 11 objections. Only 7 local addresses were sent notice of the application. Some of the support submissions are from outside of Brent.

The Comments include this statement of support from the Brent Head of Property

Brent Letter of Support
To whom it may concern

Re: Community Ownership Fund Application. The Barn & Paddocks, Fryent Country Park, Salmon Street, NW9 8YA.

I write on behalf of the Dove Watson-Yorke in support of her proposal to the Communities and Local Government for a grant to fund the transformation of the Barn and Paddocks, a building and enclosed fenced fields that are in need of significant repair to create a modern shelter for horses and livestock. This proposal assists the Council's objective of improving access to fields and open spaces by young people in the local area.

The Barn is a unique one of a kind horse shelter facility in Brent and was previously occupied by another tenant that left the building and paddocks in a poor state of repair. Dove Watson-Yorke took over the Barn and the paddocks as her horses had been sheltered at the location with the consent of the previous tenant. The Council is seeking to enter into a Farm Tenancy Agreement with Dove Watson-Yorke for a 25 year term, subject to detailed heads of terms and the Barn and Paddocks repairs being carried out under an agreement to lease.

The Barn and Paddocks are in need of works and the Council has not been able to bring the property back into a reasonable state of repair due to the level of capital investment required. Repairs include those to the timber structure, replacement of asbestos roof, timber cladding to the outer walls, the addition of modern toilet and and kitchen facities updated services and subsantial field fence repairs. The improved conditions would allow a long term agreement to be entered into and would strongly aligned to the objectives of the Borough Plan. The Brent Borough Plan is charged with a renewed focus and actions to tackle cross-cutting issues such as health inequalities. The Council therefore considered Dove Watson-Yorke to be best placed to bring the Barn and Paddocks into good use and deliver outcomes for local young people. As part of evaluation we have considered Dove Watson-Yorks to have a business model and a plan for meeting these objectives.

We believe that Dove Watson-Yorke, will be able to gain access to and secure other sources of additional investment, and thus secure the future of the asset in the longer term for community benefit. Without intervention, the building will continue to deteriorate and may eventually be lost for community use. The Council recognises that the letting has the potential to achieve a range of key objectives from promoting civic renewal, community cohesion, active citizenship and improving local public services to tackling poverty and promoting economic regeneration. If the proposed letting does not proceed, the Council may need to consider other options, such as demolition of the structure.

Dove Watson-Yorke would be better placed than the Council to manage this asset in the local community, with her local knowledge, and hands-on management likely to lower overheads and achieve better and more intensive and sustainable use from the asset than might be the case under traditional models of service delivery. The letting would also support the delivery of service outcomes which would otherwise be unnaffordable by the Council. There is a lack of high quality assets available for community use in Brent. The proposed letting is therefore a rare opportunity to make use of a potentially high quality asset for community benefit.

The works to be carried out at the Barn and Paddocks, as a condition of the agreement to lease, will include Dove Watson Yorke funding and returning the Barn and Paddocks to a safe, compliant and lettable state of repair. 

The proposal meets the general objectives of providing targeted investment to strengthen capacity and capability in communities to support them to shape their place and develop sustainable community businesses. We strongly support this application and the focus on increasing the use of open spaces for local young people.

I look forward to working with you in improving opportunities for young people in our communities and achieving health equity.
Yours sincerely,


Head of Property
London Borough of Brent

 

There is a submission from a Trustee of the Barn Hill Conservation Group that looks after Fryent Country Park, writing in a personal capacity:

 

I am a long time resident in Kingsbury, a regular volunteer with Barn Hill Conservation Group BHCG and a trustee of BHCG charity. However, I write in a personal capacity.

The proposed redevelopment of the stables barn is a difficult, complex task. The stables with horses are a much loved feature of Fryent Country Park. The applicant has a very difficult task with limited resources. The proposal is an essential step along the way and has my full support.

 

An opposing view is put by a near neighbour:

 

Firstly, I believe granting permission for two storage containers would exacerbate the derelict site the area has become over the past few years, along with the large horse transporter that is used as a mobile home. Moreover, I question the necessity of such large containers for such a long period, especially considering that the barn's reconstruction is due to commence later this year. While I strongly support the barn's refurbishment, the requirement for these containers raises concerns about the timeline for its completion.


In reference to the letter of support submitted by the 'Head of Property' at Brent Council, it's evident that the council is merely pleased that someone else is taking on the responsibility of rebuilding the derelict barn, rather than have to address the issue themselves. They base their trust on a business plan filled with whimsical ideologies, disregarding the potential impact on local residents. The site is not a riding school, there has been no involvement with local schools, and community engagement is minimal at best. My back garden backs onto one of the paddocks, and I have three young children. This portal is the first time I've heard of the educational workshops purported in the business model. Perhaps we don't fit within the definition of 'local community'?


We have attended two events hosted by Bush Farm Collective, one of which we left due to the explicitly inappropriate music being played. Has anyone at Brent Council investigated the authenticity of the claims made in Bush Farm Collective's business proposal?


The 'Brent Council Head of Property' also stated, "Without intervention, the building will continue to deteriorate and may eventually be lost for community use." However, to my knowledge, the barn and 'riding school' have not been available for community use in the nine years we have lived here.


Currently, the area appears to be used as a personal party hub for BFC, with loud gatherings, music, dogs barking, and general noise disrupting the normally peaceful surroundings. Granting planning permission would only allow this free run of the land to continue, making it an impossible environment for us who live within it.

 

A supporting statement from outside the area gives a different view of the Bush Farm Collective's activities;

I am writing in support of the planning application for temporary storage at the paddocks and barn at Fryent Country Park. I have taken part in conservation activities with the Bush Farm Collective (BFC), planting hedges, and improving the land for wildlife. I have also attended and volunteered at the community events organised by the BFC in collaboration with the local community. I have witnessed the hard work and dedication the BFC put into these events. I see how much they benefit the local community members who engage with the group, attend events and get involved with activities. I am also aware of the important work the collective do to support volunteers and children with outdoor activities, that are so important for mental health and general well-being.

 

A further objection contains some points not covered above;

 

 As a daily user of Fryent Country Park and a local resident I was deeply concerned to hear, only two days ago, that this planning application had been submitted several weeks ago. There are no notices on the barn itself, the two noticeboards, the gate or nearby lamp-posts to alert the community around the park. Nor has anyone from the 'Bush Farm Collective' made any attempt to speak to park users or neighbours about their plans. As word of mouth has spread over the past few days, it is apparent that nobody was aware of these plans.

The 'business plan', for which this is supposedly the first step, would not stand up to scrutiny on any level. Quite apart from the substantial change of purpose for what is, and always has been, a community recreational facility with a small area of grazing land and pasture which is leased for private use, the information provided is riddled with inaccuracy throughout - not least that there is no existing Riding School, (which would surely require a license, insurance and a qualified instructor, in any case).

With regard to this application specifically, though, objections are as follows;

- Shipping containers are completely out of keeping with the natural character of the park and would constitute an eye sore.

- The 'Collective' has already parked a dilapidated horse box next to the barn, which could have been used as 'storage' but is frequently occupied overnight, despite there being no sanitation facilities.

- The 'Collective' was granted a substantial amount of money over two years ago but there has been no improvement to the barn or the surrounding paddocks since then. Whilst we understand that the barn itself is now beyond repair (partly as a result of the tenant's actions), there is no reason why the paddocks could not have been cleared of the accumulated junk, the fencing repaired properly and some form of shelter for the horses with an adequate water supply provided.

- Using whatever grant remains to pay for shipping containers, which could not be used to house animals, would be a mis-use of charitable funds.

- Contrary to what is submitted in the application, there is no hard-standing for these containers to be placed on, either in the area indicated on the plan or elsewhere within the leased paddocks.

- To get two 20 foot containers into the place indicated on the plan, a long established and healthy tree would have to be removed / destroyed.

- The plan alleges that installing two containers on the land for a period of 5 years will allow time for planning and work to replace the barn to be completed. Surely there should be planning permission in place first - then they can look at the best way to achieve the work?

- 5 years is not temporary. The 'business plan' talks about further fund raising and income from activities which require the use of the barn and the other 'developments' which means that there is no viable exit strategy should that income not be forthcoming. The containers could be there forever.

- There is a well established, long standing and active community group in Kingsbury which provides volunteers with the opportunity to take part in and learn about conservation and wildlife in the park. It has a garden which offers regular community events, it has direct links with Brent Parks Department and, importantly, a properly formed constitution and committee structure. The 'Collective' has none of these.

- Photographs to show the actual condition of the area around the barn, and the inadequate fencing will be emailed separately. It is an eyesore with an accumulation of dangerous materials left where the horses, dogs and children can easily be injured. For example, broken fence posts with nails sticking out and sheets of discarded rusty metal. This does not seem to correlate with the 'Collective's rhetoric.

A further support statement with some new points:

 I am writing in support of the planning application for temporary installation of 2 shipping containers on the land at Fryent Country Park. The Bush Farm Collective have developed over the past three years a community supported plan to transform the barn for community benefit, providing facilities for local partner charities to conduct their learning and development activities. This requires renovation of the barn to be fit for purpose and use. The shipping containers are required for storage of the barn contents during construction.

The barn restoration plan has been achieved with the support of funding from Brent's You Decide grant, determined by community support. This has been matched with funding by Government's COF Grants, which has achieved the funds required to renovate the barn. The restoration will reinstate the barn for community use, with construction planned to happen in the latter part of 2025.

The Collective is made up of local volunteers, who have worked hard to make the land and barn fit for community purpose, with facilities that will enable the site to contribute to increased community benefit once the barn is reinstated. This has all been achieved with the support and knowledge of Brent Council throughout.

Without the initiative and activities of the Collective over the years, the barn, which has fallen into dereliction, would not be restored, and remain the eyesore, and unused asset that it is presently is. As a borough that is in great need of community facilities, we know that this is seen positively by the Council and many local people. Our community events have always been well attended and supported, and have been used to communicate the plans for the barn, along with extensive consultation, community surveys and letterboxing.

We understand that for some residents, who have the great fortune to live adjacent to Fryent Park, have objections to any change to the public land. We encourage them to look at the architect's plans for the barn once they are live on the planning portal, which demonstrates the transformation possible to this neglected building. We also understand that change is sometimes difficult, however advocate that the benefit to the wider community that Bush Farm Collective are proposing is a change that is worth considering with positive spirit.

LINK TO PLANNING PORTAL TO COMMENT

 In response to request from a reader on the first publication of this story here is more about the Bush Farm Collective's plans.

 

 

Roe Green Walled Garden Open Day, Kingsbury, Saturday May 17th 11am-4pm

 

Roe Green Walled Garden Open Day Saturday June 1st 11am-4pm

 

Barn Hill Conservation Group erect panels to educate and inform the public about their work in Fryent Country Park

 

 

Barn Hill Conservation Group who look after the vast Fryent Country Park and the small and beautiful Roe Green wallked gardem, won a grant last year for work on the Gaderbrook that runs though the park. After one of the contractors decided not to charge them for the work the group allocated it to install new interpretative panels in the park and these were unveiled this morning in bright sunshine.

In the video above Maurice Gold gives the background to the group's work which has been going on for more than 40 years to the benefit of all Brent residents. They were one of the first environmental groups in the borough, long before such an interest was fashionable.

 

The Barn Hill Conservation Group

UPDATE: VEOLIA APOLOGISES Veolia's cheek at claiming credit for an award to a conservation garden they don't maintain

 

The long establised Barn Hill Conservation Group were put out when they saw a tweet from Veolia congratulating themselves and Brent Council for a London in Bloom Gold Winners award to Roe Green Walled Garden in Kingsbury for the best Small Conservation Area.

In fact the Garden is wholly maintained by the volunteers who work there on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday - Veolia has no involvement.

A volunteer commented that there are two questions: 

 

Why did London in Bloom send the certificate ( on the right  in photograph above) to Veolia rather than to Barn Hill Conservation Group? 

 

Why did Veolia not only accept a certificate for something to which they were not entitled  but then publicise it?

The Conservation Group do an amazing job in the garden, as the photographsbelow shows, and have been doing so for far longer than Veolia has managed the parks contract.

Roe Green Walled Garden

The Conservation Group also does immensely valuable voluntary conservation work in the vast Fryent Country Park every Sunday: 

 

 Fryent Country Park won a Gold in the Country Parks category.

I hope Veolia have the grace to tweet an apology.

Shortly after this story was published Veolia apologised. Thank you.

 

'Elusive' butterfly spotted in Fryent Country Park by Conservation Group

 

Brown Hairstreak butterfly 

Barn Hill Conservation Group in its latest Newsletter  report some good news in this summer which has not been kind to butterlies and moths. On 14th August, on the Beane Hill Butterfly Transect study, a butterfly was resting on a plant and opened its wings. It was unmistakenly a female Brown Hairstreak – the first adult ever seen at Fryent Country Park. This confirms the presence of the Brown Hairstreak at the Park following the first record of eggs on New Year’s Day 2019. The Brown Hairstreak is an elusive butterfly to observe and has only recently moved into North and West London, and depends on blackthorn for the larval food. 

The Brown Hairstreak is on the "at risk" species list, because it relies on hedgerows. Having it in our local Country Park, which has deliberately retained old hedgerows, managed by BHCG, is a great story for a holiday weekend.

Meanwhile Harry Mackie  has reported on the website Next Door two  sightings in  in his Queens Walk garden,  10 minute's walk from the borders of the park.

 

Mint Moth

Holly Blue butterfly

The Gaderbrook flowing freely after today's heavy rain

 Fryent Country Park acts like a giant sponge in periods of sustained  heavy rain. Some of the ponds and ditches overflow dispersing into the meadows and the meadows become saturated. Much of the excess water ends up in the Gaderbrook.

The video above shows the Gaderbrook at its fullest and you can even hear the rush of the water above the noise from the road and the Jubilee tube line.

Barn Hill Conservation Group is working on the banks of the Gaderbrook at the moment.   They are an amazing group who were hard at work this morning, in the rain in the area around Barn Hill Pond.  They are always in need of volunteers so if you want to get plenty of exercise during winter lockdown get in touch. This is what they posted about their work (edited):

GADERBROOK AND PRESTON EASTFIELD

The aim of the work here is to restore this section of the Gaderbrook stream alongside Preston Eastfield.

The Gaderbrook arises from the surface water ditches of the meadows and hedgerows in Fryent Country Country Park.  It also takes surface water from Fryent Way and from parts of the suburban estate between here and Kingsbury Road, That area is due to the countours of the local geology.

Alongside the Gaderbrook, the work aims to reduce scrubeso that the stream receives more light. That should encourage wildflowers and inprove the view of the streamside.

Within Preston Eastfield, a hedgerow will be created (or restored?) from a line of scrub trees, set back from the streamside. On the other side of that hedgerow the footpath is being widened.

The aim? A more attractive path, a hedgerow and streamside habitats.

While we hope that more plants will establish in the improved light, you may occasionally notice that the stream is polluted  (Ed: see last frames of the video). This is due to wrongly connected plambing from propertis that feed into the strean.  If you notice this, please report it to the Environment Agency pollution hotline.

Barn Hill Conservation Group LINK

More on the state of Brent's parks & the 'meadows' debate

There's quite a debate going on regarding the state of Brent's parks on social media.  The 'creation' of meadows  was a decision based on saving money (£0.5m) backed by a claim that it would support natural diversity LINK. It has been implemented by  simply  not cutting the grass. Some are happy for sections of the parks to be left unmown hoping it will provide diversity for nature but others point out that real wild flower meadows need proper planning and maintenance.

Local resident Jaine Lunn succeeded in persuading Brent Council and their contractor Veolia to reduce the unmown area  in King Edward VII park to enable children to play ball games

Meanwhile a reader has sent me the above photograph of the 'cricket pitch' at King Edward VII park in Wembley commenting, 'I forgot how much they spent on doing this but they shouldn't have bothered.'

There is an extensive discussion about the issue on the View from Dollis Hill Facebook page regarding Gladstone Park. LINK

As a contribution to the meadows debate here are pictures of the meadows and 'scrape' at Mason's Field in Kingsbury where the Barn Hill Conservation Group has transformed a former playing field into a meadow. The transformation involved a substantial amount of work by volunteers including planting thousands of plug plants. See LINK.

Similar work was done at the University of Westminster wild flower meadow which is hand-scythed at the end of the season.

Mason's Field on Friday:

By contrast this is a view of one of the Gladstone Park meadows:

Blooming marvellous! Double award for Barn Hill Conservation Group



Barn Hill Conservation Group are celebrating a double award from London in Bloom.

The Roe Green Walled Garden won Gold in the small Conservation Area category.

The garden is one of the gems of Brent, lovingly tended by volunteers, and replete with vegetables and flowers and fascinating installations dedicated to giving a home to wildlife.

You can visit on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays between 10.30am and 2.30pm.







The second award, also a Gold, went to Fryent Country Park and was the overall winner in the Best Country Park Category.

The Conservation Group worked with Brent Council and Barn Hill Residents Association to clear rubbish and the remains of camps from the 250 acre park deposited about 2 years ago.

There is now a dedicated team of residents who collect litter whilst working in the park and leave it a collection points for the Council to collect.

The Conservation Group work in the park every Sunday not only clearing litter and flytips but undertaking conservation work including keeping footpaths clear,  carrying out new planting and surveying the park's wildlife.

Further information can be found on their website HERE

Red Kites spotted over Fryent Country Park, Kingsbury

The Barn Hill Conservation Group August Newsletter has reported sightings of Red Kites over Fryent Country Park.

Pete Stevens of the Southern England Kite Group told me that this is not the first sighting over London of these magnificent birds but I think it is the first in our area.

He told me that young kites in their first year often explore away from their home territory and that probably accounts for the sighting. They tend to return to the area where they fledged to nest but suggested local naturalists should listen out for them calling to each other if they are seen in the Spring. This was one indicator of them nesting in the area.

Background information

Red kites were driven to extinction in England by human persecution by the end of the nineteenth century. A small population survived in Wales, but there was little chance of these birds repopulating their original areas.

Between 1989 and 1994, kites from Spain were imported and released into the Chilterns by the RSPB and English Nature (now Natural England). Red kites started breeding in the Chilterns in 1992 and now there could be over 1,000 breeding pairs in the area. The reintroduction has been so successful it is not possible to monitor all the nests, so the overall size of the population can only be estimated. Source

Where to see Red Kites

Reports of sightings can be made directly to the Southern England Kite Group via their website www.sekg.org.uk or by calling Pete Stevens on 07761 205 833

A Brent treasure: Roe Green Walled Garden Open Day Saturday September 10th

There will be an  Open Day at Roe Green Walled Garden in Kingsbury on Saturday September 10th from 10.30am until 4pm. This is another Brent resource, passionately supported by volunteers of the Barn Hill Conservation Group, that deserves to be better known. To whet your appetite here is some background from the Group:

Roe Green Walled Garden

The little known oasis is located within Roe Green Park, Kingsbury next to Kingsbury Manor House.

In order to locate the garden start opposite the junction of Kingsbury Road with Valley Drive and follow the road into Roe Green Park, bear left at the fork and continue to the Walled Garden. Buses 183 and 204 stop by the junction; and Kingsbury tube station is nearby.

History

The garden was originally part of the estate of the house now called Kingsbury Manor. The house was built in 1899 for the Duchess of Sutherland and her third husband Sir Albert Kaye Rollit, who was M.P. for Islington from 1886 to 1906. It was then a country house, surrounded by farmland, and was called 'The Cottage'.

By 1909 the house was occupied by Countess Bubna, daughter of the Duchess; it later changed hands several times. In 1929 George Cloke bought the house and changed its name to 'Kingsbury Manor'. He sold the house and grounds to Middlesex County Council in 1938, and the house become a home for elderly people, while the walled garden was part of a Council Depot used for the training of Parks staff. 

John Logie Baird, inventor of television, rented the nearby Coach House in 1928. It was there that he received the first television signals from Berlin. The concrete bases of his two television masts can still be seen near the building, which is now used by the Nursery. 

In 1989 Barn Hill Conservation Group were offered the use of the facilities, including the workshop, greenhouse and cold frames, and agreed to look after the garden. It was then in a rather neglected state, and members of the Group worked every Thursday morning to tidy and improve it. 

The Group's tree nursery was established just outside the garden, growing trees from seed collected in Fryent Country Park. The young trees have been used to replant some of the old hedgerows there. 

Several new features were introduced, one of the first being the organic vegetable garden. Compost containers were built to recycle the weeds that seem to grow everywhere. Another recycling project was the dry-stone wall, constructed in the traditional way, but from rubble instead of stone. 

A new pond was dug to encourage wildlife - frogs, toads and newts - while the old round pond was left for the fish. Homes, from recycled wood, for a variety of creatures, can be seen in one corner, and birds are encouraged by nest boxes and feeders. 

Awards and Financing

The Green Flag Community Award (formerly Green Pennant Award) recognises high quality green spaces that are managed by voluntary and community groups. The Award is part of the Green Flag Award scheme (Keep Britain Tidy), the national standard for quality parks and green spaces. Each site is judged on its own merits and suitability to the community it serves. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Pennant status. Roe Green Walled Garden has won this award each year since 2005. 

Barn Hill Conservation Group have received a number of grants through the years to improve the garden - one to pave the area outside the workshop, another to re-point the East wall; but our largest grant was for our new Conservation Centre building (now named 'The Cottage' after the name of the original manor House). This new building is proving to be a great asset, and for which we give many thanks to the National Lotteries Charity Board.  The Group have also been given a grant from Brent’s Ward Working which was used to part finance a gazebo, and more recently a grant form Santander which will be used to help finance a greenhouse/classroom.  In addition to grants and donations the group are also financed from sales of bric-a-brac, books, plants, logs and wood-craft.

Current details

The Walled garden, has been maintained by the Barn Hill Conservation Group (a completely welcoming and inclusive group) since 1989, is a wonderful tranquil and peaceful area to sit, walk and browse with free entry open every Tuesday Thursday and Saturday between 10 and 2. 

The gardens enjoys visits from the local schools and other community groups

It is home to Great Crested newts, a Bee Hive and a constructed home for bugs and insects 

 

Events 

The group host several open days during the year and two years ago hosted a Russian Tea Ceremony which was presented from a Russian Group that made Kolomna Pastila using British apples to discover the tastes of the time of Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy. 

Our next open day is Saturday 10^th September 2016 between 10.30 and 4, but is also open for visitors on Tuesday’s Thursday’s and Saturdays between 10 & 2.

Further Information

The group also do conservation every Sunday on Fryent Country Park a list of meeting places and events can be found on our website http://www.bhcg.btck.co.uk/ or contact can be made by phone on 020 8206 0492 or email barnhillconservationgroup@gmail.com

Roe Green Walled Garden Open Day on Saturday

Roe Green Walled Garden – well worth a visit

 Guest blog by Philip Grant

Following Martin’s short blog publicising its open day on Saturday LINK, I went along to renew my acquaintance with this “secret garden”. I say that as I had lived within half a mile of Roe Green Walled Garden for fifteen years before my family discovered this beautiful haven, tucked away at the top of a driveway in the park. Now, this community garden run by volunteers from the Barn Hill Conservation Group is better publicised, and attracted many other visitors.

Some of the Open Day attractions on the lawn

 

A quiet wildlife corner of the walled garden

 

Part of the sunny long borde

 If you have not been to this garden before (or if you have, but are not sure when it is open), you don’t need to wait for another open day to pay it a visit. The garden is open from 10am to 2pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There are quiet spots to sit and relax, an area for children to play, educational displays, and sales of recycled items as well as the pleasant flower, fruit and vegetable gardens to stroll around. The garden has an informal atmosphere, and there are usually volunteers around glad to answer any questions. If you want to stay and give them a hand with any of the garden tasks, so much the better, but there is no pressure to do so. If you want to find out more about the garden, or their work on Fryent Country Park, please visit their website: http://bhcg.btck.co.uk/.

Philip Grant.