Friends of Lostock Park – Annual Report

We’re always happy to give the tremendous work of this local (non-political) group circulation through our web pages.

Chair’s Report March 2012

The Friends of Lostock Park group has had another successful year.

We have continued to develop good relationships with young people around the skate bowl. The skate bowl has continued to be popular and is used constantly throughout both summer and winter. The extension funded through the Playbuilders fund is complete and has made the bowl even more popular. It is now more accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The young people who use the bowl regularly help to keep it clean and tidy.

Bailey a regular user of the bowl won the award in the recent Trafford Partnership Awards for the under 25’s category. He was given the award for his voluntary work in cleaning the bowl and inspiring others to do the same.

Congratulations to Bailey.

Once again a big thank you must go to Darren & Sam for all their hard work and support. In June 11 the parks group were awarded £1000 from the North Trafford Sports Fund. This money was funded to set up set skating/biking sessions for the under 12 years. This group soon got going through positive feedback from others and Daz and Sam have been able to give plenty of younger people opportunities to develop their skills and confidence.
The more established group of older teenagers organise themselves and it is great to watch them as they share skills, take turns and generally enjoy themselves.

Trafford Housing Trust West area community panel kindly awarded funding in 2011 towards improving the inside of the bowling hut and renovate the toilet, as well as providing 2 more benches around the park. People have told us that the benches are appreciated as they provide good resting points for those who can’t walk far in one go or simply “somewhere to watch the world go by”.

The work to the bowling hut has been complemented by work from the Community Payback Team. They painted inside the bowling hut, painted all the exterior railings with anti-climb paint, tidied the garden area and did several litter picks around the full park. They also cut back bushes around the park.
Two local Friends of Lostock Park group volunteers George Duckett and John Barnes fitted the new kitchen units into the bowling hut and a big thank you goes to them both for their work.The bowling hut is now a great place to hold meetings and events in.

Following the skate bowl extension we discussed whether there was a need for 2 more sculptures. The result was a bench designed by the wood carver with the young people at the bowl in the shape of a skate board which many of their families use to sit and watch the children.

The park is looking good in the early spring with bulbs and flowers beginning to show.

Some young people have expressed an interest in learning to bowl on the bowling green and we will try over this summer to organise some learning sessions of mixed ages. 

Plans for the coming year.

The biggest focus for this year as a group must be achieving the building of a play area dedicated to children under 5 years.

We have been awarded £ 20,000 from the Urmston THT west community panel towards this and are in the process of seeking funding through Veolia the waste company.

This is something that would clearly make a huge improvement to the park as a whole.

If there is something that you think will make the park even better please get in touch with us and tell us. With your help we will continue to make Lostock Park a great place to visit and enjoy.

Once again a big thank you must be given to the THT Urmston West community panel for their continued support of the work of the Friends of Lostock Park.

Lostock Park is your park. We need your help to make it a nicer place for everyone to enjoy.

Please encourage people to become a member of the group and help us continue the great work already accomplished.

Maureen Reilly.