Northgate Matters '“ and so does the Worth Park restoration

A local resident had got in touch with Northgate Matters to say that he was unable to drive his motorised scooter down the footpath anymore as it was so overgrown.

Northgate Matters then contacted Let’s FACE it! and together we organised the project.

A big thank you has to go to Will and Dave from the council for their help.

On Let’s FACE it! projects volunteers are not permitted to use power tools.

But, as skilled and trained staff, Will and Dave were able to use a petrol driven hedge trimmer to make very light work of the overgrown shrubs along the footpath, while the volunteers were using loppers, secateurs and spades in another section of the path along Green Lane.

After a well-earned tea break, the group set to work to collect up all the green waste created and remove brambles.

There was also a large amount of litter that had been hiding in the shrubbery but was revealed by cutting back the shrubs.

By the time the residents had finished the footpath was about two feet wider, they had rediscovered the edge of the path and the whole area looked so much better.

Across the other side of town some 60 people came to Worth Park in Pound Hill for a “Winter Wonder” event. Families learnt more about historic Worth Park and Victorian traditions.

They then enjoyed a guided walk, taking in some of the newly restored areas such the balustrades and urns of the Italian Terrace.

Children and adults alike collected all sorts of twigs and greenery which were then used to make festive decorations once back in the warmth of Milton Mount Community Centre.

The 17-strong Silver Birch Choir got everyone into the seasonal spirit with some traditional Christmas carols while the hot drinks, mince pies and gingerbread men went down a treat.

Crawley Borough Council, with £2.42m funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, is one year into the five-year restoration project to restore Worth Park to its former Victorian glory. The whole feeling of the park is changing with the restoration and you can now almost imagine what the park was like in its heyday with elegant walkways, terraces and stonework.

Once the plants and flowerbeds are installed it should look amazing!

Worth Park Winter Wonder, organised by Edwina Livesey (the council’s Project Participation officer), is just one of a wider scheme of events planned during the restoration to get the community involved in what the park has to offer. To find out more about the restoration or what events are planned please visit the dedicated Worth Park pages on the council’s website at www.crawley.gov.uk/worthpark or you can follow the project on twitter at twitter.com/worth_park