After Flaming June (our last offering), things have warmed up a little and ‘The Friends’ have been very busy indeed. It’s been a pleasure, as always, to have met so many of you at our various events.

1. Bandstand Concerts

Ready to strike up again, and an exciting first for the Kensington Gardens bandstand.

First of all, I’d like to thank our three immensely generous and loyal members who have funded the wonderful concerts on the Hyde Park Bandstand for several years:

• Carl Richardson through ‘RICHARDSON’ for the Band of The Mercian Regiment
• A member who wishes to remain anonymous for Orquesta Mambarito Salsa Band.
• ‘Marble Arch BID’ For the South London Jazz Orchestra, and Simon Selman, dance teacher.

KENSINGTON GARDENS BANDSTAND is the exciting new kid on the block

After several years of detailed restoration, this beautiful bandstand with a patterned ceiling is ready to stage a concert. It’s close to the south of the Round Pond.

Would you be kind enough to consider helping fund our newest venture?

A performance by the Epsom and Ewell Silver Band in the Kensington Gardens’ Bandstand?

Some generous donors to join those above would be so welcome.

Here’s the line up for Hyde Park and they’re all FREE!

Sunday 18th August 14.30 to 16.30
The Band of the Mercian Regiment will be travelling from the Midlands. We’re confident that they will make a splendid sound and will give us a fine start to the season.

Sunday 1st September 14.30 to 16.30
Orquesta Mambarito Salsa band with Victor Marchangioli, attract a large following. The costumes and dancing are spectacular. Join in for a dance.

Sunday 8th September 14.00 to 16.30
South London Jazz Orchestra (SLJO) will be playing their superb brand of swing and big band tunes. And Simon Selman, swing dance teacher, is the bonus as he will teach us all the steps beforehand and get us tapping our toes and dancing along.

*Sunday 15th September 14.30 to 16.30
Epsom and Ewell Silver Band. This is the first time the band has played for us, so we want a good turn-out to give them a ‘Friends’ warm welcome. Also, it’s a chance to help launch the future of this beautiful bandstand.

We look forward to seeing your photos, so snap away during these dogdays of Summer.

And, if you think you can help fund this last special treat, please email: contact@friendshpkg.org.uk

What? Where? How?

An information kiosk, staffed mostly by ‘The Friends’ and organised by Trustee Will Gray has, since early June, been running for a short trial period mostly to gather stats.

Have you noticed a little shed with a lift-up hatch and a window (not serving crepes, cider or ice cream, sadly) located on the Serpentine Road close to Hyde Park Corner? It has extraordinarily large signage on it but slightly dwarfed by the smart Tom Raffield designed kiosk for Colicci, next door.

It has been staffed by gallant volunteers who did not know what to expect, would they be swamped by a tidal wave of visitors or would they languish, only answering occasional questions about nearby toilets?
OR?
They were rushed off their feet, sometimes dealing with 300 to 400 visitors daily, and all wanting directions to attractions over both Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.

Although they covered most weekdays and most slots (morning/afternoon), they have the capacity to expand to further weekday sessions and weekends. The original volunteers in the kiosk next to the cafe at Hyde Park Corner, joined the new team and worked well together.

I was told that the free maps were a star take-away, visitors walked away treasuring them. So much for “nobody reads maps anymore” and QR codes taking over. Talks are underway for the future, and how to organise a useful and efficient facility for the Park. Planning needs to be applied for and we will certainly keep you all in the loop. Look out for them and just say hello, even without asking a question.

My bunting, brought from the seaside, was rejected after a short time as being unsuitable, I was sorry about that.

Merchandise on the Move

Have you noticed a very odd combination of a tall, slim container being pedalled along the Serpentine Road, with an identical twin following closely behind?

It’s the shop coming to you, remember the mobile libraries? The container behind is carrying spare stock

Here, they are setting up outside the shop, which is situated at the boathouse. They move around and visit St James’s Park and Palace Gate in Kensington Gardens. Their customers are totally different in each, they told me, with tourists almost the entire clientele at St James’s, and local residents in Kensington buying birthday presents.

Bon Voyage! The goods on sale look like a really excellent selection.

Remembrance of things past

Proust
When I wrote to you all earlier this year about memorial benches, after a long break, available in Hyde Park, your response was immediate. Jonathan Taylor, who is the Legacy and Major Giving Manager from the Royal Parks, told me that he hoped benches in Kensington Gardens might soon become available. That time has come, and there are now some benches to remember someone who loves or loved Kensington Gardens.

Jonathan writes:
“There are a small number of opportunities available for benches on the North Flower Walk, The South Flower Walk and the Mulberry Walk. All in Kensington Gardens.

The Royal Parks Charity requests a donation of £10,000 (inc. VAT). Inscriptions, on an engraved brass plaque, will be fixed to the top rail of the bench and lasts for ten years. The design will be in hardwood with a double seat, as in our picture.

As members of the Friends, we are invited to bypass the online enquiry form and contact The Royal Parks Dedications Team directly at: dedications@royalparks.org.uk

If you are seriously interested, I would encourage you to call them fairly promptly as, from past experience, the benches are reserved very quickly.

And a special last request from me (Sue) to the lovely member who I chatted to at the AGM who has bought a Hyde Park bench for her to enjoy in her life time! Please could you contact me on my email: contact@friendshpkg.org.uk

Out and About with the Friends

July was a hectic month for us members. Luckily, all our events were held in good weather (which was a miracle considering the level of rain fall).

The Plant Sale
Thank you to Manager Rob Dowling, Orla and the nursery team who once again laid out shelves of the most enticing plants for us to top up our gardens, pots and window boxes.

This is always the most keenly anticipated of all our events, and a genial location for plant and garden chat, as well as sourcing of garden specials to take home.

Bravo to the clever colour combinations chosen. A decent sized donation was made to the Royal Parks Charity.

Italian Gardens, Pumping House and the Pets Cemetery
A very hot day, and many thanks to Kensington Gardens Head Gardener Russell Stevens for his offer to take us into the pumping house, where we enjoyed the sounds and sights of several generations of pumping systems, still working flat out.

Beforehand, we learnt about planting in this area and that, when filling our garden troughs (I wish), remember the mantra ‘Thrill Fill Spill’ (all types of plants needed to be a design success).

The Pet Cemetery is a very quirky little place and almost invisible to the outside world. One of the oddest things are the names (but then those who came before us could say the same about our choices). Imagine shouting Baa Baa all-round the park, and others I can’t mention.

We finished with cool drinks in the courtyard of the Kensington Gardens offices. Many thanks to Russell and all the team at the offices who moved things round so we could enjoy ourselves in their spaces. Also, many thanks to the trustees, retired trustees and partners who helped with the complex arrangements around shifting the small groups.

Annual General Meeting
Held once again at the Hyde Park Learning Centre (thank you to manager Graham Alderton).

A record number turned up and really enjoyed a short introduction about what was below us (a Victorian reservoir still occasionally full of water), presentations from both managers and loads of wonderful images.

Chief Executive Andrew Scattergood spoke to us about how running a meaningful park management programme has been helped by becoming an independent charity.

Drinks on the terrace rounded off the summer evening. Trustees worked very hard running this pleasant and sociable evening, and many thanks are due to them too.

Q: What’s in a name? A: Quite a lot I believe

Did you notice the little pavilion when you came into the AGM in July at the Learning Centre? This is the ‘Look Out’ and, until recently, that or ‘LookOut‘ was the name of the whole development. Actually, the pavilion with its turret has an interesting history and was an early spot for police surveillance of potential trouble at Speakers Corner or at the Reformers tree.

There is plenty of documentation, early drawings of police officers perched on top of the turret, and plans of this building on record. It fronted an overgrown storage area for deckchairs, grass cutting equipment and heavy gardening tools.

I was dismayed when recently the name seemed to have disappeared and it had become the “Gatehouse”. Its unusual history and proper name therefore was at risk of being swept completely away.

Following some submissions from us, it looks as though there has been a rethink and I’m glad to say that, with ‘The Friends’ help, the pavilion will be named clearly and an information board installed nearby explaining some of its unusual history.

I’m hoping the time taken to create and install this is a lot less than it took for a similar board at the ‘Bastion’ in Kensington Gardens (also donated by you all) and will need a lot less nagging from me.

AND NOW I USUALLY SIGN OFF
But, unusually, I’m handing over to our assistant editor, Paul Shelley, under instruction from Mike Fitt, Chair of the Royal Parks Guild.

A Citation for Sue Price Sue Price is too modest to write this herself, but I am sure that you will want to know about the citation she has been awarded by the Royal Parks for her outstanding service as Chairman of the ‘Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens’.

Her work extends beyond our two parks to the wider forum of all the Royal Parks.

The award was presented to Sue by Loyd Grossman, who has now stepped down as Chair of the Royal Parks.

The citation merits being quoted in full and reads:
Before Sue became chair of The Friends of Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens, membership was small, the AGMs were sometimes chaotic, and the relationship with the Parks was at times strained. Sue has transformed ‘The Friends’ into a charity with a thriving membership, a diverse range of events and a commitment to be ‘true friends’ of the parks.

Sue works tirelessly for ‘The Friends’ and her commitment is unwavering. This includes everything from organising interesting events, hosting meetings at her house, writing such great articles, promoting the parks for e.g. SEBRA, and joining countless stakeholder meetings for events and projects.

When she speaks, it is with a passion and strong support for the Parks, whilst understanding the realities and challenges that such prestigious Parks face.

Sue is not afraid to try something different, especially if it means a great article (and photos) for the next Friends’ newsletter. The photo on the screen is a time when a group of Royal Parks staff were offered a unique tour of the sewers underneath Hyde Park. The offer was extended to Sue and she leapt at the chance to be winched down into the Victorian sewers below the park, wading through raw sewage, with a broad smile on her face.

Sue also has a very personal touch with the Royal Parks and contractor staff, as well as her members and park concessions.

The teams in both Parks and at the Nursery always look forward to the plant sales where delicious home-made cakes are produced. Sue always knows the names of the individual staff and engages with them in conversation. This is something that is really appreciated by everyone across the two Parks.

Overall, Sue is very appreciative of the work that we do in the Parks. Her understanding of the consideration and effort that goes into everything, from the smallest flower bed to hosting major music concerts, is greatly appreciated and shows that she is a true friend of the Parks.

Members of the Friends Forum commented:
“Sue has chaired the Forum of Royal Parks Friends group chairs for many years. In doing so, she is committed, determined, and diligent, on behalf of all Friends groups. She is
welcoming, inclusive, offering advice, and providing kind support, to each new Chair as they begin to get to grips with their issues and responsibilities.

Under her, the Forum has tackled some difficult issues that have led to a new era of cooperation between the Friends groups and the Royal Parks. The Forum members appreciate her strong leadership and are delighted that her outstanding contribution to supporting the Royal Parks is being recognised.”

“Well done, Sue. Very well deserved”

From, Paul Shelley accredited photographer

Photography:
Paul Shelley
Sue Price
Rob Dowling

Thanks for plenty of extra text to our sub editor Paul Shelley

Design and layout Lynden Easton.

Sue Price
Chairman