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Hackney Parks and Green Spaces Newsletter

Parks and Green Spaces Strategy update
In May 2021 we published our new Parks and Green Spaces Strategy. This introduced 30 commitments to guide our parks and green spaces over the next ten years. We also committed to updating you on progress each year. This month we publish our annual report, which provides an update on what we're doing to meet the commitments in the Strategy, as well as a sneak peak into some of our future projects.



Recycling Bins
Commitment 24 of the strategy is to "Replace all single use bins with dual use recycling bins". This is progressing well, with all 158 bins in Clapton Common, Springfield Park, St Johns, St Thomas’ and Clapton Square replaced with new dual use ones. Some of the new bins even have litter pickers inside them, which will make it easier for Park User Groups to organise clean up days in their local parks. Last month we replaced all 28 bins in London Fields, and will be moving on to Hackney Downs in the next few months.



Connecting Green Spaces
As part of our Connecting Green Spaces programme, we are improving entrances in some of our parks to make them more welcoming and inviting for people to enter. Work at Daubeney Fields to improve the entrances is coming on nicely, with a number of new boulders recently installed to create playable features at the newly widened openings.



World Clean Up Day
A big Thank You to everyone who helped clean up their local park on World Clean Up Day. 41 volunteers picked up 47 bags of rubbish across six of our sites, including a discarded tent, a backpack, half a skateboard and a hammer! Volunteers also helped clean Clapton Common Pond and all of the entrance signs at Clissold Park. Thank you all!


Play Area Improvements
Work has now started on transforming the play areas in Haggerston Park, Clapton Square, Stoke Newington Common and Butterfield Green. The play areas are closed during the works, which are due to be completed by the end of the year. 



Abney Park
The Tower Theatre recently hosted the premiere of the "Women of Abney" film, a joint production by The Hackney Society and Tower Theatre. The film includes the first female balloonist, the nursing pioneer for whom the Welsh health service is named and a poet who withstood barbaric quackery. You can also now download a special walking tour/map to visit some of their graves. 

The Abney Park Trust are looking for a Treasurer. Join the Trust's 10-strong board of trustees and help shape the much-loved park's future. You don't need a finance qualification. Apply here.

Work is progressing well on site at Abney. The photo below shows the new cafe taking shape.


Community Garden Volunteering at Core Landscapes
Core Landscapes transforms underused land into green havens for people and wildlife. They currently maintain 3 garden spaces in Homerton, a number of tree pits and street planters on Wardle St, and a meadow and small orchard in Homerton Grove.

They are looking for regular volunteers to help care for the gardens, plant nursery and other green spaces. If you are interested, visit www.corearts.co.uk/core-landscapes/volunteering/.

History corner - London Fields

In 1275, the area that is now London Fields was recorded as common pasture land adjoining Cambridge Heath. It was not until 1540 that the name London Field was recorded (it didn’t become plural until the 19th century). Although it is unclear how the name came into being, the most likely explanation is the field’s position, on what was then the main foot route from the village of Hackney to the city of London. The route was used mostly by market porters taking produce from Hackney farms and nurseries to the City.

The names of inns surrounding London Fields ('Lamb Inn', and 'Shoulder of Mutton'), and the local street names ('Lamb Lane' and 'Sheep Lane') suggest that the area was very much involved in sheep farming.

London Fields in 1900

During World War II London Fields played a military role; providing an anti-aircraft battery in the south-west corner (the tarmac from this is still visible underneath the grass) and an air-raid shelter somewhere in the region of the tennis courts. On 21 September 1940 the area was heavily bombed and Richmond Road and Eleanor Road received direct hits. The houses on the north and north-east border of the park were so badly damaged that they were demolished after the war, and the park extended to its present boundaries. The sole surviving building was the Queen Eleanor public house, now Pub on the Park. 

You can read more about London Field's history in the site's management plan.​
Events

October
🧤 1 Oct (10am) - Free Hackney Wick Gardening Session
🧤 1 Oct (2pm) - East Bank West Bank Clean Up Day
🚶🏽‍♀️ 1 Oct (11am) - Well Street Common History Walk
🧤 2 Oct (10am) - Springfield Habitat Management
🧤 8 Oct (10am)Abney Park Litter Pick
🧤 8 Oct (10am) - Free Hackney Wick Gardening Session
🧤 11 Oct (7pm) - Springfield Park Good Gym Clean Up
🎤 11 Oct (6pm) - The London Parks and Gardens Inventory (Talk)
🎨 14 Oct - U3A Art Group
🧤 15 Oct (10am) - Free Hackney Wick Gardening Session
🪦 15 Oct (2pm)Charles Dickens, Abney and Stoke Newington
🌳 16 Oct (1.30pm) Trees for Wellbeing Session
🚶🏽‍♀️ 20 Oct (11am) - Walthamstow Wetlands Walk
🧤 22 Oct (10am) - Free Hackney Wick Gardening Session
🚶🏽‍♀️ 23 Oct (midday) - Hackney Green Spaces Walk
🐦 25 Oct (10am) - Woodberry Wetlands Bird Walk
🎨 28 Oct - U3A Art Group
🧤 29 Oct (10am) - Free Hackney Wick Gardening Session
🧤 30 Oct (10am) - River Lea Litter Pick
🧤 30 Oct (2pm) - Springfield Litter Pick


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🚶🏽‍♀️ Various dates - New Age Games
🧤 Every second Saturday (10am) - Abney Park Litter Pick
🚶🏽‍♀️ Every Saturday (9am) - Parkrun Hackney Marshes
🧤 Every Saturday (10am) - Free Hackney Wick Gardening Session
🚶🏽‍♀️Every Sunday (9am) - London Fields Junior Parkrun
🏃🏿 Every Sunday (10am) - FREE women only gentle exercise in Springfield Park
🧤 Every Sunday and Monday (10am) - London Fields Litter Pick
🚶🏽‍♀️ Every Weekend - London Fields Football School
🚶🏽‍♀️ Every Tuesday (1pm) - Clissold Park Walk
🧤 Every Wednesday (11am) - Abney grave maintenance and cleaning group
🌳 Every Wednesday (11am) - Hackney Herbal Nature Club
🚶🏽‍♀️ Every Wednesday (12.15) - London Fields Walk
🚶🏽‍♀️ Every Wednesday (2pm) - Springfield Park Walk
🧘 Every Wednesday (12.00) - FREE yoga in Springfield Park
🏃🏿 Every Thursday (12.00) - FREE bootcamp in Springfield Park
🚶🏽‍♀️ Every Thursday (1pm) - Shoreditch Park Walk
🚶🏽‍♀️ Every Friday (12.00) - Well Street Common Walk
And finally...

A resilient sunflower on the Jack Watts Estate!


This newsletter reaches over 1900 people each month. Do you want your news featured in the next newsletter? Email sam.parry@hackney.gov.uk.
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