Raphael Park Family Fun Day - 12:00 - 17:00 on Sunday, 12th July

We are again hosting our ‘Raphael Park Family Fun Day’.

We have lots of activities and exhibits planned as well as live music.

Further information to follow.

Volunteers Needed

We are doing our best to keep up with all issues raised in our parks, but desperately need some volunteers to lighten the load. If we can spread the tasks among a larger number of volunteers our impact would be greater. If you are able to give up a few hours here and there we would really appreciate the help. Please either contact us through the website or email Julia on juliapreou@aol.com. We thank you in anticipation.

Leaflet Delivery
We are looking for delivery to of leaflets to the South side of Gidea Park (LFP) and North of Gidea Park (RP)
Family Fun Day 2009
List of tasks available upon request.

Litter Collection

Further to points raised at our Annual General Meeting on the 1st April 2009, we would like to confirm that Havering Park Services will be increasing litter collections throughout the summer months.

Hopefully in the not too distant future we will see more lidded bins fitted in the parks to prevent small animals and birds removing litter from them.

We respectfully remind all park users to ensure they use bins provided, that doesn't include the birds and squirrels!

Our many thanks for your cooperation.

Offical Friends Group Status

Saturday 14th March 2009. We are delighted to announce that Friends of Raphael and Lodge Farm Park have achieved Official Friends Group Status from the London Borough of Havering.

The objective of the official status is to ensure Parks Services work more closely with Official Friends Groups. The status will be reviewed annually by Havering, and set criteria has to be met by us to attain our status. In return Havering will provide parks free of charge for official friends events, attend our meetings, provide assistance packages and annually agree at least one project.

Its official, together we can improve the standards of our parks.

Lake Clearing & Improvements - Flag Iris Planting

Flag Iris Baskets. You may have been wondering what has been planted in the Lake and by whom, well after many weeks of planning;

On 4th November 2008. Five Friends Volunteers gave up their Tuesday morning to help clear rubbish from the lake, silt trap, surrounding banks, and plant the Flag Iris's kindly donated Tracey & Ron Hayes.

The timing was perfect as the lake was extremely low due the lake edging works taking place, this was an ideal opportunity not to be missed.

We met with Graham Nicholson and Gary Storey of Haverings Grounds Maintenance Team, who had no qualms about jumping into the lake with Friends volunteer Brian Lee, Brian and the boys waded out into the lake and pulled out bikes, railings, cones and other general debris, infact almost filling the truck to the brim. Graham and Gary then went onto help for the rest of the day.

Len, Don and Brian prepared the inlet, ready for the baskets, which over time been naturally created by gradual bank erosion, Brian was the star jumping into the lake when needed. The baskets which were supplied by Nigel Oxley of Havering Culture and delivered by Geoff Pepper of Parks Services. Our many thanks for these.

Meanwhile, Tracey and Julia where at this time knee deep in another lake in Gidea Park collecting the Iris's, the GM Team were kind enough to collect the plants and deliver them to the Park ready for us to place them in the baskets. We loaded the baskets with rubble to prevent them from floating away once the lakes normal water level was achieved, we then carefully arranged the Iris's and covered with silt and other heavy organic matter to help see them through winter.

The day was a great success. We all worked as one great team, our most sincere thanks to the Volunteers, the Grounds Maintenance Team and Parks Services and of course those Kind Donations.

Monday 30th March 2009. Spring is here and we are delighted to see the Iris's have bedded-in well, and shoots are emerging from the lake, we should see beautiful yellow flowers this summer. We sincerely hope you enjoy them.

In the coming years once the Iris bed establishes itself, it will hopefully prevent further bank erosion and will provide a natural fish spawning ground and vital cover for the tiny fish once they hatch. It will also in time, provide a natural nesting place for the lakes Moore Hens and Coots.

Work on lake edging has begun

Updated: 08/10/08 - We have been advised that the newest part of the lake edge and an extra 50 meters are to be removed and replaced. The works will take the best part of the Autumn and Havering have apologised for any inconvenience caused. We have asked that the rubbish be removed from the Lake whilst the water level is low, Grounds Maintenance have removed most of the large items dumped in the lake, however we are looking for Volunteers to help us clear the area near the silt trap which is chocked with debris, please text Julia on 07799 116110 or log onto our website and email me http://www.forlfp.org.uk/. We look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Work has now started on the refurbishment of the lake edging at Raphael Park. We will keep you posted with developments.

Nick Butterworth's - Percy's Park - Raphaels Park 1988

From The Friends Of Raphael & Lodge Farm Parks

As you may be aware, world famous author Nick Butterworth was inspired to write his wonderful series of books entitled ' Percy's Park' after one morning peeking into the park keepers hut in Raphael Park back in 1988! Later Nick's wife Annette was also inspired to write her wonderful series of stories 'Jake in Trouble' from many dog walks taken in Raphael's Park. All the fabulous illustrations for these books were created by Nick.

How very lucky we are, our many thanks to Nick and Annette for all their help and encouragement with our Fun Day.

We have recently been discussing with Nick & Annette plans to sell personally signed Percy's Park & Jake in Trouble books from our website, this exciting new facility will raise valuable funding for our Friends Group which will enable us to host more exciting family fun days and concerts from our bandstand.