Park project gets back on track

A PROJECT to improve accessibility in a section of Ponteland Park is back on track after an insurance issue was resolved.

In November, the Friends of Ponteland Park (FOPP) group was successful in its application to the Big Lottery Fund for almost £10,000 to make it easier for people to get up and down the slope at Oxbow Lake.

The funding will enable steps and a boardwalk to be built down the approach on the east side of the sheltered lake in order to access a new dipping platform.

As the FOPP has no public liability insurance, the town council was asked to place the orders.

But the Big Lottery Fund would not allow the money to be transferred to the authority and this caused a short delay to the project.

It has now been sorted as a formal agreement has been reached with FOPP to ensure that it is covered by the council’s public liability insurance and design warranties for the work can be switched.

Once the scheme has been completed, the authority will take over maintenance of the boardwalk and the site.

There will also be some planting as well as the installation of seats, nest boxes and bat boxes.

Along with pond dipping, people of all ages will be able to observe the wide variety of bird and aquatic wildlife in the area.

Source: Morpeth Herald

Marie Curie 'Field of Hope' in Ponteland Park

The local Marie Curie organisation, in conjunction with the Friends of Ponteland Park, is holding a daffodil-planting event in the Park on Saturday 16^th October  between 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.  Revd Peter Barham will conduct a blessing at the start of the event, and we hope that as many people as possible will come along in support.

We anticipate that many people will wish to sponsor the planting of daffodils in memory of loved ones, and to make a donation to the charity that does so much good work with cancer sufferers and their families.  There will be the opportunity to give money on the day, or you can donate to Marie Curie direct via the post or their website:   http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/      

If you'd like to take part, preferably in a practical way or just as moral support, then please come along to the Park between the times given above.  The daffodils will be planted in the banked, grassed area that adjoins the pathway from the Waitrose bridge towards Callerton Lane.

It is hoped that this 'Field of Hope' will be not only a stunningly beautiful and permanent reminder, to future generations, of the dedicated care that Marie Curie nurses provide for cancer sufferers but also a fitting remembrance of those special friends and family members who have died.

The web-link below gives more details of the national campaign, but please do come along to make this Ponteland event a really special one.  Planters of all ages are welcome!

http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/supportus/plant_a_million_bulbs/

Friends of Ponteland at Party in the Park.

Please come and visit the Friends of Ponteland Park in the Meadow area on Sunday June 13th and join in some meadow fun. Lots of family friendly activities to interest and occupy, such as a bug and beetle safari, making a bird or bat box to take home, learn all about our local butterflies from a member of the Butterfly Trust and get a really close up view of our pondlife without getting wet. These  are but a few of the activities that will be on going during the afternoon, so please come up and join in the fun.