About us
History of the Friends of Wickford Memorial Park
By Kim Oakes (Chair)
July 2019
I visited the Park and saw that the Home Front Garden was overgrown and neglected and thought something should be done. I met with the park manager, started the process of setting up a ‘Friends’ group. I will add the park has a limited budget and staff, it is not possible for them to keep on top of everything.
October 2019
The first group started work set to tidy up the garden. The garden was covered in brambles, vine weed and thistles!
December 2019
We appeared in the Council’s ‘Together Magazine’.
February 2020
I met with the council and formed a partnership: ‘Friends of the Wickford Memorial Park’. And set up a Facebook Group. Keen gardeners and people interested in the park were asked to join.
March 2020
We planted whips in the Silver Jubilee Wood, donated by the Woodland Trust.
March 2020
Basildon Council helped with a grant for tools and HiVis, plus a storage container to use.
June 2020
We began regularly working on the garden, and formed a constituted group with a committee.
September 2020
Our volunteers painted the car park railings with paint provided by Basildon Council. A big improvement!
October 2020
Major replanting of the Home Front Garden. It was decided that the existing plants were not worth saving and we would start again.
November 2020
We planted 4,700 English bluebells, and our volunteers also replanted the Home Front Garden. A busy month!