Popular local hardware store Homeplan are the latest business to come forward in support of the Friends Of West Park group. Donating rakes and gloves to Andrew Anderson, representing the group, proprietor Jim Parkin said “This is a very worthwhile cause supported by local people to do something positive in the community and we are extremely happy to be able to help”.
The equipment will be put to good use by the volunteers who are working hard at litter picking and cleaning out the lakes.
The Park was showcased at the spectacular Cutting Loose event held on Tuesday 15th July when around 1000 people turned out to see the show. The park is now becoming more popular, with many Newtonians discovering the boating lakes and the amenities that the park offers, for the first time!
Ken Robson, Chair of the Friends Of West Park group commented “I am frequently amazed and amused by people who have lived and worked in the Newton Aycliffe area for years and have not visited the park.
Comments from people visiting the park, from outside of our town, are that the park has a very specific WOW factor”. Volunteers can contact the group through the facebook page.
Friends of West Park Newton Aycliffe” or by contacting Ken on 01325 321471 or just pop along to the park on a Sunday morning.
The Friends group welcome help in the form of donations of materials, sponsorship of furniture, such as seats and bins, and involvement in the group itself.
Of particular interest would be offers of equipment which may help us to clean up the lakes and over the summer months we will be visiting companies around the Business Park seeking help.
Future plans involve a shopping list of activities for all ages from playgrounds, returning the boating lakes to their glory years and reinstating remote controlled model boats and yachts to the lakes. This will take time but a small army of enthusiastic volunteers are slowly coming forward to help make our dreams a reality.
Friends can be seen litter picking in the park area around 9am on Sunday mornings followed by lake cleaning around 10am
Have you ever worked on the park under Aycliffe Development Corporation, Sedgefield Borough, Durham County or Great Aycliffe Council? Do you have access to schematics of the workings of the water works for the park or could you help us put together a map detailing where various services lie? If so we would welcome your input.
I am very impressed by what we have managed to achieve in such a short time and that is down to the public mood of wanting our town to be the best place to live in the world. The age range of our members is enormous which shows regardless of your generation we all love this place and want to help.
Ken Robson Chairman
Friends Of West Park
