Events

Weekly events

Project Saturday: most Saturdays throughout the year.

Litter picking: Mondays 2pm (winter) 4pm (summer):

Gardening: Tuesdays 10am – 12pm

---

Other events in 2024

(dates will be confirmed nearer the time)

---

Previous events

St Albans Fair June 2024

Friends of Yeading Walk members supported the St Albans Fair again this year with a stall selling plants and children’s books. Thank you to all those who helped us to raise over a £100 towards the park fund.

Tree Walk & Talk with Dendrologist John Wells June 2024

A very interesting walk and talk organised by FoYW was recently held in the park led by dendrologist John Wells. John helped us identify and learn more about many of the trees growing there. If you would like to read more about these beautiful trees then please visit our home page / trees.

Less Plastic – Fantastic! March 2024

Young eco warriors joined us in the park to shout out about plastic pollution in our rivers and seas by drawing pictures and messages with coloured chalks on the parks paths. There was also an opportunity to learn what people can do to make a difference to reduce single use plastic packaging. Thank you to all those who attended to help make this a fun and informative afternoon despite the rather cool weather!

Corporate Volunteering Day October 2023

Sensible folk keep warm indoors during chilly autumn days, but enthusiastic Friends and corporate volunteers were on their knees in the rain, planting spring bulbs and plugs of native wildflowers to brighten the park in springtime. A swathe of daffodils ‘Narcissus February Gold’ and ‘Toto’ and snowdrops (Galanthus Nivalis) will brighten the Lincoln Road entrance, with crocuses, muscari and blue and white anemones in a new bed at the park entrance, including a few rose bushes salvaged from the Rayners Lane entrance. Along the Nature Walk, snowdrop bulbs, muscari, fritillaries, bluebells and primroses were planted along the Nature Walk, tracing the river. These bulbs and young plants will take a couple of years to become established, but will increasingly provide early spring nectar, fragrance and colour.

The Friends are very appreciative of ‘Green Grid’ funding from Harrow’s Principal Architect in support of our planting programme and to the stalwart corporate volunteers from Siemens Financial Services and Connect Plus Services for their enthusiastic help in planting.

Bat Walk September 2023

Harrow Nature Conservation and Simon Braidman hosted a very popular Bat Walk in Yeading Walk this month. Simon came fully equipped with his bat detector to identify the species of bats which are known to use the waterbody in the park. The bats were a little shy at first but eventually some were detected which may have been Common and Soprano Pipistrelles and Noctule species. And just to add to the excitement a badger was seen crossing the path which was a most welcome sight.

Clean the Stream: November 2022

The second ‘Clean-the-Stream’ event was strongly supported by the Scouts, their leaders and parents, as well as Friends’ volunteers. An assortment of junk and debris was removed from the stream resulting in a noticeably cleaner river, supporting insect life and food for birds. The white egret is now a regular visitor and some have seen the kingfisher skimming down the river. Yeading Brook is a Thames tributary and improvements upstream benefit the whole waterway. The Scouts did a magnificent job, starting at Northumberland Road bridge and working down to the stone bridge near Rayners Lane. Sixteen scouts, three leaders and 3 mums ended up muddy, wet and with boots full of water but with a job well done. ‘Thank You!’ to 4th Headstone Scouts.

Young Persons Art Competition Messages for COP26: November 2021

A very popular ‘All Ages’ art competition was held in November for our young people to voice their messages about Climate Change in advance of the United Nations Climate Change Meeting in Glasgow.  All young people were invited to illustrate their messages about Climate Change and Our Planet on the park walkways in chalk, with drawings photographed and displayed on social media.  There were many varied messages including, ‘Plant more Trees!’, ‘Stop Deforestation’, ‘Cut our Carbon’, ‘Stop Pollution’, ‘Save the Ocean’ and ‘Save the Planet’. Well done to all those who took part.

RSPB Birdwalk: October 2021

 A very interesting complimentary bird walk led by Pinner RSPB was held in October. There was a gentle stroll through the park to identify birds and their calls. A number of birds were spotted including a green woodpecker. The Friends are erecting a number of bird nesting boxes following the first successful brood of hatchlings in a box positioned in the orchard.

Adopt a Tree: September 2021

Nearly 30 young native saplings were ‘adopted’ by families and park visitors at the Big Green Week event. These included Silver Birch, Hazels, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Dog Rose and an Oak tree. The trees were nurtured at home for a year and returned to the park for planting on the far side of the stream and sports field in the following autumn. While the youngsters were potting up their trees, parents put in some heavy work mulching the Orchard trees with leaf mould made from leaves swept up the previous autumn and then topped up by wood chips to feed the trees, retain moisture and suppress the weeds.

‘Bugs in the Stream’ Wild Life Event by Harrow Nature Heroes: August 2021

Harrow Nature Heroes visited Yeading Walk for the Stream life event in August 2021. The children participating in the event had lots of fun interacting with the water and learning all about aquatic life. Samples were collected from the stream and put in buckets and trays for identification. Many gammarus shrimp were found and a few tubifex, flatworm and a water louse. We also learned about how we can help to improve the environment to help the animals in the stream. A great time was had by all.

Halloween

Take care where you walk in the park on Halloween, there may be witches afoot!  The first Halloween celebration saw the Friends’ witches turn out in force armed with broomsticks and sweets. The old tree stump was crowned with an elaborately carved pumpkin which promptly fell off and had to be stuck together with a paste of flour and water.  The witches managed to scare (and treat) a few tiny tots and parents before it poured with rain, so the witches ate the sweets and went home for hot tea.  But WATCH OUT next Halloween if you dare to enter Yeading Walk, it will get better, and much scarier……..