## The Friends of Debdale Park Annual Report 2023-2024 ## _**Registered Charity Number 1154238**_ **Debdale Park, 1075 Hyde Road, Gorton, Manchester M18 7LJ** **friendsofdebdalepark.co.uk** ## Contents |1.|Overview|page 3| |---|---|---| |2. Projects|2. Projects|page 4| |3. New Developments|3. New Developments|page 6| |4. Activities|4. Activities|page 7| |5. Park Staff|5. Park Staff|page 10| |6. Governance|6. Governance|page 11| |7.|Contact Us|page 12| |8. Accounts|8. Accounts|page 13| _The new Aviary Mural - January 2024_ _**Report compiled and edited by Paul Kirkham and Vicki Kennedy**_ ## 1. Overview Over the past year the Friends have sought to fulfil their Charitable Aim of providing _a welcoming, healthy, accessible, safe and high quality park which meets a diverse range of needs and aspirations on a sustainable basis._ The main purpose of this report is to give an overview of what has been achieved over the last year. The listing of projects and activities in the report is arbitrary and does not seek to prioritize any particular ones as all form a coordinated synergy of effort of all the Friends. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## 2. Projects ## **Cycling for Health** The cycling provision has continued on a weekly basis attracting a regular and increasing level of interest. The Monday morning cycle ride provides a welcome outing for about two dozen people. Bicycles are provided and rides are related to capability. The activity is free though donations of £1 are requested where possible to provide for the maintenance of the bikes. ## **– ‘ ’ Volunteer Gardening Project Debdale Diggers** The Diggers help to keep the park flower beds looking tidy. The activity is flexible in that individuals or groups can work as is convenient though the main session is on Wednesday mornings. The meeting point is the park lodge Visitor Centre and tools are provided. Individual beds have been allocated to different volunteers to create a sense of ongoing upkeep. **Bowling and Social Club** The Bowling Pavilion is now host to a wide range of social activities including line dancing, Spanish lesson, computing and curling, all of which draw significant numbers of participants. The club has also taken on responsibility for the maintenance of the lower bowling green and acquired a lawn mower to facilitate this. Members have also done significant work over the year maintaining and improving the appearance of the grounds. The club is actively promoting membership across the community seeking new members with a greater diversity. ## **Debdale Social Club** In addition to the Bowling Club activities there also the Debdale Social Club that provides a further range of social activities. These include the Debdale Ramblers The Ramblers met regularly on Thursday mornings for a walk in the park and surrounding area. Visits further afield have also been ongoing to places of interest. ## **Debdale Nature Centre** Sadly the Nature Centre closed in May 2023 for a number of reasons. However, after many discussions the project is going to return to it’s previous home at Gorton Reservoir Allotments. The project will continue to work under the umbrella of Gorton Heritage Trail, in partnership with Gorton Horticultural Society and as an ally to the Friends of Debdale Park. The cabins which formally housed the project in the park will become available for use as a meeting point and base. ## **Hammer and Nails** This project for adults with additional needs has continued meeting each Wednesday and Thursday for recycling furniture and woodwork. Also there are music therapy sessions ## **3. New Developments** ## **Wheels for All** This project has now been restarted after a lapse of several years. The bikes have been taken for reconditioning and a new cycling circuit created. The project meets each Tuesday. ## **Men’s Shed** The work space has now been relocated to the Aviary where the former art studio has been laid out as a workshop. There have been ongoing discussions about the possibility of reopening the project which had been temporarily suspended during the Covid lockdown. Keith Norton and Fred Taylor are planning to publicise and promote a new group. ## **Potting Herbs with Gale** This new project is being started in the park by a volunteer group under the direction of Gale Whitby. The polytunnel has been refurbished to make it more easily accessible for groups in the project and the Herb garden is being replanted. _Growing plants in the polytunnel_ . ## **4. Activities** ## **Volunteer Work Groups** Groups have worked on the various flower, rose and shrub beds and have been of great help in maintaining the appearance of the park. A number of work groups have continued to visit the park from private companies. Notably Auto Traders, the Co-op Bank and Kellogg’s. _Volunteers from Auto Traders February 2023_ ## **Heritage Dye Garden** The restoration of this garden area at the centre of the park has now been completed thanks to a grant of £4,000 from We Love Manchester. _Volunteers from the Co-op working on the Heritage Garden_ Plants were grown ready for replanting the beds and a planting programme prepared. Unfortunately due to a lack of volunteers the original planting programme had to be abandoned as being too ambitious. Instead the project funds were used to buy a wide selection of perennials that were planted by visiting volunteer work groups from the Co-op Bank and Kelloggs. _Replanted beds in the Heritage Garden – August 2023_ ## **Outdoor Gym** An additional exercise frame has been added to the exercise area. **Heroes Wood** This distinctive area of the park continues to be maintained and a flag pole has been purchased for the memorial circle. ## **Playschemes** A number of events were planned over the year to provide activities in the park for young people during the school holidays. ## **Gorton Carnival** Planning is already underway for this year’s Carnival, which will be held this year on Sunday 14th July. The Carnival is organized by Gorton Events Committee in collaboration with the Friends of Debdale Park and Manchester City Council and attracts around 8000 visitors if the weather is kind. |uleeLtobis.obee | oo| ft| ot. Th it eS ad ae — Sa It is a fantastic day and a highlight in the community calendar. Seineean Ta ## **Gorton House** The Action Group that was formed to promote the restoration of the house had not been able to make progress and has now terminated. ## **5. Park Staff** The friends continue to work closely with Manchester City Council, local councilors and park staff to improve the park facilities. Over the last year there have been a number of changes to park staff and we were sorry to lose the services of estate maintenance worker Karl Beckett and new park ranger Monika Sayed who worked with enthusiasm to make Debdale a better park. ## The new Park Ranger is Richard Martin. _After the Storm – volunteers clearing up_ ## **6. Governance** ## **The Friends of Debdale Park CIO Trustees** **1** . Allan Grafton MBE JP - Chair 2. Olwyn Taylor - Social Club and Debdale Diggers 3. Fred Taylor - Debdale Ramblers 4. Kim Stevenson - Nursery in the Park 5. Doreen Grafton - Wheels for All ## **Patron** Hon. Afzal Khan, MP **Chair:** Allan Grafton, MBE JP **Vice Chair:** Peter Rees **Secretary:** Paul Kirkham **Treasurer:** Chris Kennedy ## **Committee** Peter Rees (Cycling for Health) Olwyn Taylor (Debdale Social Club & Volunteer Gardening) Irene Hargreaves (Bowling Club) Kim Stevenson (Nursery in the Park) Doreen Grafton (Wheels fort All) Fred Taylor (Debdale Ramblers) Keith Norton (Men’s Shed) Gale Whitby (Growing Herbs) ## 7. Contact Us Allan Grafton MBE JP - Chair allangrafton@live.co.uk Peter Rees - Vice Chair & Cycling for Health peterrees1954@gmail.com Paul Kirkham - Secretary kirkham007@ntlworld.com Kim Stevenson - Trustee & Nursery in the Park nurseryinthepark@gmail.com Chris Kennedy - Treasurer chris.kennedy.gorton@gmail.com Doreen Grafton - Wheels for All wheels4alldebdale@gmail.com Frederick Taylor - Trustee & Debdale Ramblers fredtaylor1924@outlook.com Olwyn Taylor - Trustee & Debdale Social Club Debdale Diggers Debdale Ramblers olwyntaylor@outlook.com 8. Accounts Friends of Debdale Park Accounts 2024- 2025 Bank: ArnO￿t Brou ht fon¥ard: 11412024 £5.525.67 Inc(Mne: Runni￿ total 301412024 171712024 MCC NIF Grant- Men'5 Talkrng Circle at The Monastery MCC NIF Grant- Men's Shed Debd31e £584.99 £i.OLXJ.00 £584.99 £1.584.99 Total IrKoffle: £1 584.99 nditure: 101412024 231412024 11512024 101512024 151512024 171512024 171512024 612024 101612024 101612024 2816/2024 4n12024 41712024 101712024 181712024 71812024 91812024 121812024 101912024 131912024 131912024 301912024 1011012024 li li 2024 Zurich Insurance £16_83 £16.83 1112 - FODP Web Hoslin IIIII_ MSD Key cutting Zurich Insurance £59.99 £20.00 £76.82 £96.82 £16_83 £113.65 1116 ONC bannefs 11141. W4A Tfaftsfer of funds IL5 - W4A Transfer of funds £75.00 £200.IX) £250.C £188.65 £388.65 £638.65 1113 - Irene Roses £12.00 £16.83 £584.99 £650.65 Zurich Insurance £667.48 1117 IIIB - W4A Transfer of funds 11191- Tools from GHS 1120 Nature Centre Unilorm Zurich Insurance - Transfer of NIF to The M(¥na5te £1.252.47 £1.602.47 £1.702.97 £1.745.06 £1,761.89 £1.804.89 £4.193.40 £4,324.25 £4.341.08 £4.357.91 £4.689.05 £5.281.05 £5.840.25 £S.857.08 £5 8n.91 £350.1)J £100.50 £42.09 £16.83 11211- Aviary CleaninE Supplies 1122 - Transfer of Men s Shed funds to Debdale Social 11231- Cleaning su￿1￿5 for The Aviary Zurich Insurance Zurich Insurance 11281- Transfef of Nature Centre funds to GHT 11271- Transfer of Youth Forum tunds to GHT 1126 Transfer of W4A funds to Doreen Grafton Zurich Insurance £43.(M) £2.388.51 £130.8S £16.83 £16_83 £331.14 £592.iJ) £559.20 £16.83 Zurich Insurance £16.83 Total Expenditure: £5￿?3.91 Total: £1,236.75