Launch event at Fairland Park

The Fairland Park project in Hornsey, London held their official opening ceremony on Sunday (18th July). The group, which received just under £50k from the Community Spaces programme, used funding to create a new play area in the park. Working with local partners and Groundwork London, the group has transformed the park with new landscaping, seating and play equipment.

Some fantastic photographs from the launch can be seen here: http://theladderopenspace.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/photos-of-fairland-park-summer-party

Hilly Fields natural play area opens in Lewisham, London.

The Friends of Hilly Fields, in Lewisham, London have successfully opened their brand new natural play area. The group secured just under £50k from Community Spaces for this project.

The site includes rocks, boulders, sand and even a water pump for local children to really get back in touch with nature.

Some great photographs of the children enjoying the new play area can be found here: http://www.hilly.org.uk/2010/05/and-finally/

The group are planning an official opening of the play area this weekend and will be entertaining visitors with a story teller and will have craft workshops in the afternoon.

New play area in Fairland Park, Hornsey, London

A long awaited play area has finally opened in the London Borough of Haringey. The Friends of Fairland Park have spent over a year planning and developing the project and finally the fruits of their labour are ready for harvest!

The new play area, which secured almost £50k from Community Spaces, and officially opened its doors on Sunday 18th July.

The Friends of Fairland Park have been fantastic at keeping us and everyone in their local community well-informed about developments through their blog, which can be found at: http://theladderopenspace.wordpress.com - some fantastic pictures of the site before and after can also be found here.

Well done guys…

The Friends of Hilly Fields group has been posting stories on their website about the hard work taking place to re-vamp their local play area – which is funded through the Community Spaces programme.

Some lovely before and after photographs, as well as a progress update can be found here: http://www.hilly.org.uk/2010/05/nearly-there/

You’re doing really well guys – the transformation is already looking great!

If you’d like to learn more about blogging or other social media tools that can help you share your project messages, stories and pictures – just like the Friends of Hilly Fields - please visit our Social Media Help page.

The group are working to develop their ‘Wild about Play’ project. The group are hoping to transform a worn out old play area into a new and exciting natural play environment.

Please visit the Friends of Hilly Fields new website to find out more about their work: www.hilly.org.uk

Bob King from Horn Park Forum explains what the group have achieved

Groundwork UKs Open Grants Committee (the people who govern and oversee the delivery of the Community Spaces programme) and the Community Spaces Grants Panel (the group of people that make decisions on applications) took time away from their desks to visit a Community Spaces project yesterday.

Committee and panel members were given the opportunity to visit Horn Park Forum’s outdoor gym project, in Lee, South East London. Horn Park Forum secured just under £50k from Community Spaces to create a outdoor gym in their park.

Visitors were thrilled to see such an innovative project and to hear first hand how the project developed and what Community Spaces funding had helped to achieve.

A big thank you to Sarah Smith, Groundwork London for hosting a fantastic visit and to Bob King and forum members for welcoming us to the park and taking time out to show us around and tell us about the project.

For more information about the Horn Park Forum project please follow this link to their story. Photographs of Committee and Panel members enjoying the day can be found on Flickr please follow this link.

The gardens used to be a magnet for anti-social behaviour, having fallen into significant decline over a number of years. But now, it is an oasis in one of the most densely populated, built-up areas of London.

The top three Best Heritage Projects will be decided by a public vote. To register your vote visit: 

www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards.

 NB This project is not part of the Community Spaces programme. 

• The Friends of Paignton Park in Seven Sisters, Tottenham, have been awarded £49,920 to create a community square for seating and outdoor activities such as backgammon and table tennis.
•  The Friends of Russell Park in Haringey are using their grant of £48,860 to increase biodiversity in the park by introducing hedgerows and planting trees. Fencing will provide a dog-free area.
• The Hammersmith Community Gardens Association has been awarded £20,000 to improve Godolphin Road Community Garden in Shepherd’s Bush. The garden will provide an eco-friendly educational resource.

Friends of Abbey Gardens

To get the latest from Friends of Abbey Gardens please visit their blog.

We’d like to wish the group the very best of luck with their stage 2 application and would like to say well done for keeping local people so well informed about the work of the group and the projects that are happening locally – we could all learn a thing or two about blogging from this group!

Friends of Falkland and Fairfax

The group have successfully got through stage 1 of the Community Spaces application process and are hoping to secure funds to transform play facilities in the their local park – which has recently been re-named Fairland Park.

Details on how the group are progressing and their project can be found by visiting their blog.

We’d like to congratulate the group on getting through the stage 1 application process and wish them the very best of luck for their stage 2 application. We hope you can continue to use your blog to keep us all informed about latest developments.