PLEASE NOT STOP PRESS! CELEBRATE THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE WITH US ON SUNDAY 5 JUNE WITH A KIDS' FUN FAIR IN CANONS PARK! 11am to 6pm. Entrance free. Charges for all rides, stalls and activities at the Fun Fair. Adventure playground. Good Friends Cafe. SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR 19TH ANNUAL KIDS' FUN FAIR DAY ON SUNDAY 7 AUGUST. MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.
FRIENDS OF CANONS PARK AGM, WEDNESDAY 25 MAY 2022 We are delighted to welcome St Lawrence tour guide, Stuart Cawthorne, to our meeting this year. Stuart will be hosting a 15-minute 'taster' tour of this small but magnificent church and its mausoleum of the Duke of Chandos at 7.45, followed by a short AGM in the St Lawrence Church hall. To take part in the tour, please meet at the entrance door to the church at 7.45 prompt. Doors open for the AGM at 8pm and the meeting will start at 8.15pm.
After the AGM Stuart will give a fascinating talk about his book: ST LAWRENCE CHURCH, ITS MEMORIALS AND ITS PEOPLE, followed by light refreshments to round off the evening. Entrance is free and all are welcome.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CHURCH CAR PARK IS UNDERGOING REPAIRS AT THE MOMENT AND IS OUT OF USE. THERE IS FREE PARKING ALONG WHITCHURCH LANE. IT IS A SHORT WALK ALONG ST LAWRENCE CLOSE TO THE CHURCH HALL.
We do hope you will join us on the night and that you will consider taking out (or renewing) membership of the Friends of Canons Park, to support our valuable work and activities.
KIDS' FUN DAY IN THE PARK This annual event has become our most popular activity of the year! Attracting around 1000 visitors during the day this family-friendly day out offers a kids' fun fair, 'fun' dog contest, great music and a variety of community-led stalls. Look out for our next event on 7 AUGUST 2022!!
OPEN CITY WEEKEND, SUNDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2022 Every year we take part in Open City Weekend, a London-wide event where visitors can tour buildings and spaces that are often not accessible to the public. Although we are open to visitors 24/7 we only offer our tours of the park on the Sunday of this weekend, combining forces with nearby St Lawrence Church, which is so much a part of the history of Canons Park.
LITTER PICKS We organise about five litter picks a year, from spring to late autumn. All litter picking equipment is supplied and we meet on a Sunday morning from 10am to 12pm. Everyone is welcome to attend but we ask that children under 14 are accompanied by an adult. Stay as long as you like but if you can stay til the end of the session there are usually a few nice goodies on offer in way of thanks!!
CANONS PARK GARDENING CLUB We would love to hear from any keen gardeners who would like to work in or around the George V Memorial Garden at the centre of the park, to help restore it to its former glory. In 2018 we formed a small but very effective gardening club that now meets about every third Sunday morning, from early spring to late autumn, working from around 10am to 1pm - although everyone is welcome for whatever amount of time they can spare. The Gardening Club sessions are very rewarding. So far the group have cleared many of the overgrown flower beds and planted bulbs, bedding and perennial plants. Why not join them and make a real difference to the garden? All tools and equipment, including gardening gloves, are provided - or you can bring your own if you prefer - and we also provide light refreshments for tea breaks.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact our gardening volunteer coordinator, Tony Bennett, at: canonspark@outlook.com for more information.
YOGA AND HEALTH WALKS IN CANONS PARK The activities below are FREE but donations are very welcome. All proceeds to the Friends of Canons Park to help buy plants and bulbs for the George V Memorial Garden
HEALTH WALKS - 8am - 9am Join the group for health walks and stretching exercises four times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8am – 9am. Meet at the Howberry Road entrance gates. Contact: Herbalist, Varsha on 07730 979400 for further details
YOGA - 8.30am - 10am daily during Spring and Summer (weather permitting) In the George V Memorial Garden, suitable for beginners and advanced.
TAI CHI 10am - 11am every Thursday throughout the year. At the Temple building in the Pleasure Garden or in the George V Memorial Garden, depending on weather conditions For further information, text the organiser on 07462 181878
BIRD WATCHING WALKS - CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE The park is teeming with wildlife, especially birds! There are many varieties to watch out for and everyone is welcome to join the group, whatever their age or experience. Walks take place from 10am to 12pm on the first Sunday of every month except January (walk is on the second Sunday) and in July, August and September when the walks do not take place as the trees are too leafy. Meet at the Donnefield Avenue gates to Canons Park. All welcome! Bring binoculars if you have them and we suggest you wear comfortable shoes. Stay as long as you like and feel free to join the group if you spot them walking through the park. HERE IS THE REPORT FROM THE MOST RECENT WALK WHICH TOOK PLACE IN March 2020 (In Canons Park) 7 Black-headed Gull 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull Wood Pigeon - several Stock Dove - singing & at nest hole Ring-necked Parakeet - common Great Spotted Woodpecker - drumming Green Woodpecker - calling 3 Magpie Carrion Crows 2 Long-tailed Tit Blue Tit - singing Great Tit - singing 2 Coal Tit - singing Eurasian Nuthatch 3 singing / calling 1 Dunnock - briefly singing REDWING Only 1 (48 on 2 February 2020) 2 Mistle Thrush feeding in the open grass Robin - 3 singing Wren - 2 singing 2 Starling – calling near Donnerfield gate Chaffinch – singing. Male feeding under trees 2 Goldfinch Greenfinch trilling near Donnerfield gate
(Bird species: 23. Total both sites: 35) Grey Squirrels Nuthatches very vocal.
(Private) Seven Acre Lake 4 Canada GeeseHerring Gull – 1 in flight Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 Common Gull 26 Black-headed Gull 2 Mallard - pair 2 Common Pochard - females 2 Little Grebe 1 Great Crested Grebe- adult 4 Cormorant 1 or 2 Grey Heron (not at old nest?) 3 Little Egret 3 Coot 2 Moorhen Wood Pigeon Ring-necked Parakeet -several Green Woodpecker - calling 2 Magpie Carrion Crow Robin - singing Coal Tit - singing Nuthatch - calling Goldfinch in flight (23 Bird species. Total both sites: 35) FOX THE BASIN LAKE, Canons Drive, HA8: Canada Geese, Black-headed Gulls, Mallards Moorhen