SIX COMMUNITY GROUPS TO BENEFIT FROM PARK FUND
Friends of Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs and Silverfit a sports and social activities group for older people are among six local voluntary and community groups which have been awarded community grants.
They were among six groups who successfully applied to the Crystal Palace Park Community Projects Fund to deliver a specific project or activity in the park.
The six groups – and their projects or activity – are:
Friends of Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs – The Friends will make a film, ‘Dinosaurs in the Limelight’, about the Dinosaur renovation work capturing the activity and reaction to it and produce digital packages which will contribute towards the long term strategy for promotion of conservation in the park.
Silverfit – Sports and social activities for older people. This funding will mean older people take part in weekly Nordic Walking activities in the park increasing health and fitness and reducing isolation. Other activities will take place at the NSC who are subsidising use of the centre for this group.
Capel Manor College –will create a ‘Community Wildlife Space’ which is also an outdoor classroom. It will attract local wildlife and provide opportunities for local people to explore the nature found on our door step. This project will also open up a new area of the park to the public.
Crystal Palace Fun Runners/Sports Partnership – The group will review old trail markings and posts, minimise clutter and deliver a clear strategy for jogging in the park by providing marked adult and junior running trails.
Croydon Bee keepers Association – ‘Pollinators in the Park’. The Croydon Beekeepers are going to undertake a survey of bee friendly plants, cultivate a piece of currently unused land, using plants most beneficial to bees.
Royal London Society for the Blind (RLSB) – This grant will fund monthly physical activity sessions for local visually impaired children and young people to help build their confidence and then progress into using other opportunities in their local communities.
A Bromley council spokesman said: “The successful groups will receive more than £36,000 of funding between them to establish six projects or initiatives which will increase usage of the park and benefit the wider community.
Bromley council leader Cllr Stephen Carr said: “The whole purpose of these community grants is to encourage better use of Crystal Palace park and enhance the park user experience.
“We want to inspire people to get more involved. “I am delighted this is happening and look forward to making more successful awards in the future and watching these exciting projects develop.
The news follows the announcement of a £240,000 community fund for the park as part of a £2.4 million improvement programme earlier this year. The deadline for the third round of grant funding applications is January 22nd 2016 and round four ends on Friday 8th April 2016. (Source: Bromley council press release)