Spotlight on Prestwich: Friends of Heaton Park

Reporter: Marcus Chippindale
Date online: 24 October 2010

As the biggest park in Greater Manchester and one of the largest of its kind across the whole of Europe, Heaton Park has an impressive reputation to live up to. Visitors come from around the country to see the wide range of attractions such as the boating lake, temple and of course Heaton Hall.

But the park wouldn’t stay in such pristine condition without a little help from some friends. Along with the management team who run the park there is a community group dedicated to ensuring that park users get the most from their experience.

The Friends of Heaton Park group was formed in 1992 with the aim of encouraging a public awareness for the care of the park and to foster links between the users and management.

At the time of its forming the park was going downhill and needed revitalising. Since the group became active it has worked wonders for the area and has helped to raise thousands of pounds for projects such as the Sensory Garden in the Horticultural Centre and the Interpretation Boards in the Lakeside Café.

“The Sensory Garden is my proudest achievement since I became a member,” says John Vidler, Membership Secretary of the group. “It is so great with all the smells and noises. And it is nice that the raised beds mean people don’t have to get down on their hands and knees to smell the plants.”

Mr Vidler has been involved with numerous projects to do with the park since he became a member in 2000 and is helping with the group’s next plan, which will involve the installation of a location finder at The Temple, the highest point of the park.

He explained: “It will be extremely beneficial for everyone who goes up there as they will be able to find out what they are looking at.”

The Friends hold talks and social events throughout the winter months and organise three trips to historical houses, parks and gardens during the summer, as well as holding fortnightly coffee mornings from April to September.

The group is run by a committee of nine elected members, but it is not an easy job and Mr Vidler admitted that the posts are not exactly highly sought-after.

“It is a job you get and can only get out of by dying or finding someone else to do it for you. But when the time comes for the AGM no one puts their names in to take over the positions. It is a job for life, whether you want it or not.”

Despite this it seems as if the group is keeping park users happy and Mr Vidler views the lack of attempts to oust the current committee as a sign of this.

“We take the view that the other members are happy with the job we are doing, and as long as we can do it we will carry on.”