Thanks to schoolchildren and teachers
Michele Longden thanks the schools.
Just wanted to say from myself, and the other members of The Friends of Bolsover Parks, a huge thank you for attending last Friday's opening event of The Bowl, the event would not have been such a success without you all.
The performances of the children were amazing and were delivered with such enthusiasm and confidence they are a credit to each individual school and to the staff. All invited guests and other members of the public commented on the quality of the performances and the behaviour of all the children. The children made it feel such a happy and joyous occasion which is everything we hoped for and we wanted the 'children of today' to be there, to enjoy themselves and to be able to say - "I was there the day it opened" !
We wanted the opening of the Bowl to 'feel alive' and to give a small presentation of how it can be used and you certainly delivered! It was a pleasure for those of the group who have put in many hours (along with much anxiety!) of their own time voluntarily raising funding for the project and seeing it through to completion to see it stage and celebrate it's first performance. There have been many challenges along the way and the weather over the last few months has played a major role in the problems we have encountered so it was such a relief to finally see the ribbon cut!
It was a shame more parents and members of the public could not witness the opening and see their children perform but logistically parking for parents from 5 schools would have been difficult with the current parking problems in Bolsover over the last few weeks due to the closure of one of the car parks. In addition for us, as a small group of volunteers, was our consideration for the responsibility of the safety of the children in a public open space as we were hosting the event. However, it would provide a great venue for school productions with plenty of space for their families to sit!
We hope that now you have seen how it can be used and the many possibilities it offers for performances and outdoor learning it is a venue you and the children will use and enjoy in the future. There will be, at some time in the not too distant future electricity to the site and over head protection from the elements, be it sun or rain!
It was so nice to see local schools performing together, showing and sharing their talents with each other - it would be really great to do it again in the future, or maybe some form of 'Summer music festival'?
Thank you once again for delivering the 'opening performance' of which we hope there will be many more - I was just so relieved the weather was kind after what had been a very stressful Thursday and a sleepless night! I lost count of the times I checked the weather and ran through the 'what if's' - ah well that's a typical British summer!
Finally thank you for your design submissions the children did for the stone mason to create small stone sculptures and to incorporate into the naming plaques. There are several small stone plaques incorporated around the bowl to create a sculpture trail - there will be more added in the future. Rather than choose one drawing it was decided to use small parts from several designs as this enabled us to include all schools and drawings from across all age ranges. The chosen designs were on display on the day along with collection of drawings submitted from all schools. As it was a busy day probably you were unable to see the stone plaques and the display. At some point in the future I may need to contact you to identify some names on the chosen drawings. We feel it is a very fitting and lasting legacy in The Bowl from the children of today.
The opening event will be published in The Derbyshire Times and an article in the Derbyshire Country Life magazine - maybe July/August. I also have some photographs from the day which I will forward to you. If you are interested in using The Bowl for any events please contact the Town Clerk, Andrew Tristram, at Old Bolsover Town Council.
Best wishes
Michele Longden
Just wanted to say from myself, and the other members of The Friends of Bolsover Parks, a huge thank you for attending last Friday's opening event of The Bowl, the event would not have been such a success without you all.
The performances of the children were amazing and were delivered with such enthusiasm and confidence they are a credit to each individual school and to the staff. All invited guests and other members of the public commented on the quality of the performances and the behaviour of all the children. The children made it feel such a happy and joyous occasion which is everything we hoped for and we wanted the 'children of today' to be there, to enjoy themselves and to be able to say - "I was there the day it opened" !
We wanted the opening of the Bowl to 'feel alive' and to give a small presentation of how it can be used and you certainly delivered! It was a pleasure for those of the group who have put in many hours (along with much anxiety!) of their own time voluntarily raising funding for the project and seeing it through to completion to see it stage and celebrate it's first performance. There have been many challenges along the way and the weather over the last few months has played a major role in the problems we have encountered so it was such a relief to finally see the ribbon cut!
It was a shame more parents and members of the public could not witness the opening and see their children perform but logistically parking for parents from 5 schools would have been difficult with the current parking problems in Bolsover over the last few weeks due to the closure of one of the car parks. In addition for us, as a small group of volunteers, was our consideration for the responsibility of the safety of the children in a public open space as we were hosting the event. However, it would provide a great venue for school productions with plenty of space for their families to sit!
We hope that now you have seen how it can be used and the many possibilities it offers for performances and outdoor learning it is a venue you and the children will use and enjoy in the future. There will be, at some time in the not too distant future electricity to the site and over head protection from the elements, be it sun or rain!
It was so nice to see local schools performing together, showing and sharing their talents with each other - it would be really great to do it again in the future, or maybe some form of 'Summer music festival'?
Thank you once again for delivering the 'opening performance' of which we hope there will be many more - I was just so relieved the weather was kind after what had been a very stressful Thursday and a sleepless night! I lost count of the times I checked the weather and ran through the 'what if's' - ah well that's a typical British summer!
Finally thank you for your design submissions the children did for the stone mason to create small stone sculptures and to incorporate into the naming plaques. There are several small stone plaques incorporated around the bowl to create a sculpture trail - there will be more added in the future. Rather than choose one drawing it was decided to use small parts from several designs as this enabled us to include all schools and drawings from across all age ranges. The chosen designs were on display on the day along with collection of drawings submitted from all schools. As it was a busy day probably you were unable to see the stone plaques and the display. At some point in the future I may need to contact you to identify some names on the chosen drawings. We feel it is a very fitting and lasting legacy in The Bowl from the children of today.
The opening event will be published in The Derbyshire Times and an article in the Derbyshire Country Life magazine - maybe July/August. I also have some photographs from the day which I will forward to you. If you are interested in using The Bowl for any events please contact the Town Clerk, Andrew Tristram, at Old Bolsover Town Council.
Best wishes
Michele Longden
Thanks to Andy Oldfield
Andy Oldfield
Thanks to Andy who has wanted to support our community project, he (and Liam Donaldson who works for Andy), has given his time and materials for free. He selected designs from the children's artwork and created stone name plaques and smaller stone designs which he's positioned around The Bowl.
When working for the National Trust's Hardwick Hall as Senior Stonemason he appeared on BBC's Mastercrafts programme presented by Monty Don. Andy has since set up his own company, The Fringe Workshop in Pilsley where he brings together traditional stonemasonry skills with contemporary designs.
LInk The Fringe Workshop
Link Mastercrafts
When working for the National Trust's Hardwick Hall as Senior Stonemason he appeared on BBC's Mastercrafts programme presented by Monty Don. Andy has since set up his own company, The Fringe Workshop in Pilsley where he brings together traditional stonemasonry skills with contemporary designs.
LInk The Fringe Workshop
Link Mastercrafts
Thanks to the Co-op for sharing their profits
A big thank you to The Co-op for their £2,000 donation to our project - it will make a big difference. We will buy stone seats to enhance the garden design. The Co-op Community Fund grants between £100 and £2,000 to community, voluntary, or self-help groups who successfully carry out positive work in the community. A project must address a community issue; provide a good long-term benefit to the community; support co-operative values and principles and ideally be innovative in its approach. We're delighted they saw merit in us and our project. Visit The Co-operative Membership Community Fund's site
Thanks a million to Million Trees Derbyshire
We are very grateful to Clive Keble, Project Co-ordinator, Million Trees Derbyshire who have donated £1,080 to our project. Started in January 2011 by Anthony Broderick a Derby-based business man, Million Trees Derbyshire work with businesses, landowners and local people to meet an ambitious target of planting trees all over Derbyshire. Check out their site to volunteer, or see how to suggest suitable land to plant more trees. We're delighted they recognise the environmental benefits of our project to our community. Visit Million Tees Derbyshire's site
1st stage, October 2012. Get Digging
True Grit: Phil & team, Derwent Treescapes
Work began the first week of October and kept on track through November. Then at the end of November, early December we had torrential rain; the ground was either sodden or frozen. Work was suspended for a while.
Congratulations to Phil and the team (from Derwent Treescapes), who have worked tirelessly including weekends, to try and catch up lost time.
However, some things are out of their control - the best turf, Phil tells me, is grown on water meadows. What happens to water meadows when it rains and rivers overflow? That's right our turf is currently under water!
Congratulations to Phil and the team (from Derwent Treescapes), who have worked tirelessly including weekends, to try and catch up lost time.
However, some things are out of their control - the best turf, Phil tells me, is grown on water meadows. What happens to water meadows when it rains and rivers overflow? That's right our turf is currently under water!
Slideshow tells the story
Hornscroft's heritage
Easily identified at the bottom of this 1642 map, the triangular parcel of land on which Hornscroft Park stands has remained unchanged for centuries. Previous archeological finds on Hornscroft Park include, flint flakes, spearheads, Anglo-Saxon beads and bronze ornaments. A stipulation of our planning application was to conduct another archeological survey which Simon Johnson, Principal Archeologist, Mayfield CA Ltd did. Simon is also keeping a watchful eye as work proceeds.
" Regarding the works so far, there is very little to report: the disturbance caused by construction of the bowling green was even more extensive than modelled in the assessment. A few sherds of pottery and clay pipe have been found and that’s about it. I can't date all the finds: most are reletively modern but some of the pottery is brown-glazed earthenware which is a specialist field to differentiate between early and later forms and we will have to await them being looked at by my pottery specialist when the project is complete"
" Regarding the works so far, there is very little to report: the disturbance caused by construction of the bowling green was even more extensive than modelled in the assessment. A few sherds of pottery and clay pipe have been found and that’s about it. I can't date all the finds: most are reletively modern but some of the pottery is brown-glazed earthenware which is a specialist field to differentiate between early and later forms and we will have to await them being looked at by my pottery specialist when the project is complete"
Meet our garden designer Mary Wardle
Mary Wardle, gardener & artist
It's been a pleasure working with Mary Wardle, garden designer, and Derek Trowell, our architect, both based in Wirksworth. Our contractors, Derwent Treescapes are busy creating the structure and hard landscaping.Then under Mary's direction using her planting scheme and design, she, us and we hope lots of volunteers will plant up the garden and terraces.
Visit Mary's site.
Visit Mary's site.
Perseverence pays off
From this... to The Bowl
It's taken us almost three years to finally get the funds to turn the old bowling green on Hornscroft Park into a garden.
We persevered and we're delighted to announce our successful bid Community Spaces, Lottery Fund has paid off, we've got just under £50,000 to turn the old derelict bowling green in to The Bowl - a beautiful garden and an exciting out-door entertainment space.
We persevered and we're delighted to announce our successful bid Community Spaces, Lottery Fund has paid off, we've got just under £50,000 to turn the old derelict bowling green in to The Bowl - a beautiful garden and an exciting out-door entertainment space.
The Bowl - an innovative and unique design
We asked local people, schools and clubs, what they would like to see. And from their feedback we developed a brief and invited designers and architects to respond. We selected Derek Trowell Architects and garden desisgner Mary Wardle. Derek and his team took our brief and created an innovative and unique design for The Bowl. Not only do we get the garden we wanted, they thought outside the box and Bolsover also gets a fantastic new asset - an outdoor entertainment space as well, with seating for around a thousand people.
We bid for funds from Community Spaces, Lottery Fund and thrilled our hard work was successful. Work starts summer/autumn 2012 to turn this innovative design into reality. Following a tender process, Derwent Treescapes are the appointed contractor and they start work in September 2012. Keep up to date with progress in this section, where we will add news and photos as work continues.
We bid for funds from Community Spaces, Lottery Fund and thrilled our hard work was successful. Work starts summer/autumn 2012 to turn this innovative design into reality. Following a tender process, Derwent Treescapes are the appointed contractor and they start work in September 2012. Keep up to date with progress in this section, where we will add news and photos as work continues.