FoTS launches expanded programme of events: group to fill environment/wildlife action void at Danson and take on maintenance of the Old English Garden

Committee member Mandy Stevens writes: 

Following our successful litter picks in and around Danson Park lake (which drains into the River Shuttle) earlier this year and last summer, we have been discussing with Bexley Council whether we could run other conservation activities in the park itself.  Friends of Danson Park has a large membership, but it is primarily a heritage/discussion group rather than an active working group so there was a vacuum we thought we might be able to fill.

The Council is happy for FoTS to carry out further litter picks and run wildlife walks, etc. but they also asked us if we would be prepared to take on the maintenance of the walled Old English Garden near Danson Stables.  They no longer have the budget to maintain the flower beds (although they will continue to look after the trees, shrubs and grass) and were faced with turfing over the whole garden if a group didn’t volunteer to take it on. Although FoTS is not a gardening group, we thought many of our members would enjoy looking after the garden and that we could do that as well as our regular litter picks and other work in the River Shuttle. FoDP is happy for us to take on the garden and a few of their members have said they would like come along and help out, which is very welcome.  FoDP is also considering whether any of their members could take responsibility for locking/unlocking the garden as there have been some recent incidents of vandalism.  The Council is providing tools and storage and has given us a planting plan of the beds so we can start planning our work activities over the year.

Building on two big litter clear-up operations at Danson Park during the last year, FoTS is expanding its operations to fill the environment/wildlife action void at the park, and is also taking on management of the Old English Garden flower beds.

We will be aiming to carry out at one River Shuttle event and one Danson gardening event per month and we also have some nature walks and other events planned for the year, including at Danson, as you can see from the programme for 2015/16 below.  We will let FoTS members know the location of forthcoming river events in due course, and details will also appear on the Bexley Wildlife website calendar.

We’re really excited about our new venture in the Old English Garden. There will be an initial planning meeting for FoTS members and anyone from FoDP who wishes to help. The next one will be advertised more widely and we hope to get some keen gardeners coming along to help us!

Danson Park is a Grade 1 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation in the Borough, and longer term, as an environmental group, we hope to work with the Council to make the garden more wildlife friendly.  Those of us who spent hours last year fishing froglets out of the formal pond are also keen to install some sort of permanent solution so they can get out their own!

For more information contact FoTS at friends.of.the.shuttle@gmail.com  A separate e-mail notification list will be run for Shuttle/environment/wildlife events on the one hand, and the gardening group on the other.

EVENTS DIARY: Our events normally start at 10.30. Confirmation of timings and meeting points will be publicised ahead of the date of each event.