Blog 21: An Autumnal

HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL 2020
A half-term week full of activity virtual and active.

Join The Royal Parks for an exciting programme of FREE Halloween activities for you to enjoy from the comfort of home.

There’s something for everyone, from underground bug hunts and creepy crawly storytelling to live themed craft-alongs. For those who do not scare easily, there are virtual walking tours and live expert discussions on creepy histories: from rituals and symbolism of Victorian mourning in Brompton Cemetery to our Victorian Pet Cemetery (Hyde Park), the first public one in Britain, over 1000 pets buried there.

All activities will be in the form of videos, live recordings and downloadable pdfs. Sign up for free to register and access the programme of particular activities and what materials you will need.

MOUNTBATTEN CARDS FOR CHRISTMAS
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. When placing an order, please indicate the specific charity to which you would like to make your donation and the company will forward it on your behalf.

If you wish to be kind enough to choose ‘The Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens’ as your nominated charity, we would be immensely grateful.

All cards fall within Royal Mail’s lowest price band for UK postage and, for overseas mail, the small format cards fall within the International Standard 20g rate.

There are eight attractive images of Kensington and the full range can be viewed and purchased through its website mountbattencards.com

Enquiries should be addressed to info@mountbattencards.com

MONTEVERDI IN THE PARK
One of our friends, when walking her dog in Kensington Gardens last weekend, came across this musical treat.

A couple of very talented singers, a soprano and mezzo, had taken up their position in Queen Caroline’s Temp le (close to the Serpentine Gallery) and gave a moving performance of the final duet from Monteverdi’s opera Coronation of Poppea.

Our friends iPhone expired just before the end, but you can appreciate the quality of this little gem from her recording.

Do you know who they are? They look as though they may be students at one of our conservatoires. But the Royal College of Music didn’t recognise them. If you have an idea do please get in touch. We all, including our manager of Kensington Gardens Andy Williams, would love to know. He greatly appreciated the recording and had heard about the pop-up performance but none of his staff were lucky enough to catch the recital.

There’s a sting in the tail. Later on the same day in the same spot a gang of youths gathered. They scattered when the police arrived leaving broken slates taken off the roof, obscene graffiti scratched on the wall, and litter from nitrous oxide drug taking strewn across the floor and grass.

Sue Price
Chairman