Friends of Stanley Park and Salisbury Woodland, Blackpool
News
Awarded to the Friends of Stanley Park June 2022:
2022
August
Sunday 7th July 2022 on the bandstand
Live Free 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.
flowers are in full bloom
Please note the folowing covers all parks in Blackpool and is from the Parks Services Department, Blackpool Council.
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.
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.
Summer in Stanley Park
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, 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:
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
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!
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
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
2022 Live Shows announced on the Stanley Park Bandstand
Carole Thaw at the Bandstand with the live music programme for 2022.
Elaine Smith and Joyce Street, founding committee members, receive well deserved honorary membership and bouquets with grateful thanks at the AGM. 23rd 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
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.
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.
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.
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
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 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.
Photos from the Christmas Fair 4/5th December 2021
Photos from dancing the 'Blackpool Way' 20th November 2021
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.
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:
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:
Re-opening of the Dog Walkers Club 8th September 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 |
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 |
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
The announcement September 2019:
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.
Facebook Pages
Friends of Stanley Park has a Facebook page with our latest news. Click here
Updated: 22nd July 2022