Easter in the Park

easter in North Lodge parkOn Good Friday (March25th) we will be in North Lodge Park to construct the lovely new picnic tables and benches. These have been bought with money raised by the book sale which Budgens of Cromer have kindly been running for us. There will be a paddle boat workshop and arts and crafts for children as well as a cafe full of delicious goodies! If you are feeling handy and would like to help with the tables, would like to see your child happily occupied with a paddle boat and paint, or just fancy a coffee in the sunshine ( ever hopeful) then come and join us from 10.30 a.m. The tables should be ready in time for you to enjoy a lunchtime picnic!
Good Friday (March25th) we will be in North Lodge Park

Community Feedback on December ideas for North Lodge Park

thick zilla fapello angie

Proposals for discussion on the future of the Park

Summary

In April 2015 the Friends published a report on the views of the community about the future of North Lodge Park, with a proposal for a second survey to collect detailed responses to more specific plans for the Park.

In August 2015 the Friends were granted a licence for the cafe in the Park and have worked with North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) to bring new life back into the Park. The Friends have been overwhelmed at the strength of support from the community and visitors for the Park, and for the work of the Friends. There is no doubt that the Park holds a very special place in many people’s memories.

Towards the end of 2015 NNDC asked the Friends to propose ideas for improvements to North Lodge Park. The ideas were published in December and the feedback received forms the basis of this report.

The message that comes across time and time again is that the community want the Park to be a well maintained safe, community place, with flowers and lawns; a special place of heritage and memories.Thanks to the 364 people who gave feedback on the ideas proposed; added to the 750 responses given to the first survey over 1100 opinions have been expressed about the Park, showing the Park remains a key focus for the community.

There is overwhelming support for the ideas proposed: over 85% of responses supported the proposals. The message that comes across time and time again is that the community want the Park to be a well maintained safe, community place, with flowers and lawns; a special place of heritage and memories.

totals: Community view of proposed ideas, March 2016, North Lodge Park, CromerThe strongest positive response, with 93% in support, is to use the cafe as a hub for life in the Park. Many commented on the huge success of the cafe and how it has already provided a much needed focal point for the community.

There is also very strong support (over 90%) for the renovation of the gardens, including the Rose garden. Comments made in support of these renovations show that the community wants the Park to be a well maintained green space full of colour.

The proposal for the children’s play area also generated much support with 87% in favour; supporting comments wanted to make this a priority.

One idea received much less support: 40% of responses were against moving the boating lake.

As part of the proposals, the Friends asked for feedback on using part of the Park for a car park as this is always raised in discussions on the Park. Just over half of responses were against the use of any part of the Park for a car park. Where there was support for using part of the Park for car parking the concrete area received the most support, but with the caveat that it was done in keeping with the nature of the Park and enabled the Park to be properly maintained.

download the full reprtThe full report contains details on the responses, and a set of 5 recommended actions.

Read the full report…

New Draft Constitution

It has become clear that we need to formalise our status as a group so we will are proposing to apply to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Foundation model) which means updating our constitution at the AGM.

To simplify this change we’re adopting as much of our current constitution that we agreed last year, and fitting this into the standard charity commission constitution.

The main points are:

constitution-1Charity name:

  • there is already a charity called North Lodge Park (based in Darlington) so we hope the Charity Commission will allow North Lodge Park, Cromer

Charitable objectives:

  • we are proposing these keep as on our current constitution
    1. To protect, enhance and promote North Lodge Park as a place of recreation and enjoyment for the long term benefit of the local community and visitors
    2. To encourage wide community input and participation in improving the Park so that the Park may best serve the local community and visitors
    3. To develop, promote and manage facilities and functions in the Park to provide recreational and social opportunities for the local community and visitors

The rest of the 11 pages are standard ways to operate a charity.

You can read our proposed draft constitution here.

You can see the standard format on the charity commission website: gov.uk/…./FoundationModelConstitution.pdf

 

Bid to run cafe

from the EDP, 15 March

 

north lodge park macmillan 2015Cromer’s Friends of North Lodge Park are crossing their fingers that they will be picked to run the café they have revived and made successful.

Their bid comes at a critical time for the much-loved park, owned by North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) which is trying to attract a partner willing to invest in its attractions and facilities after a long period of stagnation.

The Friends believe a trust, in which it is a partner, should be formed to run the park.

Friends’ volunteers re-opened the café, rent-free, with NNDC’s blessing eight months ago. The council has been paying the business rates.

It attracts loyal regulars from the town and further afield, according to Friends’ secretary Barry Meadows.

Now NNDC is advertising for someone to operate it commercially, and pay £3,500 rent for a year from April 1.

“It’s been amazing,” said Mr Meadows. “The community is so grateful and supportive. The café is our focus. It’s where we meet the community and find out what’s going on. If we didn’t have that focus, it would make it much more difficult for us.”

The Friends will hold their annual meeting next week, on Wednesday March 23 at 7.30pm in Cromer Community Hall, Garden Street, when responses to their latest survey will be discussed. They are due to be published on March 18.

Mr Meadows said 364 people had answered a questionnaire asking for their views on suggested ways ahead for the park.

“The message coming across is that the community wants a park which is well maintained; a safe community place, with flowers and lawns – a special place of heritage and memories,” he added.

Respondents were divided over NNDC proposals to convert the former children’s play area into a 55-space pay-and-display car park.

“At the moment we are in limbo, and a bit frustrated,” said Mr Meadows.

“We need the café licence for another year and more information about the car park and the Prior Information Notice (NNDC’s advertisement for a partner to invest in the park).”

The Friends had earmarked money from the café for improvement projects which might include restoring the thatched collectors’ cabins by the sunken garden.

 

read full story…

The Park tale with more twists and turns than a twisty-turny thing

north lodge park newsletter banner twisted

Tea for two.

This week North Norfolk District Council has advertised a tender for running the cafe in North Lodge Park for 12 months from April 1st.

We are disappointed with the timing of this announcement and are currently discussing the way forward. The Friends have been invited to submit a tender and we will be discussing various options before making any decisions

Apologies if this means a delay in publishing our report on your feedback to the ideas for the Park, the report will be out in time for the AGM on 23rd March.

Hope to see many of you in the cafe soon

Barry Meadows
Trainee bid writer

north lodge park cromer

What’s in a budget?

north lodge park

North Lodge Park SurveyThe analysis begins.

Over 350 of you took the time to give us feedback on the ideas we produced in response to a request by NNDC. We’ve now got the enviable task of turning the gear wheels to analyse the results: from the 9 of you who were completely against everything to the 22 who were completely for everything, and the 160 of you who added extra comments. If you don’t see us for a while you know what we’re doing!.

The budget box

north lodge park cromerMost budget statements aren’t as dramatic as those produced by the Chancellor, but they still give indications on thinking, intentions and plans. When NNDC published their budget on Friday (for discussion at next week’s cabinet meeting) there were a couple of pointers of interest.

  1. In the capital spend for 2016/17 there is £121,000 for the development of a 55 space car park on the concrete area in North Lodge Park, subject to a Car Park Order which will involve a full public consultation,
  2. In the supporting description, NNDC announced their intention to issue a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to try and attract a partner who will be prepared to invest in the park and its facilities and attractions.

In our meetings with NNDC about the future of North Lodge Park we have always made it clear that we think the development and maintenance of the Park should be considered as a whole. This remains our position: we find it difficult to consider whether or not there should be a car park in North Lodge Park without seeing the bigger picture. Yes, there are some arguments that would support the case for enabling some parking – particularly disabled parking – in North Lodge Park (and equally strong arguments against) but without the context of knowing what else is planned, for us the debate is not complete.

Over the coming weeks we will be meeting with NNDC to try to find out more about their plans and will keep you updated. If you hear any details please let us know so we can develop a complete picture for any discussion we have.

damage in North Lodge ParkUnfortunately…

Cromer isn’t immune to acts of vandalism, and I’m sorry to report that recently North Lodge Park has seen a couple of incidents: in December there was some graffiti in the Park and around the Doctor’s Steps, and last weekend some of the garden furniture in the Rose Garden and the A frame (made for us by Matt Annison) was ruined overnight.

Annual General Meeting

Don’t forget the AGM for the Friends of North Lodge Park will be on Wednesday 23rd March at 7.30pm in the Community Hall.

We expect this year to be an exciting one in the Park and we need your help to make it happen. The Friends are only as strong as you make it with your support – and as we go into the new year we would like to add to the committee to help with the tasks we need to work on this year.

If you have the time, energy, skills and passion for the Park (is that all of you?) please come along and help. Pop into the cafe (we will need more help in the cafe as summer approaches) and talk to one of the committee about how you can get involved.

Hope to see you soon.

Barry Meadows
Secretary to chief cook and bottle washer,
Friends of North Lodge Park

EDP Community chest

EDP Community ChestEvery month during 2016 the Eastern Daily Press in association with the Norfolk Community Foundation will be donating up to £2,500 to charities across Norfolk.

Please help us to be one of those charities to win cash, by cutting out and collecting your tokens each month and bring them into the cafe.

We need to collect 500 tokens in a month to be in with a chance of winning the cash.  Any month we don’t get the required number we’ll work with other local causes to help them reach the goal.

Thank you.

Happy New Park

north lodge parkThe only way is UP!
roller coasterThis time last year when we were about to formally launch the Friends of North Lodge Park we couldn’t have predicted what a roller-coaster year of ups and downs it would be. The committee you elected in March has tried to steer the difficult path through the challenges, keeping the future of the Park central to our agenda. It is your continued support in all forms (volunteering, donations, messages, hugs, etc) that help us through the low points and we hope you have enjoyed the highs points with us. The year ended on a high when NNDC offered us a 12 month extension to the licence for the cafe.The 747 of you who responded to our survey in the Spring gave us a strong steer how you want the Park to develop (no mention of roller-coasters!) and we hope we have reflected this in the ideas we put to you in early December – you have until the end of January to comment on these ideas .

North Lodge Park proposed play areaThe proposals are very much ideas and not a ’blue print’ as claimed by the press! After our consultation closes, we need to work with the North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), who own the Park, as closely as possible to see how the ideas you support fit with their plans. The Friends can only advise and we expect there will be some compromise to get the best overall plan for everyone.

We know that council budgets are being cut drastically so do not expect NNDC to finance the improvements we would like. Whilst fund-raising isn’t the main purpose of the cafe (it’s to provide a friendly meeting point for the community and visitors, thereby bringing life back into the Park), any money raised is a starting fund for the changes. Unless we find a rich benefactor willing to invest in the Park we know only a fraction of the ideas will come to fruition, and the timescales for implementation will be set by our ability to raise the necessary funds. That’s reality (more hugs needed!). This is an exciting opportunity for us all to work together and create not just a better park but a better community.

EDP Community ChestEDP Community Chest
We have a box in the cafe to collect the tokens for the EDP Community Chest. Please cut out the coupons and bring them to the cafe. If we collect 500 in a month we can apply for a grant to do work in the Park.

AGM for the Friends of North Lodge Park
WEDNESDAY 23rd MARCH AT 7.30

As well as the normal agenda items necessary for an AGM we will be looking at the potential plans that come from your input into the published ideas, and how we can put these into place – please come along and join the discussion.The committee needs more active members to help manage the Park and the plans. Please don’t step back – if you are interested, have the time, energy and ideas come and talk to us; as you know, members of the committee are often in the cafe and always willing to take off their aprons to speak to you.

plaques donated by cromer trophies
Last year Budgens of Cromer chose us as the local group to donate the money they raised from the sale of second hand books, and I am pleased to say that this has enabled us to purchase 5 picnic tables for the Park. Cromer Trophies have very kindly donated plaques for the tables and all being well the tables will be installed in time for the spring picnic season!

lizzie knightCafe Co-ordinator
Following the request in the last newsletter a number of you expressed interest in applying for the role of Cafe Co-ordinator. We have spoken to all the candidates and decided to appoint Lizzie Knight to the position, with a review before we go into the new licence in April. I hope you will join me in wishing her all the best in the role.
We were saddened to hear from the family of Sheila Millet that she had passed away in December. The family have asked that all donations made in her memory be given to the Friends of North Lodge Park. Sheila had a great attachment to the Park and her family feel it is fitting that donations be made in her memory to the place she loved so much. This is a wonderful sentiment and we would like to say thank you for this kindness and also to pass on our best wishes to her family at this sad time.

 
 

Here’s to a positive year in your Park at the heart of Cromer

December in North Lodge Park

Christmas in the cafe.

christmas in north lodge parkOn behalf of all the team I’d like to wish you all a jolly Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

To give all our volunteer helpers and bakers time with family and friends the cafe will be closed over the festive period from Christmas eve with the exception of Boxing day, reopening on 1st January. Therefore, over the festive period the opening hours for the cafe will be:

  • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: closed
  • Boxing Day: 10-14 (don’t forget the swim at 11)
  • Sunday 27th to 31st: closed
  • Friday 1st January: 10-18 (fireworks at 17.00)
  • Saturday 2nd January back to normal.

Time for a cafe co-ordinator

In our discussions with the District Council over the future for the Park they have floated the idea of extending our licence for a further 12 months to March 2017. This is really encouraging, but we feel we cannot expect those volunteers who took on the responsibility of setting up and running the café at such short notice to keep smiling whilst putting in quite so many hours on an open-ended basis.

With your help, we want to ensure the café continues to play its part in the community of Cromer and would like to use this opportunity to develop the role of a paid café co-ordinator for the remainder of our current term. We would do this without changing the way the café operates. With the support of the café management team, the café coordinator will build on the success of the special character you have helped create in the café.

We want to be flexible in our appointment, but would expect the position (which could be a job share) to be 20-25 hours a week, including several sessions running the café and taking on the ‘behind the scenes’ work of organising the volunteers and stock management. For the right person this could extend into a further (at least) 12 month opportunity.
Before we advertise this position wider, we wanted you all to know about this change, and to give you the opportunity to come forward for the position. If you want to know more details please get in touch cafe@northlodgepark.org.uk, or pop into the cafe and speak to one of the team.

Children’s Play Area

North Lodge Park proposed play areaIn anticipation of the survey confirming our thinking that the children’s play area will still be your top priority, we will be setting up a working group in the new year to develop and implement a plan for this project so we can have something in place for next summer.

To widen the involvement of the community, to make sure we have the right people on the project and to make sure we are working on the right project we want your help. If you have the skills, ideas and time to actively help with the project please let us know. There will be lots to do: defining what we want, drawing up specifications, talking to suppliers, fund raising and lots of practice drinking coffee in the cafe (there has to be some reward for all that hard work!). There will be a project kick-off meeting the first week in January.

We’re keeping the survey open to the end of January to give you the opportunity to discuss with your family and friends over the Christmas dinner, As well as completing the survey, if you have ideas and thoughts do send them to us, either by email, post, or fill in the ideas book in the cafe.

Hope to see you soon
Barry Meadows