October Bulletin

We are sure you will all be delighted to hear that, very soon, there will once again be a police presence in Greenwich Park.
Clare Lanes, Park Manager, has told the Friends that officers attached to the areas around the Park will be based in the offices by the Blackheath Gate. They will be drawn from four neighbourhood teams: Greenwich Park; Greenwich Creekside; East Greenwich and Greenwich Peninsula. These are not police dedicated to the Park, but they will maintain a visible presence and the arrangement is due to start within weeks.
Greenwich Park lost its own dedicated police team earlier this year in the wake of a Metropolitan Police budget shortfall. We were the first of The Royal Parks to lose its team but they will all be similarly affected. 
After the unit was disbanded the Friends were made aware of reports of increased anti-social behaviour in the Park, notably problems with cyclists, theft and dogs. We passed these on to the Park management and were assured The Royal Parks were working hard to find a solution. They were indeed, and we are very pleased to welcome police back to the Park.

Bright and beautiful: A splash of Autumn colour captured by Will Lowe, FoGP Photography Group

Ten years at the top

A packed hall heard Andrew Scattergood, CEO of The Royal Parks, give the Friends' Annual Lecture last week.
The man in charge of The Royal Parks, who has been chair since 2015, talked the audience at Mycenae House through 'a decade of transformation'. He began by explaining The Royal Parks' transition to a charity in 2017 and detailed its aims over the coming years, under three headings. The first objective is making everyone welcome to 'deepen understanding of public needs, and make the visitor a key focus of our work'. The second relates to the environment, to 'protect our diverse range of historic landscapes, adapt to climate change, increase biodiversity and facilitate higher visit numbers'. The third is a pledge to 'build a resilient charity with a strong business model that operates in a responsible, sustainable manner'.
Andrew spoke about the £12m Greenwich Park Revealed project to restore and future-proof the threatened 17th Century landscape. He said the four-year project, completed earlier this year, had enhanced the natural environment, improved visitor facilities and provided community benefit.
Summing up, he said: 'The charity we are today is vastly different from the organisation I joined in 2015. We are more stable, more forward-looking, and more ambitious. Our finances are in good shape. And we are focused on creating climate-resilient parks for future generations for everyone to enjoy, no matter their background.
It is the privilege of a lifetime to lead The Royal Parks. I am deeply proud of what we’ve achieved together, already, and I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.'

Mood study: The Rangers House through a sea of grasses
Emma Winn, FoGP Photography Group

A happy holly day...

Come and join us in the Park to create a beautiful Christmas wreath. Find us in the new Learning Centre on Saturday, December 6. The Learning Centre is near the deer enclosure in the Flower Garden. There are two sessions, at 10.30am and 12.30pm. All materials will be supplied and the bargain price of £25 includes tea, coffee and cocoa. Places are limited so book your tickets here.

Learn about Park history

There are a few tickets left for the Friends' History Research Group's free lectures for members.
The group is working with Historic England to archive research undertaken as part of the Greenwich Park Revealed project onto the Greater London Historic Environment Record. The aim now is to share some of this knowledge with our wider membership.
The talks are free but spaces are limited and are restricted to Friends of Greenwich Park members. Book on our website here. All talks will take place in the Learning Centre in the Flower Garden.
Changing Landscapes: October 24, 2pm to 3.30pm
This talk will explore how royal patronage, trends in landscaping and design, and artistic styles, cultural movements and fashions have helped influence the changing shape of the landscape in the Park, focusing on the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods.
Enclosing the Park: November 28, 2pm to 3.30pm  
How the boundaries and entrances of the Park have evolved, in particular the history of the 17th century wall.
Archaeology through the ages: December 20, 10.30am to midday
An outline - from the Roman Temple to the Grand Ascent - of what recent archaeology investigations have discovered.

Join our Bird Walk

Julia Holland will lead the next Bird Walk on Sunday, October 26. Meet at the Blackheath Gate at 8.30am. There is no need to book, but bring binoculars if you have them. The walks last approximately two hours.

Autumn camouflage: A wren hides out among seed heads
Vida Cody, FoGP Photography Group 

Hunt for creepy crawlies... and volunteers

Drop into the Learning Centre over half-term for a spooky encounter with nature. 
The ‘Autumn Celebration’ Welcome Day, with the Greenwich Park team and the Friends' wildlife group, runs between 11am and 3pm on October 30. Learn all about the Park’s weird and wonderful wildlife, including the creepy crawlies and unlikely heroes of the natural world that thrive during this time of year.
All activities are free and there is no need to book, simply drop by and get involved. For further details click here. 
The Friends are short of volunteers for this activity, so if you would like to help with this, or other wildlife events, please email Clare.h.hatcher@gmail.com.

A fungi finding expedition