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Friends of Marple Memorial Park Task Days
The Friends have regular task days in the park for clearing weeds, planting, fixing bird boxes and similar activities. We like to keep a record of what we get up to and here are details of past task days. The next task day is: Saturday 27th March 2010 between 10am and 1pm. Everyone is welcome to join in for as long as they like between these times.
27 February 2010
Once again the weather was fairly kind to us and the rain held off until we'd finished. We put those brand new tools to good use as work began on the large shrub bed along by the cinema with a good clear out of the undergrowth, which was masking numerous bottles, cans and food packaging! The BBC Breathing Places plaque / bird box on the library was given a coat of preservative and a check-over. No occupants yet but fingers crossed for this year.
We were all amused to spot the new occupants of our Breathing Places Circle - Bill and Ben seem to have moved in and they look very cute indeed in their best wellies. Whoever put them here, well done! A great fun contribution to the park that beats discovering new graffiti hands down!
 Ladies attack the cinema beds |
 Bob and Dave tackle the roots |
 Green road block! |
 An after shot |
 Breathing Places plaque given some treatment |
 Is that Bill or Ben? They just needs some hats! |
30 January 2010
A cold but unexpectedly bright and sunny Saturday morning kicked off our task day season for 2010. With several regulars still in hibernation it was a low turnout but good to start the year in sunshine. It was certainly a pleasure to be in the park and see fresh shoots starting to appear everywhere but of course this was counter-balanced by fresh graffiti on our new boules display, a bench and one of the entrance signs. What do they get out of it we wonder?
Tasks included a review with Parks Area East Manager Jonathan Long on plans for the large shrub beds by the cinema and alongside the main path into the park. Well done to Patrick for coming along for this despite his broken ribs! In addition, we cleared the old rose bed, which was long past its best, gave the memorial beds a tidy up and Jim Heald's brass plates a polish. We also replaced the 2008/9 Green Flag with a fresh bright new one for 2009/10.
 Old rose beds cleared. |
 Memorial beds tidied up |
 Jim's plaque polished up |
 New Green Flag for 2009/10 raised |
31 October 2009
The weather was very kind and contributed to a very busy and productive task day. The Beaver Scouts came along to help us by clearing one of the flowerbeds and taking the plants home for their own gardens. They also planted bluebells and snowdrops in the woodland area behind the library and some small plants in the war memorial beds. Thank you Beavers! While they were doing this we installed our new interpretation panel for the French Boules Court and also rubbed down and treated the three seats near the court and Jim Heald's bench near the library. In addition, we treated apple, pear, acorn and beechnut ground sculptures and gave "Midnight" the owl a coat too. So busy there was little time to take photos but we did manage a few..........
 Beaver Scouts clear beds |
 New display panel |
 benches treated |
 Midnight treated |
25 September 2009
A day of mixed feelings - it was inspiring to see the magnificent new granite bench installed by the family of Cpl Danny Winter in his memory in the sunshine and distressing to discover that one of the recently installed memorial benches near to the Boules Court and our interpretation panel for the Breathing Place behind the library have been vandalised. We were able to fix the interpretation panel and have removed a section of the bench for repair. Apart from these unexpected activities we stripped the sunflowers from the main circular ornamental bed and had a good tidy-up around the council offices.
 Circular bed cleared |
 Autumn colours starting to show |
 Tidy-up round the offices |
 Tidy-up round the offices |
29 August 2009
More weeding of the Memorial beds was the main task this month. It's amazing how quick those weeds grow and we wanted the beds to look good for the Merchant Navy Day Service next weekend. We hoisted the "Red Duster" Merchant Navy flag and it will fly in the park all week in remembrance of the merchant sailors who lost their lives during the war. There was also time to do a bit of weeding and pruning in the rose bed near to the bowling green.
 Red Duster flying |
 More Memorial bed weeding |
 Rose bed tidy up |
 Rose bed tidy up |
25 July 2009
We managed to find a weather window in between the recent downpours for our July task day, when the main project was to install the last of our tree sculptures, an apple and pear created for us by Andrew Frost. Andrew actually did these at the same time as the main tree sculpture and ground sculptures but unfortunately the apple was stolen from the Brabyns Park Depot before they could be installed. After a long wait because he was so busy Andrew kindly replaced the stolen apple free of charge and at last we have now managed have the fruits installed installed in the park. In addition, the more mundane task of weeding the War Memorial flowerbeds was completed without getting rained on once!
 Mark's spade gets stuck in the ground. |
 Is that a pear of posers? |
 Terry conducts repairs. |
 Gill and Bob do the hard graft. |
27 June 2009
This month we prepared the Boules Court for the Locks Festival on 5th July by raking, weeding and trimming the grass around the court and under the new commemorative seats. A similar job was done on he Bowling Green to ensure it is also looking its best for the festival. During the task day family and friends of Danny Winter, the Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan earlier this year, laid a wreath in his memory below his dedication on the memorial that was added recently. Unfortunately they will have seen that the memorial has been defaced with graffiti, which we have reported to the council and hope it can be removed quickly. Some additional plants were also added to the war memorial beds to replace some of the specimens that have not survived the recent re-planting.
 Bowling Green tidy up. |
 Stop waving that camera and do some work! |
 Bob's green carpet. |
 Wreath in memory of Danny Winter. |
30 May 2009
The main task this month was to rub down and re-paint the Coronation Bench, installed in August 2006. It has fared pretty well over the last three years but was certainly ready for a lick of paint. After that all hands were turned to helping Bob and Adrian clear the formal beds ready for summer planting. A glorious day for it, lets hope we get many more this summer!
 The Coronation Bench gets some TLC. |
 Many hands make light work. |
 Finishing touches. |
 Beds cleared for summer planting. |
25 April 2009
April is becoming the traditional time to give "Midnight", our superb tree sculpture, a spring wash. It's very satisfying to blast off the strange fungal growth we keep getting on this. We're told by experts that it should stop eventually but it hasn't yet. Also lots of hoeing and weeding done around the park, isn't it looking fantastic now that spring is well and truly here!
 Midnight gets hosed down |
 Beds are looking great |
 Weeding around Oldknow's Shuttle Stone |
 A well earned rest in the sunshine |
28 March 2009
The sensory garden was given a good tidy up at today's task day and the same was done to one of the large shrub beds near to the stocks. It's great to see the park springing into lift with lots of colour starting to appear. We decided where to locate our final ground sculptures, the apple and pear and also sorted out the location of the new memorial benches that will be sited near to the Boules Court.
 Sensory Garden tidy |
 Steve & Phil gossip while the ladies work |
 Shrub beds tidy |
 Spring is here |
28 February 2009
Only the die-hards braved the early morning drizzle today, when the main task was to rearrange one of the beds near to the council offices and the car park by pruning and moving the shrubs at the front to the back and removing brambles. We also did a bit of hoeing around the newly planted War Memorial Beds and made a start on tidying up the Sensory Garden. The new Memorial Beds are looking good and we are looking forward to seeing them mature. Also looking good is the Breathing Places woodland behind the library, where the crocuses are kicking off their spring display in spectacular fashion.
 Shrubs relocated |
 Steve gets his marching orders |
 Hoeing the Memorial Beds (notice the new basketball fence behind) |
 Crocus display in the woodland |
31 January 2009
The first task day of 2009 was nowhere near as cold, wet or windy as we'd expected and we managed to transplant virtually all the remaining plants from the War Memorial flowerbeds to various other locations in the park. This is in preparation for the brand new planting scheme for the War Memorial beds that should make another long term improvement to the appearance of the area around the memorial.
 A barrow load of Polyanthas |
 Adrian sinks on his fork |
 "Steve's Garden" is planted up |
 Borders planted |
29 November 2008
Today's main task was to install the new interpretation board for the Breathing Places project behind the library. This proved to be a daunting task indeed. Read more about it on the Breathing Places project page. In addition, nearly three sacks of daffodil bulbs were planted in the triangular area near to the Park Keeper's cottage and in the Breathing Places borders. A good turn out and well done to everyone involved.
 Read more on the Breathing Places page |
 Man looses head down hole! |
 Bulb planting in the borders. |
 Gorillas in the mist? |
25 October 2008
The main event today was a special session with Marple's Beaver Scouts joining us to plant a variety of wildflowers in the BBC Breathing Places behind the library. After the Beavers had retired to the library for hot chocolate and cookies the rest of us carried on planting more wildflowers in the boggy area near where the canal arm to Hollins Mill used to run. For more photos see the Breathing Places project page.
 Beavers in the woods |
 Planting wildflowers |
27 September 2008
September's Task Day was more of the usual routine, with ground sculptures and tree sculpture given another coat of oil. There was also more weeding and tidying of the ornamental beds, which looked so good after they were finished it prompted Arthur Procter to say "I though the Friends of Marple Memorial Park made such a good job yesterday after the tidy up, I took a photograph. Keep up the great work." Arthur's photo is featured below:
In addition, here are some more photographs taken during the task day.
 Terry applies more oil |
 Gavin trims the edges of the flowerbeds |
 Adrian saves the bowling green shelter from collapse! |
 Sandra, Gill and Micaela weed the beds. |
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August 2008
For our August Task Day we weeded the ornamental flowerbeds once again - it's like a never ending battle at the moment! We also sanded down the new acorn and beechnut ground sculptures and gave them their first coat of decking oil to combat the weather.
We also rolled the new French Boules court in preparation for the fun tournament in the afternoon. See the Boules Court page for more information about this.
This month the Youth Offending Team joined us for the last time, as they now have new commitments every Saturday that will prevent them from attending in future. We would like to thank them for the help they have given us in the park during a good number of task days over the last eighteen months or so. We hope that they got something out of it too and it helped at least a little in their rehabilitation.
26 July 2008
This month we tackled the fungus on the tree sculpture again. It's been frustrating us that it grew back so quickly so we attacked half of it with an anti-fungal wash and sanded down the other half to see see what is most effective. It certainly looked good again when we'd finished but how long will it last? We also tackled weeding behind the library and around the ornamental beds and paths. The Youth Offending Team were also out in force and helped to trim the hedges around the bowling green and also to weed the paths.
Next month we are planning something a little different - a French Boules tournament on the new court that has recently been completed. We haven't fixed a time for kick-off yet but will let everyone know a couple of weeks before the event.
 Anti-fungal stuff applied |
 Sanding down |
 Weeding beds |
 One for you three for me! |
28 June 2008
A smaller team of volunteers concentrated on planting up the ornamental beds today with a full truck-load of begonias being added to the borders between the council offices and the war memorial. There's room for at least another truck-load too and a few volunteers who can make it will be returning to plant more on Wednesday 2nd July at 10am.
There was a good turnout from the Stockport Youth Offending Team and they helped out with a lot of weeding in the rose beds and around the library. There are a few of them visible in the background of the photos below but unfortunately we are not allowed to take pictures of them where they can be recognised. We thank them for their efforts all the same and hope they enjoyed the chocolate mini-rolls!
 Planting begonias |
 Planting more begonias |
 Planting even more begonias |
 Tidying up after planting begonias |
31 May 2008
After jet-washing the Tree Sculpture last month the main task was to give it a much needed coat of decking oil, which was recommended by the sculptor due to its anti-fungal properties. It was a very satisfying task and looked brilliant after it too. In addition to this another team of volunteers cleared the large circular ornamental bed ready for summer planting and even managed to raise £44 for the park by selling off the old plants for a £1 a bag. Very resourceful! The day was finished off by tidying up the small bed featuring Oldknow's Shuttlestone.
 The sculpture benefits from some TLC |
 Midnight gets a top coat |
 Polyanthas £1 a bag! |
 Shuttlestone bed gets a tidy up |
26 April 2008
Well spring is really here at last and the park was full of people enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. A good turn out of volunteers again ensured that lots of tasks were completed. These included planting of young willow trees in the boggy wildlife area near to the cinema, where the old canal arm used to be, edging of the main path through the park and weeding of the ornamental flowerbeds in front of the council offices.
We also set out to scrub the dirt and algae from the tree sculpture before re-oiling it but soon realised that scrubbing brushes alone were not going to be enough. Thankfully one of our regular volunteers, Steve, owns a jet washer and after fetching this the task became a lot easier, albeit much wetter too. The sculpture looked great when we'd finished and will receive several new coats of oil once it dries out.
In addition to all that, we fitted our new BBC Breathing Places plaque to the corner of the library and installed an insect study centre on one of the nature posts in the wildlife area alongside the canal. This is a special box with a solar powered light and lots of holes and compartments favoured by insects and a doorway that can be opened to observe the occupants. We're not sure how this will fare in the park but we can only hope that it will survive intact, in which case we may purchase more.
We were also joined by the Stockport Youth Offending Team, who did a great job of trimming the ivy from around the public toilets near to the library. All in all a very productive day!
 Scrubbing brushes and buckets are not enough |
 Steve's way is wetter but better! |
 Weeding of beds |
 Edging of paths |
 Insect study centre waiting for guests |
 New BBC Breathing Places plaque |
29 March 2008
The weather was surprisingly kind to us after the horrendous downpours yesterday and even attracted some new volunteers. It was great to see some new faces and they also enabled us to get lots done. Polyanthas were planted around the war memorial beds and twenty trays of native wildflowers were planted in the boggy area where the old canal arm used to be and along the edge of the woodland walk running parallel to the canal. Primulas were also planted down near the entrance to the park at lock 10.
In addition, the badly designed bat boxes that were replaced during the last task day were refitted as bird boxes after having new bases fitted and holes drilled. We also had a stall inside the library selling tickets to the special showing of the Railway Children at the end of April, and tickets for the raffle of Railway Children memorabilia.
As hoped, the daffodils were putting on a good show and the park is really starting to pick up after the drabness of winter.
 Planting near the old canal arm |
 Bird boxes fitted |
 All hands planting wildflowers |
 Daffodils looking great |
23 February 2008
A better turn out this month saw the Friends install twelve bat boxes, six in the Breathing Places area and six in the trees alongside the canal tow path. We also planted Hawthorn and Honey Suckle whips in the Breathing Places area and mulched shrub beds along the path near to the junior play area and alongside the council offices.
The crocuses are putting on a fantastic display in the woodland and it looks like the daffodils are set to do the same in the next few weeks.
 Planting whips |
 Debate amongst the crocuses |
 Dave fits a bat box |
 John and Patrick mulch some beds |
26 January 2008
The first task day of 2008 wasn't very well attended but there were still enough volunteers and park staff to offload and spread five wagon loads of wood chippings to mulch two large shrub beds between the Council Offices and the Bowling Green. Dave stood in for Adrian, who was not well, looking suitably dazed and confused. Fortunately he was able to stop himself falling over with a shovel and pick up truck. Good training is obviously of benefit in these circumstances.
It was good to see the Infants Play Area progressing well and it shouldn't be long before it is open for use.
 Dave is dazed and confused by Mark & Bob's speed |
 Mulching the beds |
 That looks better! |
 Dave stands in for Adrian |
24 November 2007
A cold and wet Saturday morning saw Marple's Beaver Scouts planting hedgerows in the Breathing Places woodland behind the library, see the Breathing Places page for more details of this event. We didn't manage to catch Adrian leaning on his spade this month as the Beaver had them all! We were also joined by Wayne Bardsley, Warden of Etherow Country Park, who came along to give us advice on birds boxes, bat boxes and wildlife habitats for the Breathing Places area.
The ground sculptures produced by Andrew Frost were positioned around the Tree Sculpture in order for the Friends to agree exactly where they will be installed. Five acorns and beech nuts will be sited around the Owl Sculpture and two others, an apple and a pear, will be sited in the infants play area.
The task day was also attended by the Stockport Youth Offending Team, who planted bulbs in the grassed area at the north of the park near to Garth Road and some members of the Friends also planted bulbs in the wildlife area near the canal. We apologise for not including photos of the YOT or the bulb planting, but it was just too wet!
 Beavers shiver for the Stockport Express |
 Lisa Bintliff hands out the tree packs |
 Ground sculptures laid out |
 in their final positions |
27 October 2007
The park was looking spectacular in its autumn colours for our Tree Planting Event sponsored by £100 from the Woodland Trust's "Tree for All" scheme. We were pleased to welcome a small band of guests to the park to plant 121 trees provided by the Trust and a collection of Horse Chestnut trees provided by schools as far away as Scunthorpe! The Chestnut trees were planted in the north of the park alongside Garth Road. The trees purchased with the money provided by the Woodland Trust were a mixture of Mountain Ash, Silver Birch, Bird Cherry, Hawthorn, Field Maple, Ash, English Oak and Hornbeam. These were planted in the wildlife areas running down from the back of the cinema towards the canal and on past the skate park and teen area.
 Planting alongside Garth Road |
 Autumn colours in the park |
 A tree from Scunthorpe finds a new home |
 Teamwork! |
 Mark hides in the bushes |
 Nowhere to hide for our favourite spade leaner |
29 September 2007
A great turn out by Marple Locks Heritage Society, the Friends of the Park and Churches Together saw short work made of planting approximately 3,000 pansies in the new "Lock 17" flower bed display at the entrance to Marple from Strines. The display is based on the council's 2006 Gold Award winning Tatton Show entry and was recreated in partnership by the Friends, the Locks Society and the Parks & Recreation Department. It will be dedicated to the late Gordon Mills and was funded by Parks & Rec, The Marple Website and Marple Area Committee. For more photographs visit the Lock 17 Project page.
Whilst we were all having fun with the relatively easy work of planting pansies in Oldknow Gardens the Probation Service were working harder on our behalf to remove the bark chippings from the former boating pool in the infants play area in preparation for installation of new equipment and safe surface in the very near future.
 That's a lot of pansies! |
 Adrian gets the silly pose over with early. |
 Young and old working together. |
 Finishing touches..... |
25 August 2007
A quiet Bank Holiday task day with several of our regulars away on holiday saw us hoeing and weeding the main flowerbeds, the War Memorial beds and the path edges to make sure the park looks its best for the Merchant Navy Day ceremony on 2nd September. Our numbers were bolstered for a while by several of our local councillors, who joined us to celebrate the fourth successive Green Flag Award by hoisting the 2007/8 flag for the first time. The flag was raised in tandem by Cllr. Shan Alexander and Cllr. Sue Ingham whilst Adrian supervised. Note how he has perfected the art of leaning without a spade.
 The new flag comes out for the first time. |
 What poise! |
 Don't those beds look good! |
 Bob's hoe is a blur in the background. |
27 July 2007
Although the photos make it look like a brilliant summer's day it still managed rain more than once during today's tasks. These included more weeding of the War Memorial beds as we finished soiling up ready for planting. The weeds are becoming quite a serious problem here actually and we may need to tackle these in a different way before adding new plants. A small contingent from the Stockport Youth Offending Team also joined in to help trim the shrubs around the Infants Play Area. Adrian and Mark had a tidy up around the Tree Sculpture and it was fantastic to see how many people stopped to look at this and talk about it or take photographs.
 The Memorial beds are weeded again! |
 Bob collapses on his spade |
 The Youth Offending Team in action |
 Three wooden sculptures for the price of one |
30 June 2007
No action photographs this month due to the horrendous weather but despite all the rain the Friends of the Park did manage to do some litter picking and tidying up of the park ready for the Locks Festival the following day. In addition, the Youth Offending Team braved the wet weather and joined us to plant up the flowerbed nearest to the library. We'll perhaps add a photograph of this if it ever stops raining for long enough to take one!
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26 May 2007
The Friends continued work to improve the War Memorial flower beds by adding new topsoil around the rocks placed during the last couple of task days. The site where the locks display had been was also soiled over and the old plants removed from the main flower beds around the stone bird bath in front of the Council Offices.
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28 April 2007
A beautiful sunny April day saw the Friends continue their work to improve the War Memorial flower beds. The remainder of the old rockery stones were returned to the beds and the existing shrubs cut back to accommodate them. The stones were arranged under the artistic direction of Community Parks Officer Bob Wilson and to be honest looked pretty good when we'd finished. Next task is to soil up around the stones ready for planting. The Friends also mulched about 50% of the flowerbed near the Sun Dial to keep down the weeds.
A group of the Friends also had a look inside the Park Cottage to get an idea of its size and to think about a possible use for it. The building is structurally sound but has been neglected badly and it is going to cost a lot of money to return it to a usable condition. Funding the cost of this work is currently the biggest stumbling block to overcome.
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24 March 2007
A good turnout saw the Friends working in a number of areas. The large flowerbed between the Bowling Green and the Council Offices was mulched with wood chippings to keep the weeds down. The hedge bordering the Bowling Green was cleared of leaves and tidied up and around 50% of the original rockery stones were returned to the flowerbeds surrounding the War Memorial.
In addition, a new notice board was installed by the Parks Team near to the Infants Play Area, so that hopefully the Friends can reach a larger audience with details of their Task Days and other activities.
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24 February 2007
A cold wet morning saw the Friends of the Park tackle the borders around the War Memorial, including removal of old bedding plants, weeds, couch grass and Elephant's Ears. The Friends were ably assisted by a group of youngsters under the guidance of the Stockport Youth Offending Team, so light work was made of turning the soil over, digging in fresh compost and tidying and straightening of borders.
The involvement of the Youth Offending Team was a new experience for the Friends of the Park, but it was a positive one and we hope the youngsters will be able to return to assist with the planting up of the borders that they have helped to prepare today. We also hope that they took something from the day too - they certainly seemed surprised that anyone would do this kind of stuff voluntarily!
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20 January 2007
The first task day of 2007 saw the Friends and the Parks & Recreation Team leveling off the site of the Tatton Show locks display, which is planned to be moved to Oldknow Gardens alongside lock 13 on Stockport Road. An application for funding to pay for new metal replica lock gates has been submitted to the 'Stockport Fund' by the Friends and we are waiting to learn if this is successful.
In addition, the second interpretation board, this one explaining about the locks and canal, was installed at the entrance to the park near lock 10 and Oldknow's Warehouse. The new board features a map of the locks system based on the one from the Virtual Tour of Marple Locks, a potted history and some rather nice photographs.
 Spades become a blur! |
 Shovel leaning practice |
 Adrian & Mark Mixing it |
 Interpretation board installed |
18 November 2006
A group of the Friends met in Memorial Park to plant bluebell and daffodil bulbs alongside the path running through the wildlife area adjacent to the canal. Daffodils were also planted around Ian Rice's memorial bench near the entrance from the canal near lock 12.
At the same time as all this planting was going on Adrian Ellis and Dave Forber from the Parks & Recreation Team installed a new interpretation board near the memorial that explains the history of the park and how it was gifted to the community in memory of the men of Marple who died as a result of the Great War, 1914-18.
 Daffodil planting |
 Dirty hands |
 Adrian supervises |
 Interpretation board installed |
22 May 2004
The Friends' first Task Day was held in the park on Saturday 22nd May 2004. The objective was to clear the brambles and undergrowth along the dry stone wall bordering the canal and to remove saplings growing out of it. A safety fence was also erected around the sluice near the entrance to the park at lock 10 and bulbs were planted in front of it that should improve the appearance once they grow.
The Task Day was well attended by members of the Friends, a group of youngsters led by local youth group leader Andrea Nylands and several Stockport Council workers from the Parks and Recreations section. As well as helping with the work, the youth group put on a barbeque and ensured that everyone was well fed.
Here are a few photographs taken on the day:
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Thanks everybody, and well done!
