Friends of Longford Park (FOLP)

Latest News: Stretford Brass Band/Picnic in the Park 12th Sept

We are very pleased that Stretford Brass Band have agreed to play Longford Park again on the 12th September. Music from Stretford Brass Band will be performed between 2pm until 4pm in the art deco shelters rose garden Longford Park …(More details here)

Aims of the Friends of Longford Park:

Friends of Longford Park (Stretford, Manchester) are a group of local people who work with Trafford Council to improve and promote the park as a vibrant local facility for the whole community.

The Friends have held many successful events ranging from social nights, health walks, festivals, picnics, conservation days, carol singing, tree planting, music events, youth activity days and have helped in the creation of a wildlife garden.

To host more of these events we do need more volunteers. Please contact us if you can help out.

Find out more about our activities and how the community can develop and shape the future of Longford Park.

Longford Park is the largest park in the borough of Trafford and is in need of significant investment. The Friends of Longford Park believe that the park remains an attractive place to visit, a vital community resource with a rich heritage that has the potential to be an excellent asset for Stretford and the whole of Trafford. The North West Film Archive have kindly provided a 1933 film that illustrates the important role Longford Park has played in the heritage of Stretford.

The Friends of Longford Park are keen to help develop a first class park with great historical significance and exciting green credentials. If you care about Longford Park or would just like to get involved with a worthwhile enjoyable community group then please contact us. If you have comments, suggestions or ideas regarding the future of Longford Park then please add your comments here.

Longford Park Matters:

Click on the above image to see the plan for the older kids’ play area

The Caterpillar comes to Longford Park’s under 5’s play area June 2010

In June we were pleased to see the arrival of the wooden caterpillar for the under 5’s play area. Some progress has been made on the older kids’ play areas but we have been informed that there has been a delay with the delivery of the rubber matting to be used in the new play area. Until this is delivered and installed they cannot complete the zip wire, new slide and replacement for the old spider climbing frame.

The plan is that this first phase of work to the older kids play area will be all done before the summer holidays start. We hope that there will be a later phase of development which will also see the introduction of a large climbing boulder.

Longford Park Community Cafe

Longford Park is Trafford’s largest urban park with a wide range of facilities drawing in visitors from across Trafford and Greater Manchester. Trafford Council is working with the local community to draw in additional funding and resources making great strides in improving the facilities available and the standards available in the Park. A key development will be the creation of a community cafe in the park.

Trafford Council is looking, in the near future, to offer for tender the use of the Bungalow building, adjacent to the small animal area, in Longford Park as a Cafe. To this end the council is refurbishing the building and has been in discussion with various businesses that have shown an interest in running the community cafe.

Other improvements we expect to see in 2010;

• New and improved footpaths through the park with the existing park lighting being replaced with new lamps with a period feel.

• New Play facilities for the over 5’s will be installed in place of the existing equipment and further bids are being developed to extend the area.

• Trafford working with Stretford Grammar School and the Friends of Longford Park won £50,000 from the Lottery Peoples millions to recreate the park Rose gardens.

Images of Longford Park:

Image Courtesy of Imran Rashid

 

Image Courtesy of Hannah Roberts

Image Courtesy of Jean Thompson

Please view our Longford Park Image Gallery .

If you have any pictures or film of Longford Park you would like to share with us then please contact us.

Posted by rylands on August 26th, 2010 in What's On

Picnic in the Park
Sunday 12th September 2010
Music from Stretford Brass Band
2pm until 4pm
in the art deco shelters
rose garden Longford Park

Event Update: A large crowd enjoyed the great weather and great music from Stretford Brass Band on the 11th July. We are very pleased that they have agreed to play Longford Park again on the 12th September. For more information about Stretford Brass Band please visit their website.

Pictures from the Picnic in the Park:-

Posted by rylands on August 25th, 2010 in Health Walks, What's On

Details of the next Walk Leader Training Course are below

Monday 27th September 2010
Crossford Bridge Pavilion, Danefield Road, Sale
9.30am - 3.30pm
Refreshments and lunch will be provided
You must book a place on the course if you wish to attend. Please contact 0161 9123140 to reserve a place.

The training course is for anyone wishing to lead a health walk in the Trafford area. Once trained the individual can choose to either set up a walk their selves or become part of the STRIDE scheme. Benefits of becoming part of STRIDE are:-

1. STRIDE is affiliated to the Walking for Health initiative, a nationally recognised organisation
2. Receive insurance cover for your walk, provided certain criteria is adhered to
3. Free publicity for your walk
4. Walk Leader STRIDE t-shirt and jacket will be provided for all walks
5. Receive the STRIDE newsletter
6. Opportunity to become a member of the Volunteer Walk Leader Group
7. Receive further support and training from the Physical Activity Coordinator
8. Opportunity to become involved in developing walking opportunities Trafford

Please feel free to put as many people as you wish on the training course to make your walks sustainable. If this date is not suitable then please get in touch for later dates. Please forward the email to anyone you feel may be interested.

Posted by rylands on August 25th, 2010 in Health Walks, What's On

To celebrate the National Day of Walking on 26th September STRIDE are holding a walking event at Longford Park in Stretford. Jean and Janet (Walk Leaders at Longford Park walk) will be leading the walk on the day. Details of the event are:-

Sunday 26th September
Longford Park, Stretford
Meeting at Main entrance gate on Edge Lane, junction with Cromwell Road
10.15am
Water and a goodie bag will be provided for all walkers
Children under 18 years must be accompanied by an adult and dogs must be kept on a lead

You can access details of this and other events supporting the National Day of Walking at www.walkevents.org/

Posted by rylands on July 5th, 2010 in What's On

Wheels for All – Aiming High! at Longford Athletics Track – home of the Trafford Wheelers – cycling 10-12 every Friday morning!

Aiming High is funding Wheels for All cycling activities in Trafford.
Starting in July, activities will be taking place over the summer and on into Autumn and Winter.
Come and join in the fun at Longford Athletics Track and we can even bring the cycles to you at your centre or event.
Call Hermine Briffa on 0770 4167085 or email cyclingproject@googlemail.com.

Aiming High funded Cycling Sessions for disabled children with their families, friends and carers - from 9th July at Longford Athletics Track, or in the park if the track is already booked!
Fridays 12-5pm (following on from the Trafford Wheelers)
Sundays 1-3pm
Mondays 1-5pm
Wednesdays 3-6pm

See you down there!

Posted by rylands on August 29th, 2009 in Health Walks, What's On

The Friends of Longford Park Health Walks will continue to take place at 10.30am on the last Sunday of every month (more details here). Tea, Coffee and biscuits will be available at the end of the walk. Thanks to Jean and Janice for continuing to organize this popular event.
The October walk took place shortly after heavy rains had flooded parts of Longford Park. The Autumnal colours and the sudden appearance of a lake in the south of the park made for an interesting experience!
Opportunities now exist for free training in being a Health Walk leader. Please contact us for more details.

Posted by rylands on July 9th, 2009 in What's On

Jamaica Day is a family event, hosted for all communities in Greater Manchester.

It seeks to strengthen cultural and intergenerational bonds, and promote personal and community development to contribute to safe, happy and prosperous communities across Greater Manchester.

Jamaican culture provides a backdrop to a range of activities which encourages friends, families and communities to play and relax together while, at their leisure, taking advantage of information on opportunities in education, health, employment and recreation. It also provides major statutory bodies and the whole community withan opportunity to meet, mingle and learn about one another.

These photos taken on Jamaica Day 09 show people of all ages and backgrounds dancing in Longford Park, young black boys up close and personal with the Trafford Mayor and the Salford University Vice Chancellor, three generations interacting …
… and children, not least, our black children, the way I, and all the Jamaica Day volunteers, want them to be seen: bright, beautiful, full of life, happy and safe.

Dr Jacqui Stanford
Event Organiser, Jamaica Day

For more information please visit http://www.jamaicaday.co.uk/

Find out more about the 2009 Jamaica Day for Greater Manchester

Posted by rylands on July 1st, 2009 in Stretford Pageant/Carnival, What's On

Stretford Pageant is an annual Rose Queen Carnival and takes place on the last weekend in June, Saturday the 26th.

At this year’s Stretford Pageant there will be a procession of decorated floats through the streets of Stretford, collecting money for local charities and ending at Longford Park, where the Rose Queen is crowned. Various other entertainments are provided in the park on the day of the Stretford Pageant, such as a fun fair, many stalls and a car boot sale.

If you need more information on Stretford Pageant or can help out then please contact Victoria Mcleod on 0161 748 2300

To take part in the Stretford Pageant parade please report to Stretford High School(Greatstone Road, Stretford) where the parade will assembly from 12pm. Stretford Pageant parade leaves Stretford High School at 1.00pm arriving at Longford Park at approximately 2.15pm. The Stretford Pageant parade travels from Stretford High School to Longford Park via Greatstone road, the Quadrant, Kings road and Edge Lane. The crowning of the Rose queen is approx 3pm.

This year there will be a dog show approx 2.45pm and a band and dance arena. Other attractions include an assault course, quad bikes and clowns.

The gates to the park open at 7am and car boot sale commences then (there is no need to pre-book a place, cost £10 for non charities) . In addition, there are many other stalls, attractions as well as the excellent Morley’s funfair that runs from Thursday the 24th June until Monday the 28th June.

Find out more about Morley’s Funfair
Find out more about 100 years of Stretford Pageant