Friends of Stanley Park

Friends of Stanley Park and Salisbury Woodland, Blackpool

News Archive 2022

Awarded to the Friends of Stanley Park June 2022:

The Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2022 - The Friends of Stanley Park

Link to News Archive: 2021

2022

 

December

Christmas Choir Concert 1pm 18th December 2022

 

Blackpool and Fylde Light Opera Company led the singing of Christmas Carols and Songs on Stanley Park Art Deco Cafe Terrace on Sunday 18th December 2022. Proceeds from donations went to the Blue Skies Hospital Fund and Sam's Superheroes.

Although the weather wasn't kind there was a good turn out and it was an enjoyable time.

 

Blackpool and Fylde Light Opera Company:

Christmas Carols on Stanley Park Blackpool.  Blackpool Light Operetic  collecting for Blue Sky Fund and Sam's Superheroes

Singing in the Rain

Christmas Carols on Stanley Park Blackpool.  Blackpool Light Operetic  collecting for Blue Sky Fund and Sam's Superheroes

Inside the Visitor Centre for Sam's Superheroes:

Christmas Carols on Stanley Park Blackpool.  Blackpool Light Operetic  collecting for Blue Sky Fund and Sam's Superheroes

 

 

Christmas Fair 3rd and 4th December 2022

Santa is coming to Stanley Park Visitor Centre on Saturday and Sunday 3rd and 4th December 2022. Both days 10.30am to 2.30pm. Come to our fair and have your photo taken with Santa. Plenty of family fun with games, raffle, tombola, stalls, cakes, tea and coffee.

Proceeds go to supporting the park.

 

Update after the Christmas Fair

The Christmas Fair was a great success raising £2443 over the 2 days which is amazing given the value for money prices we charge.

Thanks to everyone who came and helped us and the park.

Thanks also to all our volunteers for their Trojan efforts in donating and selling so many items. It was a great team effort which gave us a fantastic and successful weekend. Thank you for whatever you did to help. It is testament  to why and how we achieved our award for voluntary service from the Queen.

Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool Christmas Fair 3rd and 4th December 2022,

November

The Planting of the Queen's Tree 24th November 2022

Blackpool's Stanley Park now proudly features a tree which formed part of a sculpture celebrating the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

The field maple, one of the trees from the sculpture, has been planted today by Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire, John Barnett, and Blackpool Council's portfolio holder for climate change and environment, Jane Hugo.

It was one of 350 British trees featured on the "Tree of Trees", a 70ft metal sculpture which was on display outside Buckingham Palace in June and which highlighted the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative encouraging people to plant trees to commemorate her reign.

As it matures the tree, which is the UK's only native species of maple, will become a stunning centrepiece in the remembrance garden and a living memorial to the life of our longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

Stanley Park Blackpool planting of the Queen's Tree 24th November 2022

 


The monthly meeting was on Saturday 19th November 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

Guest Speaker: Keith Myerscough
'Wish you were here! Images of lived lifes - in Blackpool'



Weekly Craft Club on Tuesday, Dog Club on Wednesday. Gardening Club on Monday and Thursday. Monthly Book Club on the 4th Thursday.

The next Book Club meeting is on Thursday 24th November 2022 at 2.30pm

The Friends of Stanley Park hold their book club meeting on the 4th Thursday of each month. The next meeting is on Thursday 27th October 2022 at 2.30pm in the Stanley Park Visitor Centre next to the cafe. New members welcome.

There is just the Christmas Meal in December and no meeting.

 

Dates through to July 2023:

Book Club, Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool. Meetings Nov 22 to July 23.

Avian or Bird Flu Warning for Stanley Park Blackpool

An announcement from Blackpool Council

Due to Avian Influenza bio security measures, the decision has been made to cordon off access to the lake at Stanley Park.

We will continue to monitor the birds on the lake and ensure they are fed.

The park will remain open for everyone to enjoy but please respect the cordon and do not go near the edge of the lake.

It is very important that people DO NOT pick up any sick or dead birds they may come across to avoid spreading the virus, which can affect humans in rare cases. There are currently specific rules in the place across the UK for any bird owners, please familiarise and keep yourself updated by visiting:

Click here for Government Advice on Bird Flu

 

The next Book Club meeting is on Thursday 24th November 2022 at 2.30pm

The Friends of Stanley Park hold their book club meeting on the 4th Thursday of each month.

The next meeting is on Thursday 24th November 2022 at 2.30pm in the Stanley Park Visitor Centre next to the cafe.

Book: 'The 100 year old man by Jonas Jonasson'

New members welcome.

October

The next Book Club meeting is on Thursday 27th October 2022 at 2.30pm

The Friends of Stanley Park hold their book club meeting on the 4th Thursday of each month. The next meeting is on Thursday 27th October 2022 at 2.30pm in the Stanley Park Visitor Centre next to the cafe.

The book is 'Untouched House by Willem Hermans'. New members welcome.

 


The next monthly meeting is on Saturday 15th October 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

Guest Speaker:
Carolyn Hall who is the Head of Heritage Services for Blackpool Council.

Halloween Weekend 29th and 30th October Stanley Park Blackpool

 

Photos from our Halloween Party

Halloween Party Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool October 2022

Halloween Party Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool October 2022

Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble. Come to our Family Halloween Weekend in the Visitor Centre on Saturday and Sunday 29th and 30th October from 10.30 to 2.30pm.

Crafting for Children carving pumpkins to be judged on Sunday morning.

Making witches hats and itchy witchy spiders.

A Halloween Fancy Dress competition for Adults and Children for judging on Sunday at 2pm.

Plus Witches Brews from the cauldron of tea and coffee, Cackles and Cake, games, raffles, bottle bola, tombola, selection of stalls.

Hee, hee, hee. Double, double toil and trouble, Fire burn and caldron bubble.

 

Halloween Dog Party 26th October 2022 Stanley Park Visitor Centre

 

Halloween Dog  Party Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool October 2022

 

Blackpool Council released the following statement which delights us all:

Stanley Park to receive Queen's Tree

 

'We’re delighted that Stanley Park is receiving a special tree from The Queen's Green Canopy

Tree of Trees which stood as a message of hope as part of the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations.

Blackpool's Stanley Park joins over 300 locations across the UK who were recently announced by The Queen's Green Canopy (QGC) as recipients of these special trees in The Queen’s name, which are gifted in a pot embossed with Her Majesty’s cypher.

The tree becomes part of the living legacy in honour of Her Majesty, joining over a million trees already planted across the UK as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy.

'

 

Macmillan Weekend. Coffee mornings and fair on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd October from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

Macmillan the Cancer Support Charity. Proceeds of our event in the Visitor Centre will go to Macmillan. Tea, coffee, cakes, raffle, tombola, stalls, games and friendly chat. Please help us help this great cause.

 

September

 

 

Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

 

In memory of Queen Elizabeth II
Photograph inside Stanley Park Visitor Centre

Craft Club Stanley Park Visitor Centre Blackpool

Photo 27th September 2022

Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool  Craft Club  September 2022

 

Bandstand Shows in September, the last of 2022

Sunday 18th Sept, Mr Mel's Big Chill on the Bandstand
12noon to 5pm

THE FAB LINEUP FOR THIS ONE(acts and times approx)
12pm - JOANNE DONNELLY

12.30pm - MICKEY VAN GELDER
1pm - STEVIEBOY MATHEWS
1.30pm - OLD ROPE
2.25pm - WATER DIAMONDS
3.20pm - THE GHETTO DEFENDANTS
4.15 pm - GRAEME THE KING OF BISPHAM
Hosted by MR MEL
Sound by JAMES GELSON

 

The next monthly meeting is on Saturday 17th September 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

Guest Speakers:
Senior Officer from the Northwest Ambulance Service and
Paul Hodgson, Blackpool’s Parks Manager

 

 

Stanley Park Photographic Exhibition by the New Langdale Centre

The lovely people from the New Langdale Centre make a weekly contribution to Stanley Park, Blackpool.

Their Green Team works on environmental projects in the Woodland Gardens, while the Wildlife Photography Group is out and about taking pictures of the natural gems in our park.

The Wellbeing Group walk, collect litter, and make many friends (both with two and four legs!) while they do their weekly circuit.

Today, we've been putting up an exhibition in Stanley Park Visitor Centre which showcases the work of their talented photographers, plus pictures I have taken of each group out and about.

There are also pictures taken around Blackpool by the Thursday Photography Group.

The exhibition is open from tomorrow and will run for a month (Tuesday-Sunday inc). Please pop in and have a look.

Pictured are: Toni Moden (progression worker) with Samantha Bragg, Robert Serventi and Ila Thornley.

by Elizabeth Gomm

Photographic Exhibition at Stanley Park Visitor Centre Blackpool

Sunday 11th September, Higher Ground, Wills B Denis, Next of Kin

Sunday 4th Sept, New World Dawn, The Cooper Collective

August

Hot News! 29th August 2022

Best Park in England 2022
Stanley Park Blackpool, Fields in Trust

 

“I am gobsmacked for us to have been awarded the Fields in Trust Best Park in England for the third time and to have been granted National Treasure Status. It is so heartening that our Park is perceived  by  our visitors in such high regard and is great news following the pandemic and the noticeable increase in footfall to our park.

Stanley Park is a national treasure.!!!! This award is testimony to the work our local council and volunteers do  in making it such an attractive and interesting  Park to visit. We would like to thank all our visitors for their continuing support in voting and  showing their appreciation of our magnificent  park. We are very honoured to achieve this status”

Nigel Patterson

Chairman Friends of Stanley Park and Salisbury Woodland

Best Park in England 2022  Stanley Park Blackpool, Fields in Trust

 

Monday 29th August 2022 on the bandstand
Live Music 1 to 4.30.

Soul on the Park with DJs
Terry Shaw
Jimmy Scriv
Rod Allsworth
Jim Rabjohn

 

Sunday 28th August on Stanley Park Bandstand.

Joe Marcel's tribute to Elvis Presley featuring the Sweet Aspirations soul and motown floorfillers.

Makapaka party band. 1pm to 4pm.

Plus the Stanley Park Classic Car Show in the Italian Gardens from 10.30 to 4.30.

Yarn Bombers at the Friends of Stanley Park Craft Club

The knitted afternoon tea outside Park's Art Deco Cafe on Stanley Park, August 2022.

Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool Yarn Bomb Afternoon Tea 2022

 

Sunday 21st August 2022 on the bandstand
Live Music 1 to 4.30pm.

Graeme the King of Bispham

The Cracked

Doin' Sublime

 

Queens Award for Voluntary Service Celebration at Stanley Park Blackpool

20th August 2022 Stanley Park Visitor Centre Blackpool

The Friends of Stanley Park held a celebratory dinner for their achievement in being chosen for The Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2022. Some 80 members and guests attended and the Mayor of Blackpool, Councillor Kathryn Benson unveiled the award display in the Stanley Park Visitor Centre on 20th August 2022.

Unveiling the Queens Award for Vouluntary Service 2022 at Stanley Park Blackpool

The Queens Award for Vouluntary Service 2022 at Stanley Park Blackpool

The Queens Award for Vouluntary Service 2022 celebratory dinner  at Stanley Park Blackpool

 

Sunday 14th August 2022 on the bandstand
Live Music 1 to 4.30pm.

Heavy Energy

Wyre Levee Stompers

Steve Mathews

 

Sunday 7th August 2022 on the bandstand
Live Music 12.30 to 4.30.

Ska Face
Beat Bros

Summer in Stanley Park Photographic Exhibition

Coinciding with the Love Parks Week is the start of our new photography exhibition "Summer in Stanley Park" at Stanley Park Visitor Centre.

Almost 80 photographs featuring all aspects of parklife which will be on show until the end of August on Tuesday-Sunday.

Huge thanks to all the photographers who have entered pictures - we're looking forward now to their entries for "Autumn in Stanley Park" which will take place in October.

Photographic Exhibition Stanley Park Visitor Centre Blackpool, Summer in the Park

 

flowers are in full bloom

Please note the folowing covers all parks in Blackpool and is from the Parks Services Department, Blackpool Council.

Blackpool Council Photographic Competition

To celebrate summer and Love Your Parks Week, Blackpool Council Parks Services are holding a competition to find the perfect photo for their website!

Bring your camera (or phone camera) to one of our parks and get creative; once you have that ‘perfect shot’ simply email it to parks@blackpool.co.uk  

 

Term and Conditions 

The competition will close at 12 midday on 6th August
Photos must be from one of our parks and taken during Love Your Parks Week (1st August -5th August 2022)
In the interest of fairness, photos will be judged ‘blind’
Winners will be notified via email by September 1st 2022
The selected photos will be included on the Parks website after it’s redevelopment and in future parks promotions.
Only one entry is permitted per person.
The winner cannot exchange the prize for cash or any other prize.

 

Love Parks Week 2022

1st - 5th August 2022, Stanley Park Blackpool.

A full list of Family Events. Many of these are now fully booked but please take a look on the booking site.

Love Parks Week Stanley Park Blackpool 2022

July

 

Sunday 31st July 2022 on the bandstand
Live Free Music cancelled due to illness.

 

 

Sunday 24th July 2022 on the bandstand
Live Free Music

1pm to 4.30pm

The Parka Monkeys
The Immediates
Nathan Parker
Sheila's Gym
The Ebeneze

 


Saturday 23rd July 2022 on the bandstand
Summer Music in the Park
Poole and Parkstone Grammar Musicians 3pm
Upbeat Music from Stage and Screen
from these young musicians from Dorset

Sunday 17th July 2022 on the bandstand
Live Free Music

1pm to 4.30pm

The Heat
Sofa Kings

Saturday 16th July 2022 on the bandstand
Live Free Dance Music

12noon to 2pm - The Dance Place, Blackpool Palatine (Rotakids) perform their world championship routine. All welcome.

2pm to 5pm NO DSKO non-stop disco party. Presenting DJs including Audio******, Clossix and Lee Walls with great Disco Edits that have taken the club scene by storm in recent years.

The Queens Award for Voluntary Service is presented at County Hall, Preston

The Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool receive the Queens Award for Voluntary Service 8th July 2022

Vice Lord Lieutenant Mrs Christine Kirk D L presents the Queens Award for Voluntary Service to Nigel Patterson, Chair of The Friends of Stanley Park, at the award ceremony at Lancashire County Hall, Preston on the 8th July. Also present from the Friends of Stanley Park are: Gill Howard, Elaine Smith, ?, Carole Thaw.

 

Sunday 10th July 2022 on the bandstand
Live Free Music

1pm to 4.30pm

The Deadbeats, Shaun Preston with Piano

****************

 

 

Sunday 3rd July 2022

1pm to 4.30pm

The Blackaways, Venezuela Venezuela, Beat Bros.

Motorcycle Show in the Italian Gardens.

Summer in Stanley Park Photographs Wanted

Friends of Stanley Park are now inviting amateur photographers to submit their pictures of summer in Stanley Park for an exhibition starting at the beginning of August.

Pictures must be mounted on card and can be sized up to 12x10ins. Pictures should be signed with your name on the front and please write your contact details on the back.

They should be handed into the Visitor Centre before July 25th deadline, please.

After being displayed in the Visitor Centre they will go on to local libaries.

Our spring exhibition received lots of praise from visitors and it's lovely to bring enjoyment of the park to others.

We really look forward to seeing your pictures.

The next monthly meeting is on Saturday 16th July 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.
Guest Speaker to be announced.

 

June

Sunday 26th June 2022

Please note the fabulous Rupert Fabulous has had to be cancelled

 

Sunday 19th June 2022

1pm to 4.30pm

Bob On! The great Bob Marley Tribute band plus
The Ghetto Defenders - we play dub/reggae/ska, songs of The Clash
DJ Inosh

The next monthly meeting is on Saturday 18th June 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

Our activities report and then
our guest speaker is Bez Cooper.

Having worked with some of the most famous faces in showbiz,
Bez is going to tell you some personal stories about her life as a dancer
and some of the crazy tales from behind the scenes.
Prepare to be well entertained - you're in for a treat!

Our Volunteer Gardeners Open Day
from 11am to 1.30pm on Saturday 18th June

We hope you will come along on Saturday 18th June to view the work
of our Volunteer Gardeners at our Open day
in the Rose Garden and Memorial Garden.
Then drop by at the Visitor Centre for a
brew and a welcome from Billy and Duncan,
before joining us for our meeting at 2pm.

 

 

Sunday 12th June 2022

1pm to 4.30pm

Northern Alibi, Five-O tribute to The Police, Jon Page on guitar

The Lancashire Automobile Club 60th Manchester to Blackpool Classic Car Run will arrive around 2pm on Sunday 12th June. This is the final run of this long standing event which has some magnificent cars.

 

 

The Friends of Stanley Park are awarded
The Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2022

2nd June 2022

The Friends of Stanley Park are awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2022

The Friends of Stanley Park, based in Blackpool, have just been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The Friends have been in existence for 20 years , since the Park was refurbished with aid from a lottery grant. A Visitor Centre was built and is staffed solely by volunteers who raise funds for projects within the park and involve the community.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.

 Representatives of the Friends will receive the award crystal and certificate from Charles Kay-Shuttleworth, Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire later this summer. In addition, two volunteers from the Friends will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023 , along with other recipients of this year’s Award.

“We are delighted to receive such a prestigious award, which recognises the contribution of volunteers over the years, in creating the friends of Stanley Park group. This has become a vibrant organisation and receiving the award this year recognises the hard work and commitment shown by the volunteers, who have been instrumental in what we have achieved in the 20 years since its inception. A special thank you should go to our former chairman, Elaine Smith, who led the group for the last 10 years”.   Says Nigel Patterson, Chairman, Friends of Stanley Park.

 

The Book Club

The Friends of Stanley Park Book Club meet on the days below, next meeting Thursday 4th June:

Friends of Stanley Park Book Club

Saturday 4th June 2022

1pm to 4.30pm

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Pop Up Ukes and

a demonstration of the Blackpool Walk, Simon Clarke playing a selection of music through 7 decades.

 

Sunday 5th June 2022

1pm to 4.30pm

Touch the Pearl, DJ Ed Mahon, Mel Ankers

Platinum Jubilee Tribute and Photograph Opportunity

The floral clock has been converted to a Platinum Jubilee Tribute to the Queen.

We'd love you to take a photograph of yourself, your family or your friends with the floral clock and send it to us for an exhibition at the Visitor Centre later in the year.

You can send your picture ,along with your name, where you are from and why you were in the park to gillhoward@talktalk.net

Platinum Jubilee Tribute to the Queen  June 2022

 

May

 

Saturday 29th May 2022

1pm to 4.30pm
An afternoon with Blackpool Music School

The next monthly meeting is on Saturday 21st May April 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

Guest Speaker: Angela Ogden 'Strawberry Gardens, Blackpool'

 

 

Sunday 22nd May 2022

1pm to 4.30pm

The Casinos, Funky Soul,
The Cartwright Guitar Show, Will B Denis

Free, live music!

Helen May on the Bandstand 15th May 2022

Sunday 15th May 2022

1pm to 4.30pm

Johnny Bullitt and The Promise, Helen May, The Cracked

Free, live music!

 

At the Book Club, please join us every fourth Thursday in the Visitor Centre at 3pm. Next Meeting is Thursday 26th May.

 

Sunday 8th May 2022 the first show of the season

Noon to 5pm

Mr Mel's Big Chill on the bandstand
Many local bands and artistes plus Melvis

April

The Book Club holds its first meeting 28th April 2022

The Book Club, Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool

 

2022 Live Shows announced on the Stanley Park Bandstand

Stanley Park Blackpool Bandstand Programme Summer 2022Sunday Free Live Music on Stanley Park Bandstand Blackpool 2022

 

Carole Thaw at the Bandstand with the live music programme for 2022.

Carole Thaw at Stanley Park Bandstand

Elaine Smith and Joyce Street, founding committee members, receive well deserved honorary membership and bouquets with grateful thanks at the AGM. 23rd April 2022.

Elaine Smith and Joyce Street receive bouquets at the AGM April 2022

 

Platinum Jubilee call for exhibits

Have you met HM The Queen or other royalty? Have you snapped a picture of a royal visit? The Friends of Stanley Park would like to put up a display of photos and memories of encounters with the Queen or other royalty and visits to the coast to mark The Queen's Platinum Jubilee

If you have a picture we could exhibit please get in touch with Elizabeth Gomm or Gill Howard

 

 

The next monthly meeting is the AGM on Saturday 23rd April 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

The Annual General Meeting of Friends of Stanley Park
and Salisbury Woodland will be held in the Stanley Park Visitor Centre on Saturday
the 23rd of April.
The Purpose of the meeting will be to receive Reports and Accounts for 2021 -2022
and to elect the Executive Committee for 2022-2023.

Members should have received notification and committee nominees.

 

 

Easter Fair in the Visitor Centre

Sat, Sun, April 16th and 17th, 10.30am to 3pm

Fun for all the family. Easter Fair on Stanley Park Blackpool. Starting at 10.30 and finishing at 3pm in the Visitor Centre Sat 16th, Sun 17th April 2022.

We will have Craft stalls where children (and adults) can make Easter Chicks, bunnies  bonnets and decorate eggs and overall have a creative time.

We will also be running our game stalls with tombola, play your cards right the infectious Bottle Bola and guess the name of the monkey.

Our cake stall will be selling homemade cakes baked by our amazing bakers  to accompany your tea, coffee or juice.

There will be plenty of fun and games on the day please give us 30 minutes of your time to help our fundraising.

Arts and crafts for children, games, stalls, bottle-bola.

Easter Bonnet Parade at 2pm on Sunday 17th April.

 

Easter Fair on Stanley Park Blackpool 16 and 17 April 2022

 

March

The monthly meeting was on Saturday 19th March 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

The kettle will be on for tea or coffee from 1pm so we can all have a good chit chat and catch up in the warmth of the Visitor Centre. We will give you various updates of what is happening and going to happen in the Park in the coming weeks.

The Guest Speaker will be Keith Myerscough talking about Blackpool’s entertainment History. He is always very interesting, entertaining and informative. 

While moving around the Visitor Centre please wear a mask.

 

The AGM will be held on Saturday 23rd April 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm.

 

Book Club Formation

Please come to the Visitor Centre on Stanley Park at 3pm on Thursday 28th April to discuss the formation of our new Book Club. We will be discussing how we can start up, what to read and when we shall meet. All are welcome, please come along.

Book Club - Friends of Stanley Park

 

February

The next monthly meeting is on Saturday 19th February 2022 in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

The kettle will be on for tea or coffee from 1pm on (next) Saturday 19th February so we can all have a good chit chat and catch up in the warmth of the Visitor Centre. We will give you various updates of what is happening and going to happen in the Park in the coming weeks

 

The Friends of Stanley Park are planning for the year ahead. Volunteers are required for the bandstand. Please contact Carole Thaw for details. The Easter Fair will be on Saturday and Sunday 16th/17th April 10.30am to 3pm. The Visitor Centre will be open longer from Easter including Thursday to Sunday 11am to 3pm. Plans for the Floral Clock are being created with Myerscough College student Amy Connolly.

January

Call for Entries for an amateur photographer 'Springtime in the Park' Exhibition

Please get your pictures in as soon as possible - the closing date is February 27 - and it is open to everyone of all ages and abilities:


Amateur photographers are invited to enter a picture of Stanley Park at springtime for an exhibition starting on 1st March 2022.


The exhibition, hosted by the Friends of Stanley Park, is open to anyone who has a shot in their archive that they would like to submit.


The show is purely for entertainment, no competitive element, so photographs from people of all abilities and all ages are welcome.


Pictures must be handed in by February 27 and must be printed and mounted on a neutrally coloured card, along with the picture's title, the photographer's name, age (if under 18) and contact details.
The maximum size is A3.


They will be mounted with Velcro to the display boards in the Visitor Centre, Stanley Park, for the show which will open on March 1, and must be mounted, not framed.


"If this exhibition is successful we will try to organise more, featuring each season in the park. Over the year we get hundreds of visitors calling in to the Visitor Centre and they really enjoy the exhibitions we have there," said publicity officer Gill Howard.


"Each entrant may submit two photographs up to a 10insx8ins We will try to use as many as we can and they can submit landscapes, flowers, wildlife or people images just as long as they were taken in spring and in the park or Salisbury Woodland.


"There are some very talented photographers who regular take pictures in our beautiful park and this is a chance for them to showcase their work in an informal way. We hope to get lots of lovely entries."
Entries can be dropped off at the Visitor Centre on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and and Sundays during February from 10.30am to noon, or by prior arrangement with Gill Howard or who can be contacted via messaging on the Friends of Stanley Park Facebook page.

 

 

January 2022 Monthly Meeting

The meeting is on Saturday 15th January in the Visitor Centre at 2pm to 4pm.

We will be discussing our plans and projects for 2022. Please email Nigel with any ideas before the meeting.

While moving around the Visitor Centre please wear a mask.

 

Friends of Stanley Park Monthly Meeting 15th January 2022  in the Visitor Centre, Stanley Park Blackpool

Events for 2022 taster

Bandstand Concerts Sundays 1st May to 18th September 2022

Easter Fair 16th and 17th April 2022

Platinum Jubilee on the Bandstand 4th June 2022

Macmillan Event 24th and 25th September 2022

Halloween 29th and 30th October 2022.

Christmas Fair 3rd and 4th December 2022

Choir Concert 18th December 2022

 

Visit the News Archive for more details of pre-2022

Click here for the news archive

Below is a short summary

December

Dog Walkers Christmas Party

Photos courtesy: Elizabeth Gomm

Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool Dog Walkers Christmas Party 22nd December 2021   Photos by Elizabeth Gomm

 

Christmas Carols on Stanley Park Blackpool

On Sunday 19th December 2021 a festival of Carol Singing was led by Junction4 Productions Choir in support of Blue Skies Hospital Fund at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and supported by volunteers from the Friends of Stanley Park.T

Photos by Elizabeth Gomm:

Christmas Carols on Stanley Park Blackpool 16th December 2021,  photos by Elizabeth Gomm

Christmas Carols on Stanley Park Blackpool 16th December 2021,  photos by Elizabeth Gomm

 

Christmas Dinner at the Carousel Hotel

On Thursday 16th December 2021 we held our annual Christmas Dinner at the Carousel Hotel on South Shore. A wonderful time was held by all, here are a few of the photos. More are on Facebook.

Friends of Stanley Park Blackpool having Christmas Dinner at the Carousel Hotel 16th December 2021

 

 

Photos from the Christmas Fair 4/5th December 2021

 

Photos from dancing the 'Blackpool Way' 20th November 2021

The Blackpool Way at Stanley Park Visitor Centre

 

November

We are delighted to report that our Halloween weekend saw us take £1200.

That is an amazing sum of money given the appalling weather over the weekend.  I would like to say thank you to everyone who volunteered, who attended, who baked and who donated prizes or who contributed to the event in any way. The Park is indebted to you for your fantastic support. It just proves what we can achieve as a voluntary group and so continue the success of the organisation from when the Friends first started.

Halloween Weekend on Stanley Park Blackpool

We have our Halloween weekend on Saturday and Sunday 30th and 31st October from 10.30am to 4pm on both days.

 

Fun at the Dog Club

Every Wednesday we have our dog club meetings at the Visitor Centre.

The Wednesday before Halloween was special.

 

September

Macmillan Coffee Weekend

£1059.50 was raised. A brilliant result, thankyou to everyone who came

The Cake stall:

Friends of Stanley Park Macmillan Coffee Weekend

The coffee drinkers:

 

 

 

We're pleased to announce:

The Visitor Centre will be open from Tuesday 7th September.

Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm. Information about the park. Staffed by volunteers from the Friends of Stanley Park.

Craft Club Tuesday 7th Sept 10am to 3pm, weekly.

Dog Club Wednesday 8th Sept 10am to 3pm, weekly.

New club members welcome.

Public Exhibition by the Blackpool Boys and Girls Club, 'The Joker in Me'.

Tuesday 7th Sept to Sunday 19th Sept 10-3. Giving young people the opportunity to explore their evolving attitudes to life, with its joys, trials and complexities.

Saturday 18th September 2021 2pm to 4pm. Monthly Meeting with guest speaker Dave Blacker from the Boys and Girls Club. (Dave will be staging an exhibition in the Visitor Centre from Tuesday 7th Sept to Monday 20th Sept, 10.30am to 3pm.)

Wednesday 22nd September to Sunday 26th October is the Blackpool Civic Trust Photograph and Art Competition based on a theme 'Celebrating our Seaside Heritage Past and Present'. Please send in your entries see the Blackpool Civic Trust website click here

Saturday and Sunday 25th and 26th September Macmillan Coffee Morning with cakes and family fun. 10.30

Re-opening of the Craft Club 7th September 2021:

 

Stanley Park Blackpool Craf Club 2021

Re-opening of the Dog Walkers Club 8th September 2021:

Stanley Park Blackpool Dog Walkers Club 2021

 

 

August

Saturday 18th September 2021 2pm to 4pm. Monthly Meeting with guest speaker Dave Blacker from the Boys and Girls Club. (Dave will be staging an exhibition in the Visitor Centre from Tuesday 7th Sept to Monday 20th Sept, 10.30am to 3pm.)

Saturday and Sunday 25th and 26th September Macmillan Coffee Morning with cakes and family fun. 10.30am to 2.30pm.

Wednesday 22nd September to Sunday 26th October is the Blackpool Civic Trust Photograph and Art Competition based on a theme 'Celebrating our Seaside Heritage Past and Present'. Please send in your entries see the Blackpool Civic Trust website click here

Saturday 16th October 2pm to 4pm, Monthly Meeting with guest speaker from the Showtown, Blackpool Museum Project.

Every Monday and Thursday the Gardening Group meet in the park to work on the floral displays.

The Dog and the Craft Group hope to start in early September subject to agreement with the Council.

Emergency Phone Numbers on Stanley Park Blackpool

If you need emergency assistance or notice anti-social behaviour on the park please use the table below to find the best contact number.

Requirement

Example

Emergency, immediate threat to person or property

Witnessing a break-in, Fire

Call 999 

Please inform the Parks team by emailing the log number and details  to 

Click here

Illegal activity not requiring immediate police attention

Large group on the park, damage already caused

Call 101 and obtain log number.

Email log number to 

Click here

 

 

Stanley Park Veteran's Walk Dedications

Elaine Smith reports: On Tuesday 1st June 2021 Joyce Street (Vice Chairman) and myself had the very pleasant job of hosting the Dedication and unveiling of the last three trees on Veterans Walk.  The trees were dedicated to the NHS, the Palatine Rotary Blood Bike and the Friends of Stanley Park.  

 

 

2019

Fields in Trust Best Park in the UK - Stanley Park Blackpool

Following our award of UK Best Park and Best Field Event in 2017 we were ecstatic at winning the UK Best Park in 2019.

The announcement September 2019:

Fields in Trust Best Park in the UK - Stanley Park Blackpool

Fields in Trust Best Park in the UK - Stanley Park Blackpool

 

Link to Fields in Trust website

Fields in Trust champions and supports our parks and green spaces by protecting them for people to enjoy in perpetuity. Because once lost, they are lost forever.

 

Fields in Trust Best Park in the UK - Stanley Park Blackpool

Fields in Trust Best Park in the UK - Stanley Park Blackpool

 

Our 2017 Award:

UK Best Park and Best Field Event 2017  Stanley Park Blackpool.

Facebook Pages

Friends of Stanley Park has a Facebook page with our latest news. Click here

 

Updated: 26th December 2022