Life has changed dramatically over the past 25 years, but one priority has endured for the volunteers at the Friends of Bishops Park – passionately caring for the green space in Fulham.
The Friends of Bishops Park are celebrating the milestone anniversary this year with plans to protect and showcase the beauty of the Grade II-listed green space in even more ways.
Gardening, litter picking and even bagging duck food for the residents of the park's ornamental lake are just some of the weekly tasks for the volunteers, who work alongside the council to care for Bishops Park.
The Friends group was founded in 2000 and is one of around 12 similar community bodies that support local green spaces.
"It's a joy to be involved with the park on a deeper level," explained chair Sarah Jane Johnson, "and be connected to how it develops and is run".
Voice for locals
"It's very positive for people to be involved and have a voice," said Sarah Jane, who celebrated the anniversary during an event held at the Tea House in Bishops Park on 20 June.
Bishops Park is a beautiful public space which for 25 years has been kept special by all of its supporters and volunteers, all of whom should be very proud."
With at least 100 members of the Friends group, there's an active community of locals caring for the park and helping to improve the green space for wildlife and visitors.
Bright pink geraniums and lobelia plants have recently been added to bring a pop of colour to the planters alongside the sandpit and splash park, while a palette of white, cream and pastel flowers have been planted in the Spanish Memorial Garden.
"As a group we are very protective of the park and we're always thinking of ways to improve it, along with the council," added Sarah Jane, who works as an exam invigilator.
H&F Civic Honour
The volunteer group – which was recognised with an H&F Civic Honour this year – has regular meetings with the council's parks team, which works alongside grounds maintenance company Idverde.
Together they work to keep H&F's 21 Green Flag-awarded parks and green spaces looking their best.
Along with gardening, the volunteers launched a litter picking troop in 2020 to help with managing the increased rubbish as people flocked to green spaces during the Covid pandemic.
Their passion for keeping the park clean means new bins are being installed around the park, with separate recycling and litter sections that can't be easily accessed by foxes.
Living in Fulham, mum-of-two Sarah Jane explained that Bishops Park is a precious escape for many people attracted to its beautiful flowerbeds, playgrounds, splash park, skate bowl, ornamental lake and riverside setting.
"It became really clear during lockdown and the Covid pandemic how important green spaces are for physical health and mental wellbeing, and it's good for people to be invested in where they live," she pointed out.
Embracing technology
The park's volunteers are keen to move with the times and are embracing technology alongside more traditional ways of supporting the green space.
Bishops Park now has a listed tree trail on the TiCL app, which allows visitors to find out about the trees around the park.
"There's definitely a move towards technology and we have an active following on our Bishops Park SW6 Instagram page now," highlighted Sarah Jane.
Having received Heritage Lottery Funding of £3.65m in 2010, which was match funded by H&F Council, the park underwent a huge makeover with a dedicated book titled The History of Bishops Park – A People's Park chronicling its development since Victorian times.
But the improvements haven't stopped, and the Friends group last year created a wildflower area, with another planned this autumn.
"The wildflower areas are good for all sorts of wildlife, including birds, bees and butterflies," added Sarah Jane.
"We're also planning to put up boxes to attract birds like wrens, robins and blackbirds and we'd love to have a camera box that would film the birds, so we could share what was happening with a wider audience."
Collaboration
For Sarah Jane, the next stage of the Friends group is all about collaboration.
"Now it's about how the park sits alongside other green spaces and connecting with them," she explained.
"We're thinking about the bigger picture of how we collaborate with other spaces, like the Fulham Cemetery Friends, and the Friends of South Park.
It's such a vibrant group, with people making friendships and connections, and we're keen to share ideas and learn from our surrounding green spaces."
To find out more about joining the Friends of Bishops Park email chair.bishparkfriends@gmail.com or visit the Friends of Bishops Park website.
