Park developments and improvements are solely dependant on external funding, donations, and members' fund raising activities, and will be in accordance with our constitution, policies statements and master plan.
We work in partnership with Rotherham Borough Council, and in consultation with our local community groups and organisations. We strive to benefit the whole community, the environment, by making their park a place to be proud of. No charges can be levied on the use of the park for events, entertainment or community car parking.
Friends of Bradgate park management committee is made up of chair/coordinator, vice chair, treasurer, minutes secretary, funding officer, membership officer, health and safety steward, carnival stewards and four junior members, plus fifteen committee members. All are voluntary and give their time freely. The group is not attached to any professionals or outreach workers.
Bradgate Park is situated in Kimberworth, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S61 1QJ and is one of ten parks controlled by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Bradgate Park opened in 1938 and was well used and maintained. Its 13 acres include three bowling greens, two tennis courts, a children’s play area, a hard multi-play court, formal gardens, flower beds, ornamental trees shrubs and plants, a rockery, park buildings and safe open green spaces. Through re-organisation, cuts in departmental budgets and the introduction of contract working, the area be came very run down and neglected and at times a no-go area, becoming badly vandalised. In January 2001 a small group of residents became very concerned, and a steering group was formed.
The steering group lobbied local residents, council officers, and councillors. October 2001 a general meeting was held and ‘Friends of Bradgate Park’ was formed, the management committee was elected, a constitution voted on and accepted. Consultations were held in the area at open events, meetings, and all local schools and organisation, were asked to become involved and as a result, a master plan for action was drawn up.
Friends of Bradgate Park's objectives and ambitions are to work with the community to make their park a safer, friendlier, healthier, cleaner and greener, more welcoming place - a place that local people can be proud of. We aim to create a fun place for the whole family to enjoy with other families and so help encourage social harmony.
The group works closely with the following agencies to encourage partnership working between professional organisations and the voluntary sector. (Note: # indicates that Friends of Bradgate Park committee members hold seats on the management committee).
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, the owner of the Bradgate park. R.M.B.C. green space unit (the controlling unit) meetings are held on a regular basis, the council and green space officials, management and councillors attend our meetings in an advisory role. R.M.B.C.. area assembly, who work very closely with the group( # ), Crime Reduction Unit, Crime in the Communities Committee ( # ), R.M.B.C. Events and Activities Group, West Central Partnership ( #), environmental organisations, ( # ) neighbourhood watch management committee (#), Community Foundation Funding Panel ( #), Voluntary Action Rotherham, community and business partnerships, South York Offenders Partnership, Skills Network ( # ), Environmental and Conservation Committee ( # ), Education Committee ( #), Sure Start management committee ( # ), environmental wardens, Sport and Activities Sub-group ( # ), Community Action groups (#), community police officer, Funding Committees panels ( #).
The group has developed safe green play areas, all weather dry play area, safe surface and children’s amusement park, secure bowling green area, traffic control safety fencing, gates and motor cycles barriers, and a resource centre. We have installed park security and flood lights, cctv monitored infra red pan and tilt cameras, park benches, litter and dog bins.
The group aims to improve and make the environment healthier. We encourage the council the and other professional bodies, as well as the local community to adopt environmental friendly policies and practices and to work with and help other organisations to achieve a better environment in which to live, work and play.
We lobby on behalf of the community to reduce harmful atmospheric emissions. We aim to help improve the natural habitat of the area to encourage wildlife, increase green space areas and help reduce damage caused by vandals. We aim to encourage the community to recycle their waste, encourage management to adopt environment-friendly, safe working practices.
We want to encourage the community to take advantage of education and training and to increase our group's knowledge and expertise. We aim to offer courses in First Aid, Computers, People Skills, and Environmental Issues and hope to obtain the necessary funding to achieve this. We will develop working relationships with the Council and other organisations to encourage the voluntary sector groups.
We provide by information about our group and its activities in various ways: - communication by word of mouth, at meetings, by news letters and leaflets, etc. We hold consultations in schools, at meetings and at functions in the park. We advertise our activities in the library, at our resource centre and also in the press. By these means, we hope to keep the public up to date on any developments, proposed improvements, and services that may interest them. The group also canvas the opinions of park users, and gather information valuable to the community and our projects in the area. We also liaise with and lobby other organisations, to everyone’s benefit.
We aim to encourage the community to make full use the park facilities. We organise safe activities, entertainment, and events suitable for all age groups. We also encourage and help other groups in the community to stage theirs own events.
We aim to organise training in sport and leisure activities, and to arrange displays, demonstrations, and consultation events. We are at the moment applying for funding of £12,000 to allow us to stage our annual carnival 2005 (the fourth one). If successful, the Friends carnival day will help bring the community together and will enable all ages and backgrounds to enjoy a good fun day, thus encouraging social inclusion. It will also help to foster a sense of community and encourage involvement in community affairs.
The Friends group aim to raise funds to carry out alterations and make improvements to the park and the area around it. We hope to obtain new ideas to encourage the involvement of more members of the local community. We work with other organisations to improve the area and help to give local people a voice in local affairs and help them achieve their ideas for their park
The friends group volunteers secure the park, by locking and unlocking the park gates and security fenced areas morning and night all year round, and monitor the cctv cameras in the park office. Volunteers also lock up the play areas at dusk and open early in the morning to stop vandal damage. Although the main gates to the car park are locked at dusk, the park is accessible at all times on foot.
The office is open on a daily basis so that community members can report any problems. Reports are made to the appropriate organisations about damage or nuisance caused by vandals, etc. in the area. Group volunteers deal with any day to day problems and help anyone to the best of their ability.
Volunteer committee members patrol frequently and give advice and information to the park users. They are in communication by two way radio, so are able to respond to problems quickly.
The committee has managed some successful bids, and have been able to start improvements to the park. Some joint funding bids have also also made with the local authority. This is a good start to implementing the master plan. Thanks go to various funders for their help
£ 37,000 alteration to main entrance (joint bid with R.M.B.C.) Vehicle gates and four entrances fitted with motor cycle barriers, new flower beds and trees, welcoming entrance and notice boards, a block-paved area.
£5,305 ornate wrought iron fencing and gate to secure the area on the left side of the main entrance off Bradgate Lane, in order to protect an area of environmental beauty from dog fowling and mis-use. To put the final touches to the newly planted main entrance and finish off the fencing along the back of the park boundary wall.
£2,205 Ornate wrought iron fencing on the Bradgate Lane boundary on the right hand side of the existing park gates on a stone wall, with the higher panel to the rear of house.
£10,000 Alterations to lighting, making it environmentally friendly. New upright stanchions, new light units throughout the park and flood lights on play area.
£39,000 Cctv cameras and monitoring system. Two pan-and-tilt infra red night vision cameras and a state of art recording system and monitoring station with disk and tape replaying system.
£40,000Safety fencing (joint bid with R.M.B.C.). Wooden hurdle fencing around open grass, for safety play area. Metal safety fencing around stage one and two of new children’s play areas. Metal safety fencing around three bowling greens.
£75,000 children’s up-to-twelve play area stage one and two development. Multi-coloured safety surface, new up-to-date coloured safety children’s play equipment, seating, litter bins, separation fencing between area one (toddlers) and two (juniors) and safety notice boards.
£30,000 Community resource centre and friends office. Open to volunteers, members, and the local community 4 hours each day. The following facilities are available for public use - photo coppier, fax/telephone, computers, printer, scanner and associated software. First Aid, refreshments and information leaflets are available. If anyone just wants a natter, they are always welcome to pop in!
£900 two-way radio communications system. Two-way radios, for communication between committee members and volunteers, enabling them to contact each other whilst on patrol in the park. These are also used for safety reasons, and to help control and organise park events. The radios proved invaluable during our gala, when 10,000 people gathered in the park to enjoy a happy fun day.
We have had successfully raised funds for our gala:
2002 £2,000 awarded for first gala
2003 £7,000 awarded for second gala
2004 £10,000 awarded for third gala
Last year's gala was the most successful, when an estimated 10,000 people from
all backgrounds enjoyed the day, with free admission, entertainment, and parking.
There were around fifty charity stands, plus trade and information stands, and we also had a very good funfair with something for all ages to have a go on. Licenced catering units, and local services were all on site. A day for building social harmony and having fun!
£1,000 Rotherham walking week events and activities The group organise each year and lead one of the popular Rotherham walks around the borough's parks, ancient sites and buildings, and old industrial sites. We provide free printed information and route maps. Over 175 attended this year's walk, which is popular yearly event.
Several children’s events where held to officially open the new play areas: face painting, punch and judy, balloons modelling, magic and circus skills workshops, children play bus and organised games. Funders/friends open day fun and games and gifts and free refreshments where available. This was attended by councillors and other officials.
£150 Consultation and open events The group organised community consultation days and evening events where plans of the intended improvements and developments of the master-plan were on display for locals to express their views on. Questionnaires were filled in by the community, schools and group members. An open public monthly meeting is held and minuted. Consultation is also a part of our gala days.
£500 Administration / running costs. Funding has been obtained to finance the day to day cost of the group and resource centre, for things such as stationary, telephone calls, catering, repairs and wear and tear to inside of buildings, servicing repairs, and renewing and updating equipment, etc.
£10,000 Specialised stock and equipment held by group Funding received to purchase goods and equipment e.g. stacking chairs, tables, tents, gazeboes, ropes, fencing, stakes, pegs information, notice boards, stewards safety waistcoats banners, ladders, steps, safety clothing, hand tools, flags poles bunting catering utensils.
£10,000 Park pavilion. The group took over part of the park pavilion and created a Community Resource Centre and office. Alterations included re-plastering decorating, internal building, rewiring, and new light fittings, a burglar alarm system was connected to the telephone system and the cctv cameras units, safety shuttering, metal sheeted security doors fitted, office furniture and storage units, and kitchen facilities, new floors and carpeting.
£30,000 New sensory garden. Request for funding has gone to round one (the government green space funding panel ) to create a sensory garden, with access and suitable seating for disabled persons and wheel-chair users, statues, plants and shrubs with scent and tactile foliage, which people with partial sight can enjoy.
£15,000 Boundary fencing. Funding received for metal security boundaries fencing round an area of the park to secure the premises from derelict waste land.
£350 community/ resource centre
£550 Design study
£600. To build a model of above
To remove all out- dated, high cost maintenance, park buildings and create a new
multi- purpose high profile centre, to house a resource centre, park and group office space, cafe, and pick nick area, indoor and out door seating area. Modern baby changing unit, public and disabled wash rooms and toilets,
multi - function rooms, and a children’s play area
An architects has visited and advice has been received and funding for a feasibility study is required
£12,000.
Funding forms as been dispatched to stage the group's annual carnival the biggest free admission and parking one day event in south Yorkshire. Events will include free entertainment for all the communities a large amusements area, charity stalls, steam engines and showman’s organs information and trade stands, Licensed catering units, public service units first aid and police, service public address systems
Third stage of children’s play ground development, age group twelve to fourteen years of age, to provide suitable play ground equipment, and to keep older children of the younger area Consultation with this age group and parents has been recorded, and well supported. Officers from Wren funders have visited the area and now we awaiting completion for the amount of £25,000, and £25,000 has been applied for from Hanson's environmental fund.
Below - these are projects still to be discussed further, in consultation with the local community, before quotes and possible funders are sought.
Boundary area to become a nature conservation area. An area of land set aside for conservation and nature reserve, to preserve wild life and plants giving a friendly habitat to educate the communities to preserve and help the environment and wild life, to plant trees, shrubs, and hedges and encourage a natural habitat for future generations.
£125,000 for roads and footpaths The road/paths will need to be improved. Surface the roads, with side edging stones and re surface with tarmac. We are looking at having a foot path around the perimeter of the park, so that walkers and joggers can use the area all year round.
Sensory garden £12,460. Ornate fencing (wrought iron ) To protect the sensory garden against vandals and make it independent from the rest of the area.
£24,000 third stage - installation of safety lighting
£4,995. (a). Provision of lighting park entrance Kimberworth road
£3,500.(b) additional lighting to footpath from Bradgate Lane
£4,780. (c) provision of lighting around pavilion
£2,290. (d) additional lighting on the footpath from Wortley Road
£9,000 (e) installation of floodlighting in the multi-use games area
£350 (f) to upgrade existing lights @ £25. Per unit
To erect columns and lighting heads, in certain areas of the park for the safety of the residents. Make a safer friendly atmosphere
Flood lights around sports areas to get maximum use all year round to benefit the heath of the community.
£10,000 second stage installation of cctv cameras.
£4,470. Playground area stage one/two
£1,900. Playground area stage three.
£1,900. Sensory garden
Funding is being sought to install static monitored cctv cameras with infra red to be linked to our existing system which will improve the safety of both the children and the new equipment in the park. Static cameras to be fixed on stage one and two of the children’s play area and static cameras to be placed on stage three of the children’s play area. Cameras to be affixed to cover the sensory garden, to protect the area from vandalism and to make it user-friendly. We intend to use the argental trucking to connect to the park's monitoring system in our centre.
The placing of cctv cameras thoughout the park to deter damage from vandalism and to make a safer, friendly place to enjoy.
Alterations and improvements all to be carried out in partnership with, and in consultation with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and the community, according to the master plan, and subject to the availability of funds, and taking into account the environment and equal rights/opportunities.