Historic Crawley park is the perfect backdrop for song and dance

Just a few weeks after the successful Victorian Picnic, two groups from the town’s Eastern European community - Miestelenai and Randevu - had people on their feet enjoying song and dance in the beautiful surroundings.

Crawley Borough Council’s participation officer for Worth Park, Edwina Livesey said: “It was their idea and it was lovely. It was the atmosphere of a cafe in the Twenties to the Forties.

“They involved the audience, getting them to come and dance with them.

“It was a really happy atmosphere. People having picnics in the park, listening to music - a lovely way to spend the afternoon.”

Last year, marked the end of a multimillion pound project to restore the park, terrace and Pulham fountain to its former Victorian glory.

The work has enabled the park to be used for more community activities.

Edwina said: “It’s now safe and accessible and it looks lovely. If anyone has got any ideas, then they can get in touch. We are open to ideas.

“It’s a lovely community space and this event is an example of that.

“People outside Crawley think it’s a new town full of concrete, but when you get here, you see it’s got these incredible green spaces. All the parks are different.”

Every Wednesday in the summer holidays there are workshops for children in the park’s historic Ridleys Court which is also home to the park’s visitor centre. For more details go to www.crawley.gov.uk/events