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Dear Friend,

We hope you are enjoying Autumn in the park!

Our Woodland Restoration project with Lewisham Council is in full swing, one of the Mayor of London’s #rewildlondon funded projects, and we are looking forward to sharing the progress with you and seeing you get involved!

If you love the woods and the trees, please do come and join our Woodland Work Day this Saturday between 11am and 1.30pm. Do come as a volunteer to help, or just as a friend to pop by and find out more about the project.

More details below on the project and on our recent Tree Walk and Diwali Celebrations - we feel honoured that so many of you came out to celebrate and join us on such rainy, grey days!

Thank you for your support, we look forward to seeing you in the park soon!

Happy Diwali,
 
Pippa, Debbie, Vaibhavi and the team
 
#ForsterPark100
Celebrating 100 years of Forster Memorial Park and Designing for the Future Together. 

#LoveForsterPark #WeareLewisham #ParkPlay #PhoenixTogether #GreenShoots #HappyDiwali #diwaliinlondon #diwali2023  #festivaloflight #MakeSpaceforGirls #NaturePlay #LondoninBloom @GreenFlag #RewildLondon @lewishamcouncil @mayorofldn @tnlcommunityfund @londonwildlifetrust @goldsmithscommcentre @frothycoffeehut @coop

Tree Walk


Thank you joining us for our tree walk around the park with Nick Bertrand on October 21st. Despite weather warnings and a downpour just as we set off, 18 of us were there eager to learn as much as possible. Great to know some of the ancient pollarded oaks are over 400 years old!

Nick is a brilliant local botanist and conservationist from Creekside Discovery Centre, who first led a centenary tree walk with us in autumn 2022- You can read more about it on our website here.

Nick has also made a special handout about the park and its trees as part of our Woodland Restoration Project - which you can read here.

UPDATE - Woodland Restoration Project


There is a lot happening this Autumn! This Saturday Nov 11th 11-1.30 is our November monthly volunteer session, where we'll learn how to do coppicing, and will plant native woodland bulbs.   

The woodland garden, close to the Longhill entrance, has been cleared by volunteers and Glendale and is being created. Native woodland bulbs will be planted by volunteers and school groups. This week, we had the pleasure of having all the Year 4 children from Rushey Green Primary School come and plant wild daffodils, English bluebells, wild garlic and snowdrops with the wonderful Ema from Secret Adventurers Club.

A boggy area/pond, with wetland plants is also being created in the woodland this week. Native oak saplings have been planted along the main field, and elms planted in Piggy island. The trees were planted by Street Trees and will be looked after by our tree volunteers and Glendale.

Wooden Bee posts with QR codes for a new woodland trail have been ordered and a mural artist is designing a beautiful mural which will be at the back of the Woodland garden and we have a trolley full of tools to help us with our woodland volunteering sessions.

A huge thank you to all the volunteers, children and park staff helping to create and restore these wonderful spaces. More info on our website and in the park noticeboards.

#RewildLondon @lewishamcouncil @mayorofldn @tnlcommunityfund @Londonwildlifetrust

Diwali celebrations!


We are so grateful to you for attending our Diwali family nature day on Saturday November 4th in the park, and to our volunteers, the Secret Adventurers Club and Magic Eyes Face Painting for making it happen.

It was a wonderful afternoon filled with joy, laughter, and light. We are so glad that you enjoyed various activities, making Diyas and lanterns for our homes, immersing ourselves in the enchanting tale of Rama and Sita and getting our faces painted.

We hope you had a memorable time. Wishing you a joy-filled, happy Diwali.

#Happy Diwali #diwali2023 #festivaloflight

What’s on in the park

Events

  • Monthly Woodland Work Day - volunteering session, Saturday 11 November, 11am to 1.30pm
This month, it is an opportunity as a community to learn ancient woodland management techniques from the experts, including how to coppice hazel, hedge laying. We'll also be clearing holly and planting native bulbs and plants in the new woodland garden and wet woodland too! All are welcome and please feel free to bring family, companions, friends etc. Refreshments and tools will be provided. 

We're meeting at 11am in the Outdoor Learning Area (nearest Whitefoot Lane entrance), please come to the woodland area by the Longhill Road entrance if arriving any later on. More info - please email us foforstermemorialpark@gmail.com or check our social media.
 
  • Christmas Market on 17th December 
A Christmas event to help support small businesses and bring the community together. Mulled wine, hot food and drinks, crafts, handmade items, clothing and last minute gift ideas, on Sunday 17 December, 9am - 2.30pm. Free entry. Stalls available - Email forsterparkevents@gmail.com . 


Regular Activities


Sunday
Junior Park Run, 9.00-9.30 AM
A free, community event where children aged 4-14, and their families, can walk, jog, or run, 2km round Forster Park. If you don't feel like taking part you can volunteer or spectate. Parkrun is positive, welcoming and inclusive, there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along. Free to Join.
More info: Parkrun UK
 
Tuesdays
Healthy Walks, 10.30-11.30am
Join this friendly walking group for a walk to and around Forster Park. Meet at Goldsmiths Community Centre SE6 1QD or 10.45 at the Long hill Road entrance to the park. No booking needed, just turn up. All are welcome!
More info here.

Wednesday
EarlyBird Bootcamp, 6.50-7.40am
Rise, shine, and get moving! Forget the morning coffee, roll out of bed, grab those trainers and meet us in Forster Park to press up, squat and burpee as the first rays of sunlight shine through the trees in the morning breeze! Mixed event, suitable for all. £8.50/session. Meet at the pavilion.
More info and to book: www.gymcatch.com/app/provider/154/contact

Gardening Club
Friday mornings, 10.30am-12.30pm.
Meet at the Centenary Sensory Garden (top edge of the playing field). These are weekly Volunteer Gardening sessions. More info foforstermemorialpark@gmail.com or in the Forster Park Friends Facebook group.
 
Lewisham Lionhearts U12 and U14 football training
Saturdays 9.30-11.30am
Football training for 10-14 year old boys and girls (school years 5-9), all abilities welcome. www.fclewishamlionhearts.org
Contact details:  07776 763206 (best)  or www.lionhearts.club , info@lionhearts.club
 
SportsFun4All football club
Saturdays 10am-12noon and Sundays 10am-12noon
Football club for boys and girls of mixed abilities and ages 3-14, with FA qualified coaching staff. 
More info: www.sportsfun4all.com
 
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Cafe
The Frothy Coffee Hut is open daily from 10am-6pm daily, serving hot and cold drinks, food and ice creams. Table tennis bats available to borrow. Defibrillator now available in emergencies. @frothycoffeehut

Toilets
The toilets are open daily during cafe and park keeper hours in the Pavilion. A key to the disabled toilet and baby change facilities is available - just ask any of the cafe staff for the key.

Please note: All weekly activities are run by third parties unless stated above, please check up to date information with individual contacts. Friends of Forster Memorial Park accept no liability.

To share your activity here, please email the activity, time, day/date, cost, booking details and contact info to ForsterParkevents@gmail.com . Thanks 
 

#Love Forster Park? 

Please report any graffiti, fly tipping, vandalism, litter issues or anything broken to Lewisham@glendale-services.co.uk and on Love Clean Streets. Report fallen trees here. Call 111 or 999 for any illegal activity or in an emergency.

Join and support our work as a member of Forster Park Friends here.

Volunteer to join our lovely team and help keep improving our lovely park. Email foforsterparkvolunteering@gmail.com to find out more and get involved. Thanks!

Please help us spread the word by sharing this newsletter with your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, etc. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates @forsterMpark.

Thanks!

#LoveForsterPark #ForsterPark100 #ParkPlay
www.forsterparkfriends.org
www.facebook.com/forsterMpark
www.instagram.com/ForsterMpark

 
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