Once again Friends wish to thank all our wonderful friends/volunteers for joining our Volunteer Day last Saturday. Our task was to clear leaves from around the Fossil Grove building and gutters to allow the rain water to drain away and avoid water ingress into the building putting the fossils at risk of erosion.
We had an excellent turn out of about 10 people and we cleared at least 50 barrow loads of leaves moving them into the surrounding grounds so they will turn to mulch. We set a new record with our youngest volunteer dividing our average age by 10; our record has been seriously broken with a 7 year old joining our happy crew! Even that was in danger of being broken if younger sister hadn’t been rather poorly so opted to watch from safety of her pram! Weather was actually quite warm and dry; hard work done by all. Thanks and here’s to seeing you all again.
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Join the Friends of Victoria Park at the war memorial in the park this Remembrance Sunday to remember the fallen of past wars, and reflect on a current one. Dr Yevgen Gorash of Glasgow’s Ukrainian community will talk about the Ukrainians who arrived in Glasgow after the Second World War, then take the community’s story up to the present day and the help it’s providing to Ukrainians affected by the war going on at the moment.
Dear Friends.
Autumn has well and truly arrived but our FoVP maintenance is still required particularly around the fossil grove. If you a few spares 10s of minutes on Saturday we’d love to see you to help with our tasks. We’ve booked some nice autumn weather specially but the ground is wet and wellies are the best footwear plus older clothing. We’re starting at 10am on Saturday 12th at the fossil house and will be finished around 12 noon. I’d you’ve liked our fb group previously or even this time maybe you could find those minutes to join us. Looking forward to seeing you then. FoVP Convenor The Friends are delighted to announce to all our supporters the creation of 20 new dwellings in the park, 10 this year and 10 last year adding to the previous 10 from previous years. Some of the dwellings have been occupied but unfortunately not all.
Each comes with a lovely front door and single living space for Mum, Dad and a few kids. They are in a great elevated location with leafy surroundings. Unfortunately none come with a parking space but each has an abundance of fresh livestock to fill all those little mouths. Friends would like to ask park users to adopt a dwelling and report on Facebook how the occupants are doing. Maybe post some pictures of the activities and report on the occupants. We hope to add more in the years to come. Let’s together look after our lovely feathered friends and essential park residents. Just a bit dreich in the park today when Friends held its next volunteer morning. As well as clearing leaves around and on the Fossil Grove building to help maintain the building from water penetration and weeding the recently planted large planter at the toilet block, we were delighted to see the delivery of 2 of the 3 new Council planters beside the cafe. Friends thought it would help to create a feeling of community space at the cafe, offer some protection from the elements and enhance the seating area. Friends had requested these planters during the summer and at last they’ve arrived. What do you think; do you like the planters? Looking forward to seeing you great volunteers again in November. 😎
Cameron Thom has produced a short film about Victoria Park. Narration by Tom Urie. Saturday 7th November at 10am
Come along to the Fossil Grove pond anytime 10-12 on Saturday 7th Nov to help with weeding, tidying etc in the Fossil Grove area. Equipment provided but if you have your own then please bring them You will be asked to sign a Test & Protect contact sheet, observe social distancing, etc etc This year’s AGM will be a virtual affair starting at 7.30pm on Thursday 20 August. The Friends Annual General meeting normally takes place in May but this years had to be postponed because of the lockdown.
Friend’s Chairperson Michael Herrigan will provide updates on the Fossil Grove, the new Community Trust and other news. We will discuss the key role the park has played in our community over the last six months and whether parks should be given the same statutory status as other essential public services. Green MSP Patrick Harvie has very kindly agreed to be this years guest speaker. This AGM will include proposed amendments to the constitution and the election of office bearers. Just email the friends to get the details required to log in to the zoom meeting. Plans to develop the quarry area of the Fossil Grove as a magnificent Victorian fernery took a great step forward last month. Bill Peebles, Deacon of the Incorporation of Gardeners met with the Friends of Victoria Park to present a cheque for £2300 for their fernery fund. Members of the Gardeners Guild had met with the Friends group at the Fossil Grove in November and were impressed with efforts being made to improve this area of the park which had become quite run down. Bill Peebles explains: “The parks are very important to the city and when we visited this project we were keen to help. I used to love visiting the Fossil Grove as a boy - it was magnificent back then. It’s very sad when our parks are not maintained the way they used to be. We wish the Friends of Victoria Park every success with the fernery.” Cathie Russell, Secretary of the Friends of Victoria Park said: “This is fantastic news and came as a great surprise. It comes only a few weeks after the Glasgow West Area Partnership awarded us £3000 which has enabled us to order plants for planting early Summer. We are hoping the funds from the Incorporation will allow us to do more planting this Autumn or in Spring next year. The redevelopment of the fernery will take up to ten years or so and all the work is being undertaken by volunteers. The plantinq scheme is being drawn up by landscape architect Richard East and the fernery is also supported by the British Pteridological Society. Work scheduled to take place on the fernery in Spring 2020 has had to be cancelled because of the Coronavirus lock down but we will reassess what can be done if restrictions are eased. Please note the photo above showing Cathie Russell, Secretary of The Friends with Bill Peebles, Landscape Architect Richard East and Friends Vice Chairperson Elizabeth Brown was taken early in March before the current restrictions, Join members of the Friends of Victoria Park this Saturday 14 December to help decorate the little Christmas Tree near the Oswald Clock.
We will be meeting at 11.30am and would encourage everyone to bring any spare decorations or ribbons that will give the wee tree a Christmas makeover. Once the tree is decorated we usually sing a few carols and share some mince pies. Everyone is welcome! |
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