Date for the Diary...

The Friends of Cottenham Park

Invite you to join us for 

 Christmas Carols

in the Pavilion

  

Friday 19^th December 2014

at 7.00pm

 Mulled Wine, Soft Drinks

& Mince Pies

All welcome!

Proposed Changes to the Public Tennis Courts in Cottenham Park

Merton Council will shortly issue a tender for a Concession Contract for the day to day management and development of tennis at Cottenham Park.

The Friends of Cottenham Park have sought reassurance from the Council on a number of aspects of the proposal but there will be significant and fundamental changes to the way in which the courts operate and a substantial reduction in the number of courts available for the public to play tennis.

The number of courts available to the public will be reduced from 6 to 2 courts at all times and the concession operator will collect charges on the courts used by the public at the same rate as charged by the Council for use of other council owned courts within the borough. If the Concession Operator is not using all the courts they may release them for charged public use. The Concession Operator will provide up to two courts during June and July on Monday and Tuesday between 4.30 pm and 7.30 pm for use by the Council’s Leisure Development Team on request.

The council has now confirmed that the courts will only be used in the same hours that the park is open and that there will be no use of floodlighting during the course of the contract, which will be for a 5 year period with a 2 year each way break clause. This represents progress from the original draft tender which gave the Council flexibility on both of these counts.

The Concession Operator may operate a membership scheme for the site in addition to any coaching and competition programmes that it may wish to run. The Concession Operator will only be allowed to use coaches qualified in accordance with the National Coach Development programme, who are licensed by the LTA and have provided an up-to-date Criminal Records Bureau check.

Merton Council seek to encourage the use of the tennis provision, to gain some income and to develop the site into a Lawn Tennis Association recognised Beacon Tennis Centre. There is no requirement for maintenance of the courts in the tender.

All of the above would represent a major change in the way in which the courts are used at a time when there is a large active tennis club close by, and the Friends of Cottenham Park are therefore seeking your views on the proposed change to be in a position to provide a coordinated response to Merton Council before the proposal goes out to tender. 

Please email very promptly your views to friendsofcottenhampark@gmail.com so that we may be sure that your opinions are clearly represented to Merton Council.
Whilst we aim to correlate a response to the Council, we may not be able to respond to contributors on an individual basis but we will keep you informed via email and here on the blogspot.

We thank you for your interest.

Mike Hammond
Chairman, Friends of Cottenham Park

Tea in the Park - Thank You

Dear Friends of Cottenham Park

Thank you everyone on the committee who spent many hours soliciting gifts, collecting them and organising the successful day. Quite a task as this was the first time we had actually done it on our own since the old guard stepped down, well done.

To those who helped erecting the marquee and gazebos and didn't we laugh trying to figure out how the framework fitted together? Thanks also.

To those who set up the various stalls with the produce they were selling from organic vegetables to plants to books to bottles to face painting to cakes and to the games for children organisers. What a sterling effort by everyone concerned. Thanks too.

To the band who played all afternoon without a break and kept the mood happy playing songs we have grown up with, lets book them again for next year! Well done the band.

Finally to all the friends themselves who came on this not very sunny day and spent their cash on the products on offer. To the businesses who donated the raffle prizes and those who gave bottles, cakes, plants and books etc all making this a successful day

We raised £798 to use in our park. Your committee will decide in conjunction with Merton Greenspaces what to do with the money raised and let you know.

Best wishes

Mike Hammond

Chairman FCP

Tea in The Park - Sunday 27th April 2014

It's the time of year when the Friends of Cottenham Park begin to plan our annual spring get-together and we look forward to welcoming you:

Tea in the Park

Sunday 27th April

2.30 - 4.30 pm

in the 

Pavilion Gardens

We will have all the favourite stalls and activities including: bottle tombola, books, home made cakes, plants, raffle, organic fruit and veg, face painting, fun and games for the kids and live entertainment.  We've also got some brand new attractions planned tbc...watch this space!

As always, we welcome all donations of bottles, books, children's books, CD's, DVD's, raffle prizes - please drop them off to the committee beforehand - and cakes and plants can be brought along with you on the day.

We also need volunteers to help us set up in the morning and to help run stalls, so if you can help or donate, please get in touch!

Best wishes

FCP

friendsofcottenhampark@gmail.com

Reminder - AGM Sunday 9th February

FRIENDS OF COTTENHAM PARK

10th Annual General Meeting

to be held on

Sunday 9th February 2014 at 10.30am

In the Pavilion, Cottenham Park

Minutes from last years meeting and accounts will be available 

We really hope that you are able to come, we need to discuss the future of the Friends with as many people as possible

New Native Hedge Planting

Dear Friends of Cottenham Park

In the early Spring this year we planted a wildlife friendly hedge to the east of the pavilion garden railings. 

It was not a great success, it was trampled on, used by dogs, and then the drought came.  

Anyway, we have now planted another selection of hedging plants (a bargain offer in Gardener's World Magazine from Wiggly Wigglers - see info on plants below).

They are strong plants and we have planted them closer together and marked off the area.   

The plants include beech, blackthorn, dogrose, field maple and spindle.  

We have also just had a new bench to be put in the same area after an exceedingly long delay from Merton.  Now the bench is in place, the idea is to plant two or three small, colourful, wildlife friendly trees in the area. (These also have to be done by Merton and not by us).

Do please look at the plants if you are in the park, and shout very loudly at any dogs getting too near!

If it is a success we can extend the planting next Autumn.

Jill and Peter Smith

Friends of Cottenham Park

The Friends of Cottenham Park

Invite you to join us for 

 Christmas Carols

in the Pavilion

  

Friday 20^th December 2013

at 7.00pm

 Mulled Wine, Soft Drinks

& Mince Pies