News

HORSHAM PARK WINS GREEN FLAG AWARD FOR SECOND YEAR

The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. It is open to any freely accessible park or green space but it is not awarded lightly. The award scheme began in 1996 as a means of recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the country with high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas.
Winning a Green Flag Award means that a site flying a Green Flag is a high quality green space. All green spaces are different and this diversity is welcomed so each site is judged on its own merits and suitability to the community it serves.
Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag status. Throughout the land the owners, managers and staff of many parks and green spaces work tirelessly to ensure their application for the prestigious Green Flag Award is successful. The number of applicants increases year after year and, with this increasing interest in the scheme, it is clear the Green Flag Award scheme is a resounding success.
There has recently been much discussion about the declining quality of some city parks and lack of focus upon rural green spaces. While this is undoubtedly a cause for concern in many places there are also many examples of thriving, popular sites run by dedicated, enthusiastic people working closely with their local communities. Horsham Park is a shining examples of outstanding green space management, and this shows the way forward. The application for the Green Flag Award Scheme had to be made by the District Council as they manage the Park but they need community groups, such as the Friends of Horsham Park to support the application. We can now fly the Green Flag for a year before re-applying to retain the award.





NURSERY SITE

West Sussec County Council have demolished the old children’s nursery buildings (seen here on left) and restored the area to the Park (on right). Once the job was started it was all done very quickly and efficiently by a 'deconstruction' contractor . They have undertaken to do this work so that the area can be restored to parkland. It is over 60 years since the area was requisitioned.

Jubilee Entrance
There is now some uncertainty about the changes which were to have been made to the Jubilee entrance to the Park (near Superbowl and Park Surgery). These were to have taken place at the same time as structural changes to the Superbowl. The Friends were not happy about the Superbowl planning application but agree that improvements are needed to the car parking area. It has been said that this will become a public pay and display car park for general Park users instead of being dedicated to the Superbowl. The controversial metal tree structure which had been suggested for the Jubilee entrance to the Park will be located temporarily in the Hurst Road car park.

The Park Management Plan is now being implemented. New fencing around the tennis courts has been erected and other improvements in the area are in hand. The District Council are working ot suitable signs which will help cyclists to understand where they can and cannot cycle. The Friends group expressed concern about cycling when the Draft Management Plan was out for consultation. However, the Council have decided on generally allowing cycling with some areas of prohibition. We will be interested to see how this works out in practice and if the necessary signs will lead to further ‘urbanisation’ of the Park.
Hand in hand with the implementation of the Management Plan go the changes to the Bye-laws for the Park. As it happens Government are encouraging all local authorities to review all their bye-laws and new models have been issued. The Friends have not (yet) been consulted on the details proposed for the Park.

AMAZING

We are pleased to report that there has been no recent vandalism in the maze. There is no knowing whether this is because the novelty has worn off or because of the colder weather and darker evenings.

THE FORMER PUTTING GREEN

Vistors to the Park may have noticed that some topsoil has been dumped in the former putting green. The soil will be used to introduce some minor landscaping. There have been some different ideas about what should happen to this area. The Friends sought to keep it ‘natural’. Initially the Parks Department prepared plans for a hard-landscaped ‘amphitheatre’ but have since agreed that any changes should be less ambitious. Meanwhile the Horsham in Bloom group have put forward ideas for planting. Definately a case of “watch this space”. Meanwhile temporary fencing is being erected to keep the area dog-free and signs to this effect have been put up.

Constitution

Friends of Horsham Park - Constitution

The name of the group is Friends of Horsham Park called 'the Friends' in this constitution.


Aim:
The Friends of Horsham Park's purpose is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Park; to influence and promote opportunities for the public to understand and enjoy the Park.


Objectives:
To work in partnership with Horsham District Council and other interested parties, to help manage and generally look after the Park in a manner that will enhance its value to the community.
To make changes which will be of benefit to visitors to the park and to the flora and fauna living in it.
To make special efforts to encourage children from the local primary schools and other youth groups to take an interest in the park, helping them understand its value in the environment and to the community. Also, to show them ways in which management can enhance this, in the belief that they may continue the work of The Friends' in future.
To formulate an action plan (to include a variety of projects).
To raise awareness and the profile of the park.
To further these objectives the Committee may exercise the following powers:
To set up a bank account in the name of the 'Friends'.
To raise funds and receive contributions and donations, provided that the group shall not undertake any permanent trading activity.
To levy subscriptions/membership fees set by at the AGM.
To produce leaflets/posters to publicise the groups activities.
To hold meetings.
To pay necessary expenses involved in the running of the 'Friends'.

Membership:
Membership of the 'Friends' shall be open to any person who has an interest in the positive development of Horsham Park.


Officers:
The group shall elect a committee consisting of not less than 5 members. From amongst the Committee a chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer will be elected.

Other members may be appointed to hold/undertake particular responsibilities within the group e.g. fund-raising.


Meetings:
Committee meetings win be held on a bi monthly basis. Open meetings will be held
at least 4 times a year. Committee members not attending at least 50% of the meetings
in a year will normally be regarded as having stood down


Finances:
(a) Any money raised shall be used to further the aims of the 'Friends' and for noother purpose.
(b) A bank account will be opened in the name of the 'Friends of Horsham Park'
(c) The group shall decide the signatories to any account set up in the name of thegroup (two out of three signatories to sign any cheque).
(d) A simple written note of the 'Friends' financial position will from time to time beproduced and available at meetings of the committee.
(e) No member shall derive any financial benefit from the 'Friends', except forpayment of reasonable expenses approved beforehand.
(f) No money will be paid out in the name of the 'Friends' without a receipt beingpresented.


Annual General Meeting:
An AGM of the group shall be held every year. All members shall be notified not less than 14 days before the meeting and an agenda will be circulated. The business of the AGM will be:
To receive the Chairman's report of the previous years activities. To receive the Treasurer's report and the audited accounts. To elect Committee Members for the following year.
To conduct any other business that the Committee may see fit to include.
Amendments to the Constitution:
If amendments to the Constitution are necessary, members will be informed in writing
and given the opportunity to consider and vote on the amendments. The amendments will only be made if there is a two-thirds majority vote of ail members.
Voting rights would be limited to Committee members. There is no fixed upper limit for the numbers on the committee to be reviewed at AGM The quorum would be 5 serving committee members


Dissolution:
The Friends' may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at an AGM. This resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of "The Friends of Horsham Park" provided that if any property remains after the payment of all debts and liabilities, such property shall not be given or distributed among the members but shall be given to other organisations having similar conservation objectives as The Friends'.