Events : Next Litter Pick 4th May 2024
We will have regular litter picks in the park throughout 2024. The last one in 2023 filled 8 bags of litter. This really helps keep the park looking good.
SATURDAY 4th May 2024 equipment available between 10.00 – 10.10AM
Sports Pavilion, Manor Farm Road – Please wear suitable clothes and footwear
Collecting bags and pickers provided. PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN GLOVES
Future dates: 4 May, 1 June, 6 July, 3 August, 7 September, 5 October, 2 November 2024
SAVE THE DATE: TriFest now scheduled for Saturday 27th July 2024, 12 – 7pm.
More information go to trifest.uk
It was with a heavy heart that TriFest was cancelled on the 22nd July 2023 due to bad weather. But more to come about this year’s arrangements soon!!
We had a huge amount of goodwill from stallholders and festival goers, and we really tried to make it happen but on the dates available to us it just would not work. There are certain key elements that have to happen for a festival to run, unfortunately, and through nobody’s fault, we could not get it to come together.😢
As Arnie said we WILL be back. Remember the date Saturday 27th July 2024.
What is TriFest in Riverside Park?
A free community event open to all who want a fun day in the park. Why TriFest? It is the festival at Bitterne Park Triangle.
We will have, a range of local musicians performing, along with local traders and community organisations stalls, Games, a dog show ran by Second Chance animal rescue (enter on the day), food, and artwork projects, not to mention the Butcher’s Hook running a bar.
TriFest, the Triangle Festival is a part of Friends of Riverside Park. And we will have a stall at it. So come and see us!
If you want to have a stall or get involved email Paul Jenks Festival Coordinator at [email protected]
Or check out:
Twitter: fest_tri
Website: trifest.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087876197870
WEDNESDAY 26TH October 2022 DONE!
Bulb planting. We are organising power tools to create the holes for the bulbs so the work to plant and refill the holes should not be too onerous but all help gratefully received.
By the ramp from Cobden Bridge, St Denys Road – Please wear suitable clothes and footwear
2023/2024 annual membership subscriptions are now due for payment.
We would welcome any new committee members, particularly those with digital or WordPress skills!!
AGM Minutes of Thursday 28th.. March 2024
Venue : Bitterne Park Social Club, Manor Farm Road
Present : David Hutchings (DH), (Minutes), Diane Read (DAR), David Read (DVR), Marie Weaver (MW), , Vicky Fenerty (VF) Cllr.Tony Bunday (TB), Paul Jenks (PJ), Cllr. Amanda Barnes-Andrews (ABA), Gavin Millar (Estuary) (GM),
Speakers from Wildlife Rescue : Penny McCarthy (PMcC), Shirley Lee (SL)
Apologies : Ann Bennett(AB),
Welcome from David Hutchings meeting commenced at 19.35 hrs. Chair : DH would chair the meeting.
Wildlife Rescue (Ringwood) PMcC and SL : came a distance to give a talk about the rescue of wild ducks and swans on the river and river banks as a prelude to the formal business of the AGM. Their group rescued swans which had been attacked by dogs etc. and taken for veterinary treatment either near Ringwood or a their large base at Shepperton. The aim was to return swans and ducks to appropriate areas for them after treatment if at all possible. Advice was given as to what to do in such cases and leaflets were given out which we could distribute.
Swans could be fed with bread and other items like peas and rice but this food should be cast to swans in the river. They should not be encouraged to climb up to the land where they are vulnerable from dogs and people. Their natural element is water and they are safer there. They do nest but these areas need to be remote and difficult to access by dogs and people.
Information from the talk would be added to our website and Twitter feed. It was agreed that the safety of wildlife needs protection and that swans in particular are very beautiful and very welcome residents on the river.
Thanks were given to Penny & Shirley for their talk. Minutes : Minutes from April 2023 AGM Approved
Matters Arising : None not otherwise to be covered in the meeting later.
Secretary’s Report : Nothing unusual to report. DPy remains as he has been for several years.
Treasurer’s Report : This will be delivered at the next meeting on 25th. April.
Litter Pick Dates: Prepared and listed by AB but revised by DR and copies were available.
Next Litter Pick Saturday 6th. April 2024 at 10.00 hrs Perry Sports Pavilion, Manor Farm Road.
Followed by : 4th.May, 16.June, 1th.July, 3rd .August, 7th. September, 5th.October, 2nd.November 2024.
All beginning at 10.00 hrs at the Perry Pavilion, Manor Farm Road.
Saints benches : Red and White stripes have been affixed to one bench in front of the Perry Pavilion. Another may be so treated. It was generally thought to be a great idea that these stripped benches were identified as those where people would welcome to be engaged in conversation. However no use had as yet been observed being made of this new feature.
Notice Display Cases : The two new green smaller Display Notice Cases, one in River Walk and one at Dimond Car Park are in operation. The River Walk one is filled with TPRA material which they have never asked permission to use.
Mansbridge Notice Case has been sawn down at the base thus saving a repair by SCC. The same happened at River View Road.
Electronic Communication : This was discussed again. PJ will continue to post FoRP items on X (formerly Twitter) and sent them to Bitterne Park Info. However he will not deal with Facebook or Instagram.
DH asked about the training begun on our website. MW had been half- trained but otherwise only AB could make changes to our site.
Committee Elections : There is no Chairman and this situation will not change.
Secretary : DH agreed to remain as Secretary and this was APPROVED
Treasurer : In the absence of AB it was AGREED that she continue unless we heard differently.
In the absence of any further nominations or volunteers for inclusion on the committee the existing one was elected en bloc for another year.
However Gavin Millar volunteered to be included on the committee after nomination by TB and this was AGREED by all present.
ex. Pitch & Putt hedge : The use of plastic sleeves was again discussed. VF would tidy up the length of whips planted whilst DH would ask Sarah T. whether it was essential for the sleeves to remain since they appear to cause overheating of the young plants. Their main point being the prevention of attack by rabbits and deer and we appear to have no major presence of these mammals.
Tree Trail : PJ appealed for photos of appropriate specimen trees which could be featured. He suggested that there should be a weekly “Tuesday Tree” to be featured.
The first ten trees on the trail have been identified but TB reported that he has the label for a Rowan (Sorbus spp.) but no suitable specimen has been selected.
The “what three words” system works well where it is employed.
Growing Spaces : The suggestion of making use of the grass islands at the cycle safety track was not taken up by the GS group. They want a fenced off area but this is not possible in Riverside Park. FoRP will await developments but cannot support a fenced off area. We note that the use of large gardens “in the community” where owners cannot manage them would be a far better option of an enclosed space, better use of land for food production and community support offers a solution even if this is not the ideal GS wishes for.
Jubilee Trees : Seventy trees were planted in Spring 2023
2023. This preceded a long very hot summer and in spite of some use of a bowser to water them this was too late to save all the trees. It is feared that 40 may have died. Damage all around the cambial layer of stems in some cases from a strimmer used by contractors was blamed for the death of some trees. However it is hard to imagine that a complete circumference of a stem would be caused by casual strimming. When fruit trees were planted all at the rear of premises in Manor Farm Road (Cobden Meadows) disappeared after vigorous objections to their planting from neighbouring residents. This remains an open question.
Woodmill Fen : TB was asked if any progress was made on this area. He replied that it is too wet this autumn and winter for work to take place. DH recommended that the children’s playing area NOT be re- equipped with apparatus since the area was enclosed and not visible to reduce vandalism. Perhaps that area could be used as an enclosed space for non-commercial dog training or an extension to the fen.
Trifest :The next Trifest is planned for SATURDAY 22nd. July 2024 (TBC) and should take place at the area near to Cobden Bank.
Thanks to all who have volunteered for FoRP and attended this evening.
Meeting Closed at 21:15 hrs.
Next Committee Meeting : THURSDAY 25th. April 2024 at 19.30 hrs at BPSC. djh/april/2024