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South Park, in Darlington, is a beautiful Victorian Park on the A167 road heading south from the town centre

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© 2011-18 Friends Of South Park                                      Postal address:  Clock Tower, South Park, Darlington, Co Durham, DL1 5TG.                                   www.southparkdarlington.co.uk

Further Events

A comprehensive list can be found on the Darlington Council Website

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Listed below are some of our activities:

Fundraising to provide items for the park;

Litter picking;

• Involvement in consultations relating to the park;

• Our Garden Club maintains the boxed beds and herbaceous borders and saved the ribbon beds from being grassed over, planting them with shrubs. The ribbons were a feature in South Park since 1987, and in August 2012 the Park Ranger and staff from Cummins helped the Friends weed and tidy them up. Unfortunately this work was unsustainable and in 2015 the ribbons had to be grassed over.  The Garden Club meets the first Saturday every month at 10 am near the aviary (except some winter months).

• We also successfully campaigned to prevent closure of the aviary, partially funded it from 2011, and have taken over responsibility for it since 2012.  The gardeners also donate their time (without payment) to caring for the birds in the aviary;

In 2011 Marie (Photographer) helped in the community with photographing various Darlington events. She photographed the opening of the restored bandstand in North Park for the Friends and photographs the Macmillan Toddle and Walk for Life every year in South Park for Macmillan Cancer Support;

• In March 2011 Jan (Secretary) attended a DIG (Darlington Its Growing) event in South Park, in which 15 fruit trees were planted.  The last tree was planted by The Mayor of Darlington.  Jan has also registered our herb garden with the DIG  group;

• For three years from 2011 to 2013 Marie made greetings cards depicting photographs of South Park. These were on sale in the cafe and at various events in the park and have helped support the aviary;

• In March 2012 John (Chairman), Jamie and Sharon (Committee Members) took part in the planting of trees for The Jubilee Wood on Lakeside, together with local army cadets and scouts from The Cockerton Troupe;

• Throughout each year since 2006, John and Wendy, plus the staff at the park Cafe, have worked tirelessly to produce and sell amazing amounts of duck food, which has boosted funds to support the aviary and provide exciting features for the park, both in the past and in the future;

• In 2012 Marie again helped in the community by producing photographs for various Darlington groups. These included North Park jubilee party, GOLD (Growing Older Living in Darlington) tea dance in the market and North Lodge Park blues event. She also photographs the midnight walk every year in South Park for St Teresa’s Hospice;

• Over the past few years the Friends have funded several chain saw sculptures - the owl, squirrel, wildlife wood, Max the parrot and a story telling chair (yet to be sited). They have also funded many picnic tables and a history board depicting the history of John Fowler, the inventor of the steam plough whose replica plough mysteriously disappeared from the plinth in the park. The Friends were also successful in applying for a grant to install the three pieces of outdoor gym equipment sited near the skateboard park.

The Friends of South Park aim to enhance the park by liasing with the park management and staff and listening to views and suggestions from park users.