A Welcome Message from our new Chair,
Pippa Smith
I am delighted to have been elected as the new Chair of the Friends of St Ann's Well Gardens having lived near our beautiful park for over 25 years. I would like to take this opportunity to formally thank my predecessor Melanie Davis who has steered the ship so expertly for the past thirteen years. I hope to build on her work and that of her amazing committee; I am delighted to say that all of them are staying in post to support me. I also welcome the involvement of many new members. There is a lot to be done and I want to encourage you to join the various support and interest groups. I am ambitious for the future of our park which will, I believe, be even more used as we come out of lockdown. This increased use will bring its own delights but also challenges and I would urge you all to become as active as you can within your personal circumstances. I will be out there with bin bag, dog, partner, and even a paint brush! I hope many of you will be able to join me.
St. Ann's Well Gardens is well known throughout the city for the annual May spring festival which attracts thousands of visitors. Like many other events, we unfortunately had to cancel in 2020/21 due to Covid. But we hope to see this fantastic event fully revived in 2022 and are hoping to support many smaller outdoor events in the park in the meantime.
The Friends acts as a bridge between the Council Parks Team and the local community and we undertake specific tasks to support their work. People join us for lots of reasons: to improve facilities, to increase biodiversity, to help out with social events or simply to meet new people. Whatever the reason, everyone is welcome.
It's a great time to join the Friends - either as a member or to become involved in the committee. We've got exciting plans this year including the development of our playground and the sensory garden. We are also going to be launching a campaign to help reduce litter and improve the environment for all. The park has never been to important to the wellbeing of the local community. Please come along and get involved!"
