THIS SATURDAY, 21 MAY at 11am: NATURE WALK
THIS SUNDAY, 22 MAY LITTER PICK 10-12
Notes on the Bird Walk and Species Seen/Heard
Welcome Cherry Tree Event: Notes and Photos
Next Litter Pick Date
More Walks: Dates for your Diary & Bat Strolls Info
Gladstone Gardening Group Provides Water for Foxes
Repeat: Gladstone Gardening Group: Box Moth
Horse Chestnut Flowers Change Colour to Ensure Pollination
Help Brent Council Prevent Illegal Motor Scooters
Let's Talk Climate: Have your say: Link
Glorious Front Garden? Can you Win BRENT IN BLOOM?
JOIN EASY FUNDRAISING Nominate FOGP as your Charity
AMAZON: When buying choose FOGP as your Charity
Memorial Benches. How to buy one
POLICE: New Info for reporting Mopeds in the Park
NATURE WALK THIS SATURDAY SATURDAY, 21 May at 11am
Leader: John Wells, Naturalist of the Selborne Society Meet at the green railway bridge opposite 1 Kendal Road
What3words: dwell.family.spots We will take a walk across the acid grassland area to discover the flora and fauna that live in this special habitat.
Below: Some of the spieces we have found: A wasp spider, a tunnel spider web, a purple hairstreak and a marbled white butterfly
SUNNY DAYS MEAN MORE LITTER
SO DO JOIN US TO LITTER PICK THIS SUNDAY 22 JUNE
From 10-12 noon
Starts at the Anson Road entrance. ///scuba.going.soup
Wear strong shoes, bring gloves
Litter picks and bags provided
ALL WELCOME: CHILDREN INCLUDED
NOTES ON THE DAWN CHORUS WALK
Seventeen early risers joined Andrew Peel of the RSPB to walk the park last Sunday to listen to and hopefully spot the birds there.
One of the attendees greatly appreciated having the difference between a Stock Dove and a Wood Pigeon pointed out to him as they are not often spotted although we have heard them during each of the last 3 bird walks.
Apparently the Green Woodpeckers were silent this year maybe as the walk was timed two weeks later than usual.
Here is the list they saw/heard:
Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Crow, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Red-ringed Parakeet, Robin, Sparrow, Starling, Stock Dove, (a protected species), Swift, Wood Pigeon, Wren, Herring Gull, Grey Heron SWIFTS: They are screaming overhead and flying quite low over the park at the moment. It's worth watching their acrobatics and remembering that this is the only time in a year when they land. The rest of the year they are sleeping, drinking and eating whilst on the wing. Photo: What's that bird?
THE SUN SHONE ON US AND WE WELCOMED THE CHERRY TREES
Brent Council and the Friends of Gladstone Park hosted a ceremony to welcome the 100 Sakura cherry trees recently planted in the park
Minister Takeshi Ito from the Japanese Embassy spoke about William Ewart Gladstone after whom the park is named who was much admired by the Japanese as they moved towards democracy during the start of the Meiji period. They used some of the ideas of Britain's parliamentary system under Gladstone as they developed their democratic system of government.
Mr Sandy Sano, joint Chairman and Founder of the Sakura project, explained how he was inspired to further the links between Japan and Britain by the planting of cherry trees, beloved by both nations, and how he persuaded Japanese companies and individuals, both in Japan and the UK to fund what will be over 7000 trees planted across Britain.
The Mayor, Lia Colacicco, on the last official event of her reign as Mayor, thanked all who contributed: Martin Page, Brent's Principal Landscape Architect, for the trees emplacement in the park ensuring sight lines are maintained, Brent Council for two years watering to ensure the successful establishment of the trees and Veolia, especially Dean for their planting.
Helen pointed out the 50 P. Beni-yutaka trees, with semi-double pink blossom and bronze/red autumn colour that have been planted along the cycle track and will join up with the Peace Grove, and the 50 P. Tai-Haku, or great white cherry trees, that border the path from the children's playground to the cycle track. She explained that this particular species provides a special link between Japan and Britain as this tree was extinct in Japan and only known from paintings until one great white cherry tree was found in a Sussex garden during the 1930's and so reintroduced back to Japan.
The sushi, supplied by Conveni Tokyo in Colindale, was much appreciated by all attending.
Especial thanks to Sachiko Fujita for her help making this event successful. Photos: 1) We meet 2) L - R: Helen, Madam Mayor, Lia Colacicco, Minister Takeshi Ito and Mr Sandy Sano with the plaque in front one of the newly planted great white cherry trees
L - R: Minister Ito, Mr Sandy Sano, Cllr Liz Dixon who introduced the speakers, Cllr Parvez Ahmed, Martin Page, Principal Landscape Architect Brent Council, Carolyn Downs, Chief Executive Brent Council.
NEXT LITTER PICK Saturday, 25 June from 10am
Meet by the walled garden.begin.garden.when ALL WELCOME. Bags and litter picks will be provided. Please wear gloves.
MORE WALKS TUESDAY, 7th JUNE: 6.30pm: History and Myths of Gladstone Park with Cathy Mercer, lecturer and tour guide
SATURDAY, 16 JULY: 11am: How to Recognise Tree Species with Bettina Metcalfe, dendrologist
AUGUST: Date to be confirmed: Plant Walk Along the Southern Railway Line Hedge with Helen of Friends of Gladstone Park Bat Strolls: Robert will be starting these but cannot predict the weather. Watch the Facebook pages for the dates and timing, link at the end of the newsletter
REPEAT: GLADSTONE GARDENING GROUP: GGG News BOX MOTH IS KILLING THE BOX HEDGE
Sadly box moth is devastating the box hedge in the walled garden and slowly killing it. We have spoken to the Parks Department who are considering the best way forward. There are only two solutions:
1) To spray both sides of all the box hedge three times a year as the moths are able to produce three broods a year.
2) Remove the box and replace with another shrub
Photos below of the caterpillars eating the box leaves taken in the walled garden and of the moths, two shades of them, light and dark morphs.
HORSE CHESTNUT FLOWERS ENSURE POLLINATION
The flowers of the horse chestnut or conker tree, Aesculus hippocastanum, do not want bees wasting their time entering the flowers that have already been pollinated and so change the colour of their flower guides. These guides which the bees follow to enter the flower change from yellow to red, which the bees cannot 'see', thus saving wasted effort. See photos below
BRENT COUNCIL WANT INFO ON ILLEGAL MOTOR SCOOTERS CROSSING THE PARK
Brent Council's Kelly Eaton would like anyone seeing motor scooters illegally crossing the park which have clear signs of the company the rider is working for to inform them by email as below. They will take it up with the companies involved.
Email: brent.parks.services@brent.gov.uk
LET'S TALK CLIMATE: BRENT COUNCIL
Samantha Haines at Brent Council is asking Brent residents to participate as below:
The climate emergency means the way we do things as a council and as a community has to change. We have launched Let’s Talk Climate: waste and green space to ask for your views on what we can do differently and what you expect from us as we work together towards a cleaner, greener Brent.
We are looking for fresh bold ideas. Your feedback could change how waste and recycling is managed, how we keep streets clean and how green spaces are maintained. It will also feed into the delivery of our Climate Strategy and help shape the future of Brent >> Watch this video to learn more, then get involved and start sharing your ideas
THE BRENT IN BLOOM COMPETITION WILL TAKE PLACE AGAIN THIS YEAR 2022
IT IS GOOD NEWS FOR OWNERS OF FABULOUS FRONT GARDENS, THOSE WHO HAVE WONDERFUL WINDOW BOXES OR COLOURFUL CONTAINERS, BUSINESSES, COMMUNAL GARDENS AND OTHER CATEGORIES SUCH AS SUSTAINABLE GARDENS AND GARDENS FOR WILDLIFE To enter and for more info on the categories:Brent in Bloom
DO PLEASE JOIN EASYFUNDRAISING IT IS SUCH AN EASY WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FRIENDS OF GLADSTONE PARK.
For example if you buy anything from John Lewis they donate 2% of the value to the Friends! These donations help the Gladstone Gardening Group to buy tulips, alliums and other bulbs for spring colour and contribute to the perennial beds in the walled garden.
HELP MAKE YOUR PARK EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL BY CONTRIBUTING
RAISE MONEY FOR THE FRIENDS OF GLADSTONE PARK
VIA EASY FUNDRAISING
A huge variety of companies are paying charity donations via the website Easy Fundraising.
Follow the link below and nominate the Friends of Gladstone Park as your charity. Download the app which allows you to see which companies support charities this way when you use your browser. https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/panel/ AND VIA AMAZON SMILE https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1180529-0
We will use your funding to encourage the park's wildlife, plant in the walled garden and copse and for projects to enhance the park
MEMORIAL BENCHES: MORE NEEDED AS WE WOULD LIKE SOME ALONG THE NEW CYCLE PATH AND IN THE PEACE GROVE. People like to rest, stare at the sun, comfort their baby or just admire the view when walking the park especially along the new cycle track where there is just one bench at present.
Is there a loved one you would like to remember and think about when visiting the Gladstone Park?
PHOTO: Najma sitting on the bench dedicated to her husband COST: Email: brent.parks.services@brent.gov.uk
or speak to Brent Council on 020 8937 5619
NO MOPEDS PERMITTED TO DRIVE IN THE PARK If you see a moped in the park, photograph it with the number plate visible and take down details of the time and where you saw it. Email your ward SNT as below and the police have agreed to follow this up where there is sufficient evidence.
Mopeds are not allowed to drive through the park and people are not allowed to sleep in the park. If you have information about mopeds, rough sleeping or antisocial behaviour:
Email or Tweet your ward, either Dollis Hill, Dudden Hill or Mapesbury Safer Neighbourhood Team, (SNT), as below.
Do not put yourself at risk by taking photographs of people, but make a note of registration numbers, descriptions, time and location.
Remember that the SNT can only follow up messages when they are on a working shift, so they should not be contacted about urgent issues.
PHONE 999 if the suspect is nearby or if anyone is hurt or in danger. If you see a weapon or drug dealing and the dealer is visible, call 999. If you find a hidden stock of drugs, call 999.
