Friends of Longford Park (FOLP)

Posted by rylands on April 25th, 2010 in Longford Park in the News

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger 2:00pm Monday 5th April 2010 by Jessica Bell (View the Article)

OFFENDERS from the Trafford area gave Longford Park a much-needed Spring clean last week. Graffiti was painted over and litter was cleared from the Stretford park by people who had been given community service for offences ranging from fraud, dangerous driving and affray.

Community Payback officer Debbie Wilford
and Bob Dunbar from Friends of Longford Park
at the rain shelter in the park

Organised as part of a Community Payback project to improve the area, the team, who were supervised by the Greater Manchester Probation Trust from March 28 to 31, painted the bollards at Pets’ Corner, the toilet roof and the rain shelter.

Debbie Wilford, community payback officer, said: “Offenders will be paying back in a very real way to the community against which they have offended, and will also be learning about team work.”

One offender, convicted to 200 hours community service for benefit fraud, told the Messenger that he thought the scheme was a good way of helping out the community.

Bob Dunbar, from Friends of Longford Park, said the work done by the offenders was “very effective and much appreciated”.

Posted by rylands on December 7th, 2009 in 2009 People's Millions, Longford Park in the News

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger December 3rd 2009

THANKS to the support of Stretford residents, run-down Longford Park has won £50,000 to start bringing the historic site back up to scratch.

It was announced last Thursday that the park had won a public vote in the Big Lottery Fund’s People’s Millions competition to secure the cash.

The project will, say organisers – which includes the council and the Friends of Longford Park – breathe new life into the deteriorating rose garden; use the latest sustainable technology to restore running water to the ornamental rock gardens; provide the opportunity for young people from local schools to be involved in all aspects of transforming the gardens and help develop an education pack.

The project is an important stepping stone to future improvements in Longford Park as laid out in the council’s Park’s Masterplan.

Friends of Longford Park member, Margaret Westbrook, told SUM: “This is the first real extra money that we have managed to attract, having failed with the big Heritage Lottery bid last year.

“It effectively marks the start – but only the start – of many future possibilities.

“This is so very important as it will mark the beginning of constructive involvement of young people in our community.

“It also marks the beginning of an imaginative partnership between the school, the Friends, and Trafford Council.”

The money is designed to enable students to restore the Japanese water gardens using green technology and to redesign and replant the rose garden area which is somewhat worse for wear at present.

The council’s executive councillor for parks, Jonathan Coupe, also welcomed the cash injection: “I am delighted the bid was successful and would like to thank everyone who voted.

“The Friends group, local schools and council staff put a lot of hard work into this campaign and I’m now looking forward to seeing the project come to life.

“The council will continue to work with partners to secure more funding for projects like this one,” he said.

Posted by rylands on December 7th, 2009 in 2009 People's Millions, Longford Park in the News

As reported on December 1st 2009 by Kirsty Elleray (View the Article)

CAMPAIGNERS celebrated Longford Park winning the People’s Millions.

The park which borders Chorlton and Trafford has scooped £50,000 after ITV viewers voted it to be a worthy recipient.

The money which comes from the Big Lottery Fund will help transform areas of the park.

It will enable the deteriorating rose garden to be turned into a beautiful garden; allow the use of the latest sustainable technology to restore running water to the ornamental rock gardens; and enable pupils from south Manchester schools to get involved with transforming and maintaining the gardens.

Margaret Westbrook, from the Friends of Longford Park, said: “We are delighted to get the money – this is a dream come true and we’d like to thank all the people in Chorlton and Stretford who helped and who voted for us.”

Trafford Council, which had led the bid along with the Friends of Longford Park, Stretford Grammar School and other campaigners, says the money will form an important stepping stone to future improvements.

Executive councillor Jonathan Coupe said: “I am delighted that our bid was successful and would like to thank everyone who voted.

“The Friends group, local schools and council staff put a lot of hard work into this campaign and I’m now looking forward to seeing the project come to life.”

The campaigners’ plea for the money was filmed and shown on ITV on Wednesday, November 25. Their bid was one of five out of eight competing projects to be awarded money.

A spokesperson for the People’s Millions confirmed that Longford Park will receive the money once the administration processes have been completed.

Longford Park campaigners have been trying to raise £2 million to upgrade the park and have twice failed to secure £2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

A spokesperson for Trafford Council said they – along with other campaigners – would continue to look for new funding incomes.

Posted by rylands on October 28th, 2009 in 2009 People's Millions, Longford Park in the News

The following news release was issued by Trafford Council on the 28th October 2009 :-

A scheme to transform part of Longford Park has been shortlisted for a £50,000 Lottery award - and it needs your vote to secure the funding.

The project would give the much-loved historic park a real boost by creating a beautiful garden in the former rose, ornamental and water gardens. This would become an educational resource for young people, with an education pack available for use by local schools.

And, in keeping with Trafford Council’s pledge to create a greener borough, planting methods best placed to respond to climate change would be used, creating a site fit-for-purpose for the 21st century and beyond.

The Council, Friends of Longford Park, Stretford Grammar School and other partners have come together to campaign for the Lottery’s People’s Millions funding and make the project come to life.

A statement from the Friends of Longford Park said: “We are delighted to be shortlisted for the People’s Millions project that will enable young people to design an informative, sustainable and very appealing green space for the whole community. This reflects the historical significance of the Longford Estate as an example of land management for the benefit of all.”

The scheme will feature on Granada TV’s evening news programme on Wednesday 25 November. Voting phone lines will open at 9am on this day and close at midnight. There will be full details of the scheme and how to vote at www.trafford.gov.uk and the voting telephone number will appear in the Daily Mirror and at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk on this day.

Executive Councillor Jonathan Coupe said: “Local people are really passionate about Longford Park and this can be seen through the huge amount of support shown for the Masterplan that has been created to lay out a vision for its future.

“The garden project is just part of that Masterplan, and it would be fantastic to see it start to take shape and to see the community coming together to achieve this common goal. I’d encourage everyone to support this campaign to help us make Trafford a greener borough and a great place to live, learn, work and relax.”

You can find out more about The People’s Millions scheme at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk.

Posted by rylands on June 30th, 2009 in Longford Park in the News

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger June 25th 2009 by Robert Downes
A STRETFORD man has called on Trafford Council to rescue crumbling pitch and putt facilities at Longford Park before it’s too late.

Cromwell Road resident Mike Byrne says the 18-hole course is slowly becoming little more than an open space for dog walkers because of the council’s on-going neglect.

To make matters worse, he told SUM town hall gardeners have recently started using crude agricultural machinery to cut the grass, which as well as not collecting the grass cuttings, leaves deep tyre tracks across the green rendering it virtually unplayable.

“It’s a real shame,” he said.

“They may be cutting the grass but it’s no longer a pitch and putt.

“The last time they hired out equipment was in 2004, after that they stopped doing it. But they never advertised the facility and had no signs up elsewhere in the park saying it was open. There was no proper support given to the staff manning it.

“It’s strange because at Woodheys Park in Sale they have an immaculate pitch and putt facility staffed by two people.”

Friends of Longford Park say they have repeatedly asked the council to do something about the situation.

Stretford councillor Dave Jarman said: “It’s a travesty that they’ve not been maintaining it for the purpose it was intended but the Tory run council have made a lot of cuts, especially to parks.

“I think there’s a political side to it with a north/south funding divide in Trafford.”

Executive councillor for parks and recreation Jonathan Coupe said the council would be looking at Longford’s pitch and putt facility as part of wider work on the park.

“This green space has been used in recent years as a free facility for golfers to practise chipping and pitching, and we will take a look at its future as we work closely with the Friends group to maintain and improve Longford Park,” he said.

“There are a number of golf courses in Trafford, managed by the leisure trust, which are on offer for local people to use, and the main facility for pitch and putt is at Woodheys Park.”

Posted by rylands on May 28th, 2009 in Longford Park in the News

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger May 28th 2009 by Robert Downes

YOUNG offenders are to be drafted in to a Stretford park to complete work the council can’t afford to do itself.

After the town hall learned it had failed for a second time to access millions in Lottery funding to give Longford Park a major overhaul, park bosses contacted Trafford’s probation service requesting free labour from those sentenced for their crimes through community service schemes.

The service was only too happy to help, and in the next few weeks teams of young offenders will be working on restoring walls near the park’s rose garden.

Now, probation service bosses have contacted the Friends of Longford Park to offer more help if they want it.

The probation service’s Debbie Wilford said: “We do all sorts, cutting back, tidying up hedging, planting, and generally making sure the parks safe to use for the public.

“The people taking part have commited offences such as drunk driving or affray. None of them would be a danger to the public.”

“To me it sounds like a really good idea,” said the Friends’ John Fitzgerald.

“It’s clearly a positive step but the council will have to authorise it first,” he added.

Executive councillor Jonathan Coupe said: “We have been in discussions with the probation service about using the community payback scheme to help complete projects in a number of Trafford parks.

“The walls in the rose garden at Longford Park are on this list as they are in need of repair, however this work is not something that was part of the HLF bid. We are really keen to work in partnership with other organisations and local people to achieve our goal of making Trafford a greener borough.”

Posted by rylands on May 22nd, 2009 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported on May 22nd 2009 by Katherine Vine (View the Article)
A park friends group is putting pressure on the council to stump up the cash for vital repair work after a Lottery bid was turned down.

The Friends of Longford Park found out last month that its bid for cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund had been turned down for the second time – and say parts of the park are in vital need of work.

CALL FOR ACTION: Councillor Judith Lloyd and
Margaret Westbrook, a member of the Friends
of Longford Park, at the old Edwardian
bungalow in the middle of the beauty spot

Friends group member John Fitzgerald said: “No work has been carried out in the park for years because we were waiting for the Lottery money, and now it’s very dilapidated in places.”

The group’s members are particularly concerned about the Edwardian bungalow in the middle of the park, which they want to see turned into a community cafe.

John added: “It is quite an attractive building but it is in a very poor state of repair. There are serious problems with the roof – you can see the gaps in the tiles – and we are concerned it is becoming structurally unsound.

“It could have to be demolished if something isn’t done soon.

“We are just trying to get the council to do the initial repairs on it but we would really like to see it turned into something the whole community could enjoy.

There are so few amenities like cafes and restaurants in Stretford and it could be really nice.”

The group is being backed by Stretford’s Labour councillors, Judith Lloyd, Pauline Lane and David Jarman. Councillor Jarman said: “This building has been left to fall into disrepair by the council.

“However, there is an opportunity for the council to take the initiative and develop it into a functioning and exciting facility. The park is crying out for a cafe which would be used by the many people who enjoy Longford Park.

“Its location is at the heart of the park and I’m sure it would be welcomed by the local community and all the park users.”

Environment councillor Jonathan Coupe says a building condition survey on the bungalow has been carried out.

If this reveals any serious sturctural issues the necessary work will be undertaken.

He added: “The Edwardian bungalow is an important asset to Longford Park and we are looking at the feasibility of operating a cafe at this site in the future.

“This will depend on the level of investment required to meet the necessary standards for food preparation and on finding a suitable operator.

“We will continue to work closely with the friends group and the rest of the community to maintain and improve all aspects of Longford Park for local people.”

Posted by rylands on May 14th, 2009 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger May 14th 2009 by Robert Downes

A STRETFORD park was neglected for six years in the false belief Lottery cash would pay for its restoration.

That’s the claim from the head of the Friends of Longford Park group, Jean Byrne, who also accused Trafford Council of lavishing cash on parks in the more affluent areas to the south of the borough at the expense of others in the north. “The Friends of Longford Park have been working hard for almost 10 years to persuade Trafford Council to prioritise a park it has called ‘the jewel in its crown’,” she said.

“For six years much essential maintenance work has been put on hold on the assumption that the park infrastructure would eventually get fixed with the Lottery money.This assumption has proved wrong and the gamble failed. We feel that the council has shown a degree of neglect of our park and indeed of the Stretford area in genera. We find beds full of flowers at the south end of the borough and yet the flower beds in our park lie derelict and basic lighting and repairs have been left for years.”

But executive member of parks, Cllr Jonathan Coupe, said: “Longford Park is a priority, flagship park in Trafford and significant resources are dedicated to its maintenance. “HLF funding focuses on improvement projects, not essential maintenance work, so maintainence work has not been put on hold at any time. Recent work carried out has included a newly-surfaced footpath from the Quadrant entrance to the rear of Longford Cottages and the improvement of the younger children’s play area. “The council does not spend more on parks in the south than the north of the borough” he added.
The council also confirmed around £400,000 of town hall cash earmarked for improvements at Longford Park had the bid been successful, may not now definitely be spent there. A spokesman said there were ‘no guarantees’ the cash was ring fenced for Longford Park projects only.

Posted by rylands on April 21st, 2009 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger April 16th 2009 by Robert Downes (View the Article)

HOPES for a multi-million pound makeover of Stretford’s Longford Park have been dashed for a second time in as many years.

Trafford Council’s application for a two million pound face lift of the Edge Lane park, submitted in the autumn, was rejected by The Heritage Lottery Fund earlier this week.

The rebuttal has prompted strong criticisms from the Friends of Longford Park group, who said the council’s strategy to secure Lottery cash in order to modernise the park - the largest in Trafford’s largest - had failed.

Spokesman John Fitzgerald also said there were now serious questions the council needed to answer as to how and when urgent work needed at the park was going to be achieved.

“We were hoping for some really positive news,” he said. “We had a 1,500 strong petition of support for the project, two MPs on board, local councillors, but it’s still be rejected. We want to know why,” he said.

“There’s been very little spent on the park since 2003, the plan being the work would all be paid for when the bid was done. It was the council’s strategy to rely on Lottery cash and now we’re not getting it we want to know what they’re going to do.”

“We’re trying to be fair minded about this, but we need to know why this second funding bid failed.”

The council said on Wednesday the town hall would be seeking feedback as to why the second such bid had failed, but said they remained committed to realising the masterplan.

“I am extremely disappointed we’ve missed out on the HLF funding again, and we will be asking for feedback about our bid to help us move forward stronger,” executive councillor for parks Jonathan Coupe told SUM.

“But I want to assure local people we still have every intention of developing the exciting masterplan put together for Longford Park.

“A lot of time and effort was put into this latest bid by many people and their hard work has provided a strong vision for the future of the park that we intend to make a reality.

“We will continue to invest what limited funds we have available as a council to make sure standards at the park are maintained and, together with the local Friends group and the community, will work hard to secure external funding so that the masterplan can be put into practice.”

Posted by rylands on April 21st, 2009 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported on April 17th 2009 by Katherine Vine (View the Article)

FANS of a Stretford beauty spot have suffered a fresh blow after failing to secure Lottery funding for the second time.

The Friends of Longford Park and Trafford Council vowed to fight on when, in May last year, they learned their £2 million Heritage Lottery Fund bid had failed.

In September they submitted a new bid, backed by the Friends’ online petition and appeals for the public to get behind the cause.

The council promised to match any Lottery funding with £400,000 of its own cash.

But this week they were told that, once again, the bid had been unsuccessful.

Group member John Fitzgerald, who was one of the main driving forces behind the bid, said: “We are all just really disappointed.

“We had been feeling for a while that no news was not good news, but we were so hopeful that we would get this money that the park desperately needs. It seems that Stretford loses out once again.”

The park is steeped in history and once housed Longford Hall, home of the Mancunian cotton magnate John Rylands.

The Lottery money would have funded the restoration of the hall’s remains and rose gardens and the building of a visitors’ centre, performance space and sports ground.

John says the Friends now fear for the park’s future as the fight to get Lottery funding has taken almost six years.

In that time, many of the park’s maintenance issues have not been addressed.

He added: “For quite a period of time now the council has been cutting the park’s funds right back to the bare bones. We have reached the point where Longford Park is in a really poor state, and it is a real shame because the park matters to a lot of people.”

The issues of most concern to the Friends’ group are inadequate drainage leading to frequent flooding of the park, broken lighting, graffiti, inadequate toilet facilities, empty flower beds and neglect of the ornamental gardens.

Councillor Jonathan Coupe, who is in charge of environmental issues, says the council remains committed to improving the park and will continue to fight for funding to make this happen.

He said: “A lot of time and effort was put into this latest bid by many people, and their hard work has provided a strong vision for the future of the park that we intend to make a reality.

“We will continue to invest what limited funds we have available as a council to make sure standards at the park are maintained and, together with the Friends group and the community, will work hard to secure external funding so that the masterplan can be put into practice.”s

Posted by rylands on October 27th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News

The following article about the Friends of Longford Park was written by Jean Byrne and featured in the November 2008 edition of the Chorlton, Didsbury & Whalley Range Community Index

Longford Park is a green oasis nestling on the border between Chorlton and Stretford. Autumn’s a great time to visit and admirethe abundant display of colourful leaves as they fall from the numerous mature trees.
Many of the magnificent trees in the park were planted in the 1850s when Longford Hall and the surrounding parkland was the home of John Rylands, one of the richest entrepreneurs of the Lancashire Cotton Industry. In the 1870s he owned the largest textile manufacturing business in England and was Manchester’s first multi-millionaire. After his widow’s death in 1908 Stretford Council acquired the hall and park for £14,500.

In Victorian times it was fashionable for the newly rich industrialists such as John Rylands to import exotic plants from all over the world and display them in their gardens. Many of these exotic specimens still remain in the Longford formal gardens. Unusual species include the Chinese ginkgo biloba tree planted adjacent to an Indian bean tree and dwarfed by a nearby Canadian redwood.
Longford Hall was demolished due to structural problems in 1995 and all that remains are the portico and front steps. These look out onto a grassed area known as the Grand Lawn, which is the location of the Stretford Pageant, an event which has been held annually since 1919.

Beyond the once grand lawn is the ha-ha, a sunken wall, which prevented the sheep that used to graze on the lower fields adjacent to Edge Lane from eating the plants in the formal gardens. The only livestock remaining today are geese, rabbits, ducks and Horace the goat that live in the popular pets corner. Colonies of bats also live in the roof spaces of some of the old stable buildings and foxes are regularly seen running across the playing fields at dusk.

Lottery Bid
Over the last 20 years Longford, like most public parks, has suffered from lack of investment and eight years ago the Friends of Longford Park was founded by a group of volunteers to try to improve things and arrange regular community events. Recently over £70,000 was spent by Trafford Council to improve the under 5’s playground, but what seems quite a substantial amount of money doesn’t go very far these days. Hopes for further improvements are dependant on the outcome of a bid for over £2 million recently submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Friends Group have worked in partnership with the Council and organised a petition that was signed by over 1,500 people in support of the bid. The outcome should be known by Spring 2009.
Park Groups
In addition to being a great place to visit for a bike ride, football game or a picnic, the park is also home to a large number of community groups and associations. This includes groups as diverse as Trafford Athletics Club, the Firswood Leisure Art Group, Brownie and Scout Troops, Tai Chi, Touch Rugby and the Towns Women’s Guild. See the Friends web site or contact Trafford Council on 912 2000 for further information.

Jean Byrne
Friends of Longford Park

Posted by rylands on September 8th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger September 11th 2008 by Robert Downes (View the Article)
FRIENDS of Longford Park have said a big ‘thank-you’ to everyone who signed their on-line petition supporting the multi-million Lottery regeneration bid.

Organisers from the group needed more than 500 signatures for their petition to be included in the official bid being submitted by Trafford Borough Council at the end of this month, and that figure was reached earlier this week.

Committee member John Fitzgerald told SUM: “We’ve had a great response so it’s thanks to everyone who signed.

“The petition has really demonstrated the strong support the bid has amongst the local community, and hopefully it’ll give it more weight.
“So once again thank you to everyone who signed,” he said.
The bid, which has been compiled by the council with the help from the friends group is a two stage process.
The council won’t find out until around May time whether it has made it through to the second stage. If it does the final outcome won’t be announced until 2010.

As part of the bid to improve the civic amenity is a new cafe in the Edwardian bungalow, expansion of pets corner, a park ranger, restoration of the park’s heritage features related to the original John Rylands Longford Hall Estate, new toilets and the restoration of the coach house buildings to offer visitor/meeting areas. Improved drainage and paths for walkers and cyclists and well as restoration of the ornamental gardens and the creation of an outdoor performance area and multi use sports area are also included.

Despite having reached the 500 signatures they needed you can still lend your support by signing the petition and also learn more about Longford Park’s 2008 Heritage Lottery Fund bid by visiting http://folp.org.uk

Posted by rylands on September 8th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported on the 29/08/2008
Stretford and Urmston MP Bev Hughes has urged people to back Longford Park’s latest multi-million pound bid for Heritage Lottery funding. She as now joined the 297 people who have signed the Friends of Longford Park’s online petition.

Bev said: “I’m really pleased to support Friends of Longford Park in their heritage Lottery Bid. I want to thank them for the work they’re doing to improve the Park. I’d encourage as many people as possible to sign the Friends petition online. Longford Park has a rich history and a successful Heritage Lottery Bid would be absolutely fantastic. So sign the petition and back the bid.”

The Friends of Longford Park hope to get more than 500 signatures by September 15. To sign the petition go to http://www.friendsoflongfordpark.org.uk

Posted by rylands on August 12th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported by Helen Clifton on the 08/08/2008 (View the Article).

CAMPAIGNERS have pleaded for support for their renewed bid to regenerate one of Trafford’s most important parks.

Although an application for a £2 million Heritage Lottery Grant was knocked back in May, the Friends of Longford Park have vowed to battle on, with a new bid to be submitted in September.

They have now launched an online petition to garner support.

John Fitzgerald of the Friends of Longford Park said: “When we found out that the first bid had failed we were totally gutted. The next bid is going to be hard because of competition from the 2012 Olympics, so we have to get more support to give us a chance.”

The park once housed Longford Hall, home of Mancunian cotton magnate John Rylands. A successful bid would fund the restoration of the hall’s remains and rose gardens, and the building of a new visitor centre, performance space and multi-use sports arena.

Trafford Council, which has submitted the bid, has promised to match any Lottery money with £400,000 of its own funding.

Improvement work on the park has already started, and a £60,000 children’s play area with disabled access is due to be completed by the end of the week.

John added that the bid reflects a greater emphasis on the park’s heritage.

“I think the first bid failed because it didn’t emphasise aspects of the park’s history enough,” he said.

“The plans have now been altered to take on board the views of the Friends of Longford Park.”

Posted by rylands on July 24th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The 2008/2009 Lottery Bid

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger Tuesday 22nd July 2008
(View the Article)

LONGFORD Park could be transformed beyond recognition if a £2 million Lottery bid due to be submitted in September gets the green light.

It’s the second time Trafford Council have applied for substantial Lottery funding to make wholesale changes at the historic park in Stretford.
And they need public support for the bid to transform the park.

The bid includes restoration plans for the park’s Edwardian bungalow to provide a new cafe and outdoor seating area, new toilets, restoration of stable buildings to provide a visitor centre, scout headquarters, art exhibition space, meeting rooms, classroom for Trafford College and other partners and centrally located toilets.

The park’s art deco shelters, rose gardens and the Japanese gardens would all benefit from a makeover, as would the reintroduction of water features.
The pets corner would be expanded and developed into a small urban farm style facility, offering greater interaction and learning for the local community.

The Longford Hall Garden area would be turned into an outdoor performance area and vibrant civic space, providing a prominent symbol of regeneration for the community.

Creation of new paths to open up underused areas of the park, improved drainage and signage to increase usage and take advantage of the park’s proximity to Stretford Athletics Stadium, the Trans Pennine trail, the Mersey Valley and the soon to be redeveloped Bridgewater Canal are all included in the bid, a decision either way won’t be made until 2010.

Executive councillor Jonathan Coupe told Messenger: “This is a very exciting bid which, if successful, would give us the opportunity to bring immense improvements to Longford Park to transform it into a first class community facility.

“We really want local people to feel that the park belongs to them and I would ask residents - particularly those living in the immediate area - to offer their support to this campaign.

“We want all our parks to be well-used, vibrant, safe and sustainable and this funding will secure this future for Longford Park.”

Local people can lend their support and comment by signing the Friends of Longford Park’s electronic petition. The link to the page is www.friendsoflongfordpark.org.uk

Posted by rylands on May 31st, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The 2006/2007 Lottery Bid

As reported in the South Manchester Reporter by Marie Burchill 29/ 5/2008 (View the Article)

Conservationists from Longford Park have vowed to fight on after being told that their £2 million lottery bid has been unsuccessful.

Members of the Friends of Longford Park and bosses at Trafford Council had submitted their bid to bosses at the Heritage Lottery Fund back in April – in the hope that the massive cash injection would allow them to restore the park to it’s former Victorian glory.

However, conservationists have now been dealt a hammer blow, after lottery chiefs revealed that their bid had been unsuccessful.

Despite the knock-back, the Friends have said that they remain ‘undeterred’ in their aim to get the funding, which will allow them to restore many of the park’s rich historical and cultural features.

They are already working, together with Trafford Council, to draw up another bid – which they hope to submit to lottery chiefs in September.

Angela Elphick, of the Friends of Longford Park group, said: “We worked very closely with Trafford Council to get this bid together and we are all very disappointed that it has been rejected. Members of Trafford Council put a lot of effort into the bid and I can’t fault them at all.

“The park is now in a very sorry state. The majority of people had been banking on this money becoming available so that something could be done to turn the park’s fortunes around.

“But now it has become clear that we are not going to be getting the funding any time soon, people are becoming increasingly angry and want some action to be taken to improve the condition of Longford Park.

“Because of this general feeling we are not discouraged, as we know that everybody will join forces to turn this decision around.”

John Lamb, director of operations at Trafford Council, said: “The council are undeterred in their current application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their £2 million bid for the restoration of Longford Park. The Heritage Lottery Fund recognised that we submitted a high quality bid that possessed strong community involvement, strong financial viability and high match funding levels.

“The council will be re-submitting the application in September.

“We appreciate it is a highly competitive process, but with the support, effort and hard work of the numerous partners and park users we remain confident of a successful bid.”

Sara Hilton, Heritage Lottery Fund manager for the North West, said: “We realise that this is disappointing news. “While the application for Longford Park met the funding criteria, there were a number of other projects which were considered to deliver more comprehensive conservation, participation and learning benefits.

“We have already held further discussions with council representatives to explore ways forward and have offered on-going support if they decide to submit a further application.”

The Friends group will hold a meeting at the neighbourhood forum on Tuesday, June 10 in Trafford Town Hall to discuss the future of Longford Park. It will take place between 6pm and 8pm. For more information, call Angela Elphick on 0161 864 1326.

Posted by rylands on May 31st, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The 2006/2007 Lottery Bid

As reported in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger by Robert Downes 10:00am Thursday 22nd May 2008(View the Article)

ONE of Trafford’s oldest and largest urban parks failed for a third time in a row to access Lottery funding for major improvements there.

News the two million pound bid, put together by the council to breathe new life into crumbling Longford Park had failed, was announced last Friday.

The money would have paid for major improvement work at the sprawling Edge Lane venue, including a new cafe, working toilets, improved play equipment, the relaying of pathways, planting and general repairs.

The rejection of the bid was greeted with anger by park users.

Mum of three, Kay Rooney, who lives in Cromwell Road, said: “It’s absolutely disgraceful. The council are letting the park deteriorate rapidly. The play area’s equipment is unsafe and there are walls falling down everywhere.”

She added: “There’s graffiti, empty flowers beds, broken glass on the floor, the toilets are always closed, and the car park is only part surfaced. Why has this bid failed again?”

The Friends of Longford Park, who were consulted on the latest bid, were also unhappy at the decision. The group’s Angela Elfick said: “We were very disappointed with the outcome. We’re still waiting to hear from our contact at Trafford Council on where we go next.”

But John Lamb, director of operations at the town hall, said the council were “undeterred” and would reapply in the autumn, although it was unclear if the bid would be altered in anyway. “We appreciate it is a highly competitive process, but with the support, effort and hard work of the numerous partners and park users we remain confident of a successful bid,” he told SUM.

“The Heritage Lottery Fund recognised that Trafford submitted a high quality bid that possessed strong community involvement, strong financial viability and high match funding levels, and we remain undeterred.”

Posted by rylands on May 18th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News

BBC Manchester on the 8th May 2008, as part of its Manchester places series, included an article on Longford Park.

The article describes a visit to the park in Spring, the heritage and different users of the park as well as featuring Horace the Goat! The full text of the Longford Park Parklife article can be found here

Longford Park on a fine spring morning is a special place to be. From the Edge Lane park gates, a mature tree-lined path offers elegant views with the daffodils providing an abundance of colour. The warming yellows contrast with the surrounding winter browns and greys and hint towards the coming of summer. The snow-coated daffodils in April capture the sometimes unpredictable nature of the changing of seasons.

Amongst the dog owners, parents with prams, joggers and walkers there is a nice sense of comradeship; everyone seems pleased that they have made the effort to be here.

Many head towards Pets’ Corner to look at the caged birds ranging from the exotic Kakariki from New Zealand to native geese and ducks. And grazing amongst the rabbits is Horace the Goat. Horace is a 12-year-old Welsh mountain goat donated to the park by a couple from Sale that were finding him a real handful. When he was younger, volunteers would take him on walks round the park for exercise. He is getting on a bit now and is less keen on his walks than he used to be. Poor Horace!

In the centre of Longford Park there are still several surviving properties that were built for the original Longford Hall Estate in 1877 for the ‘Cotton King’ and philanthropist John Rylands. It is also possible to wander round the façade of the original Longford Hall as well as view the original coach house and stable buildings. As a kid growing up in Stretford it was always a treat to go to Longford Park. The Queen visited Longford Park as part of her Silver Jubilee year so we knew that it was special. It was about a mile walk to the park and on a hot summer’s day we would be rewarded with ice creams from a café in the ornamental gardens. The café has long gone but the gardens are there and still a lovely tranquil place where you can acquaint yourself with the friendly squirrels.

From here a short walk takes you past the popular tennis and basketball courts. Other activities you might see on any given day can range from bowling, football, touch rugby to Pesäpallo (Finnish Baseball)! A pleasant path through the trees will then take you back to where you started on Edge Lane. The route around Longford Park takes less than an hour but what a great start to the day!

Posted by rylands on April 24th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The Rylands Legacy

South Manchester Reporter columnist, Neil Rolands, on the 24th April 2008 mentioned at length John Rylands and Longford Park.
Excerpts from his column include:-

“Longford Park is a fascinating area, and well worth a stroll…. With the birds and shelters, the original stables and its classic layout, it really is a splendid place that deserves the restoration it seeks, and it seems particularly pertinent that the bid to restore it should occur this year, exactly a century after the death of Enriquetta Augustina Ryland’s third and final wife who he married when he was 74, and who created the John Rylands Library in his memory. “

“Nobody today would suggest that John Rylands was motivated by greed - indeed, he built orphanages, homes for gentlewomen and ministers of slender means, and in Stretford, on the borders of which stood Longford Hall, he built the town hall, baths, library and a coffee house. Yet his efforts made him Manchester’s first multi millionaire and the United Kingdom’s largest textile manufacturer, his businesses boasting a capital of £2 million. ”

The full text of this article can be found here.

Posted by rylands on April 19th, 2008 in Longford Park in the News, The 2006/2007 Lottery Bid

As reported by the Trafford Metro News on the 18/04/2008:

Stretford’s Longford Park has bid for a £2.5m slice of the Heritage Lottery Fund – and, if successful, the cash would see the park’s cultural and historical features preserved for future generations.

Plans include a new visitor centre in the old stable blocks, while a dilapidated bungalow near the children’s park could be turned into a cafe.

The old formal gardens and pathways would be restored, new toilets built and demolished conservatories recreated.

Angela Elphick, acting chair of the Friends of Longford Park, said she thought it would be an “excellent added amenity” for Stretford.

Ms Elphick, a resident of nearby Alder Grove, added: “It is in a part of Trafford that we sometimes feel gets a bit neglected in favour of the other areas to the south, like Hale and Bowdon.”

The park and the imposing Longford Hall were built in 1857 by Manchester cotton magnate John Rylands, who lived there until his death in 1888.

The site became a public park after it was bought by Stretford Urban District Council in 1911. Longford Hall was knocked down in 1995, but its facade still stands in the park.

The funding bid was submitted last October and a decision on the park’s next stage is due over the next few days.

Angela said: “I feel optimistic, because as well as being such an attractive park, I think it is quite important because of the John Rylands connection.”

She added that outdoor events have recently had to be cancelled because of a lack of volunteers – and put out a call for new members. For details visit www.friendsoflongfordpark.org.uk.