New friends group to improve park

A VOLUNTEER group to help care for one of Bristol's biggest parks is officially launching next month - and inviting people to get involved.

The Friends of the Park (Oldbury Court Estate/Vassalls Park) is bringing people together to look after, improve and celebrate the park, which is used by thousands of people from Fishponds and further afield, and has a Grade II listing in English Heritage's Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

The group was born out of a litter-picking drive started by local resident Tommy Trueman in 2021.

As supporters came together they discussed how many things could be improved - and realised having an organised group could help.

Friends groups in other parks such as Eastville Park and Page Park in Staple Hill have been able to apply for grants and funding not available to councils, and have mobilised volunteers on long-term projects.

The new friends groupwhose name reflects the fact that the park is known both as Vassalls Park and the Oldbury Court Estate - will hold its official launch meeting on Saturday April 1 from 2-3.30pm, at the Vassall Centre in Gill Avenue.

Friends group co-chair and Oldbury Court resident Kate Spreadbury said everyone interested in the park is invited, to talk about what they would like to see improved, and how they can help.

Kate said: "The park has never had a friends group before and because of that, it's been terribly neglected in terms of grants, so we thought we'd give it a go."

"Everyone who uses the park is a friend of the park, from people who have lived by it all their lives to those who have just discovered it.

"The park belongs to everyone and we're creating this together."

The group has already managed to secure some small community grants but once it has been officially constituted it can apply for more substantial funding such as community infrastructure levy grants.

Possible improvements include repairing the path into the park from Goffenton Drive, revamping some of the equipment in the play area, improving wheelchair access and replacing the pavilion which was badly damaged by arsonists in 2020 and is set to be demolished.

Kate said: "We really want to have a centre in the park for nature talks, work parties and sports groups."

Friends' regular litter-picking sessions are held at 1pm on the last Sunday of the month, meeting at the kiosk near the play area.

The group is setting up as a £1.95 million parks investment plan to improve facilities at Vassalls Park and eight others across Bristol is drawn up by the city council.

The council is promising "significant investment", and cabinet councillor Ellie King said this would include a new play park at Vassalls.

More details are expected to be announced in March.