Archive news

Established in 1997 and with over 140 images from which to choose, Mountbatten Cards enables customers to donate 25% of the net proceeds of their purchase to the charity of their choice.

The Royal Parks have just released this two minute beautifully made Youtube film. Flowers brought in remembrance of Her Majesty are carefully laid out in the Green and Hyde Parks and make gorgeous displays, and then they have to be cleared…….

The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has brought back many memories for us all. Several of you got in touch with your own remembrances and thoughts on the last few weeks. Some of these contributions are enclosed in this newsletter.

As far as the Friends organisation went, we had little to do except stand back, support, admire and congratulate the Royal Parks staff on the way the long planned arrangements slipped into place and suddenly “our” parks became a focus for the world.

From Friday morning when a 96 gun salute took place, our two parks played a vital role. There were three more gun salutes during the following ten days, large screens erected, flowers laid and then ended with the solemn progress of the hearse through Hyde Park and then Kensington Gardens on its way to Windsor.

On Sunday August 21st, our toes started tapping from the off, to the familiar tunes of a Beetles medley specially arranged for the Melodians Steel Orchestra.

The first concert on the 7th August was a great success and was enjoyed by more than 300 foot tappers and dancers. Our photos give you a taste.

Also read how both Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park have achieved their green flag awards with the maximum points possible.

After a three year gap the lovely Hyde Park bandstand will, once again, host four wonderful bands which will fill the space and deliver toe-tapping and dancing music on four dates in August and September.
With very many thanks to our extremely generous donors, without whom we couldn’t do it, we are unveiling the programme and hope you’ll be tempted by some of these offerings. We’re looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible.

Families, friends, old comrades and serving officers met again for the 98th Anniversary of the combined cavalry parade and memorial service on the 8th May in Hyde Park

On Sunday afternoon choristers from the Bach Choir, the London Symphony Chorus and the Royal Choral Society came together to sing a selection of music including Myola Lysenko ‘A Prayer for Ukraine’, Orlando Gibbons ‘Drop, Drop, Slow Tears’ and ended with us singing together Hammerstein’s ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

The choirs were inspirational of course.

At the beginning of the week we were telling potential guests, “It looks as though it’s going to be windy weekend.” By Wednesday I was told “there are going to be strong gusts on Friday and we are going to have to close the playgrounds.” The next day the decision was made to close all the the Royal Parks on Friday at least until the wind dropped.

NATURE’S SCULPTURES IN THE PARKS
Our accredited photographer, Paul Shelley, usually specialises in gritty street and work situations with well worn faces looking resignedly into the lens. Industrial archaeology also features a lot in his portfolio.

However we are lucky that from time to time he changes the pace and visits our two parks for some spirit lifting photography.

On this occasion he told us he was feeling melancholy and looking at things from a different perspective. It’s an interesting point of view in the middle of winter.

Sue Price
Chairman