NEWS ITEMS 2018

News Update

As at 29 October 2108

New cricket nets

Contractor, Total Play, were able to start earlier than expected on improved cricket nets, and were on site by 15 October, with work expected to take around four weeks. id verde say they are pleased that the cricket 'cages' will be surrounded by a 3m security fence, and hope this reduces misuse and damage which, sadly, has been a problem with the current nets.

'No Cycling' sign

The park is a no-cycling zone because the paths are so well used by pedestrians, with their children, pushchairs and dogs. The Highway Code sign, used on signposts in the park, can be misinterpreted because there is no red line through the bike. Members often ask why a red line cannot be added, but this government sign must be used unchanged, so that cyclists can be legally stopped and, if necessary, fined. The Friends have been asking for 'No Cycling' signs to be set into the road at park entrances as they are more likely to be noticed by cyclists. The first will be installed at the Duchess of Bedford Gate.

Adventure Play Area

Belvedere tower

And still the work continues. We have been told it will be finished by Christmas, but time will tell.

These meters seem to confuse everyone as they seem to want payment by card, and I have seen people give up trying to pay. They are not under the management of the park, and the park has to accept what is installed. So, if you want to use the park before 6.30 p.m. come prepared to pay by card.

Litter

Litter seems to have got worse in the park, especially around some of the benches. There are regular litter clearance patrols by id verde, but the sheer amount of litter is challenging. One wonders why visitors cannot take the trouble to use the bins. Park Management is aware of this increasing problem, and is working with other boroughs to see what has been successful.

Text and photo: Jennie Kettlewell

Thursday, 28 February 2019 at 7pm in the Orangery

A Walk in the Park: Policing London's Green Spaces

Our spring speaker will be from the 'home team'. Inspector Rumble, head of the bi-borough parks police force, has agreed to tell us what lies behind the police presence in Holland Park; and I suspect we are in for a few surprises as the issues faced by the parks police team are extraordinarily varied, all faced with calmness and practical solutions.

Mike Rumble manages the Parks Police Service for two London Boroughs, Kensington and Chelsea, and Hammersmith and Fulham, and has done for the past ten years. What extraordinary things he must have seen during that time and what stories he must have to tell. He is infuriatingly discrete, but he often has a twinkle in his eye when regaling us with his experiences. The force hosted the Olympic Torch in Holland Park and facilitated the visit of the Emperor and Empress of Japan in May 2012.

The Parks Police strongly believe that a problem-solving approach is the most effective way of reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, so they work with local communities and park users to identify concerns and find solutions. This work has been recognised with a number of prestigious awards in recent years.

He has other talents too. He studied calligraphy and heraldic art and has been a member of the Heraldry Society for over 40 years. He designed the new badge when the RBKC and Hammersmith & Fulham forces merged. The design features a London plane leaf.

Tickets are £18, to include wine and Janice Miles' delicious canapés.

To order tickets online click here.

Jennie Kettlewell

[Winter 2018]

Official Opening of Holland House Terrace

At last the landscaping works on the south terrace of Holland House are complete, and it now looks an elegant and fitting environment for a Grade l-listed building. It was certainly splendid in the evening sunshine at the formal opening on 25 September.

Cllr David Lindsay, Lead Councillor for Healthy City Living, described the convoluted historical context, followed by RBKC Executive Director, Sue Harris, who thanked all those involved in the many aspects of ensuring success from vision, to consultation, and design to implementation. Chairman of The Friends, Jennie Kettlewell, followed with a description of what the terrace had looked like several years ago and how pleased The Friends are to see the final result of some very skilled input. Xanthe Quayle, director of Camlin Lonsdale, the landscape architects, told the audience that the huge project had often been challenging, that she was relieved to have overcome those challenges, and pleased to have created a landscape that set off the grand house. The terrace was formally opened by Deputy Borough Mayor, Cllr Mohammed Bakhtiar.

The sizeable and attentive audience was made up of those who had been involved in the project and many members of The Friends.

Special thanks wee given to Xanthe for her vision and caring about getting the detail right, and to the Council's project co-ordinator, Ian McNicol, who had masterminded exemplary consultation throughout, so that not one single objection was raised to the planning application. Thanks were also given to Natan Gjongecaj, Blakedown Landscapes' site supervisor, who oversaw the implementation of the whole project with care and good- natured responses to the daily questions from us all. Appreciation was expressed to Tim Ahern who, as the RBKC councillor responsible for the environment during the planning and start of the implementation, steered us through some complex negotiations. Michael Volpe, General Manager of Opera Holland Park was thanked for reducing the build and strike periods of the opera season so that the terrace can now be open to the public for longer in the year.

Now we can all enjoy sitting on those comfortable benches, in the winter sunshine, with a fine view of the remaining stonework arcades of the original Jacobean house and a view to the south towards the Design Museum. Do go and have a look.

Jennie Kettlewell

Our photos show from L-R: Ian McNicol, Jennie Kettlewell, Natan Gjongecaj, Sue Harris, Cllr David Lindsay, Cllr Mohammed Bakhtiar (© Justin Thomas), and the terrace at sunrise by Natan Gjongecaj.

Richard Kulczycki Joins as a Trustee

We are delighted that Richard has agreed to become a trustee, and he has been enthusiastically co-opted onto the committee. His focus will be on ecology matters in the park, although I am sure he will contribute on other subjects too.

You might remember the photo of Richard in the last newsletter, shown cleaning out the Wildlife Area pond on one of the Ecology Centre's volunteer days. He has got his hands dirty in a few areas of the wilder parts of the park and knows what the soil and plants are like. This knowledge means he was able to help when the Ecology Team and The Friends worked together on an application to the London Mayor's Greener City Fund so that the West Woodland Enclosure (previously known as the Nature Play Area) can be restored as a habitat, with a space for learning about nature.

The Borough has an excellent ecology team with a vision for the park, but they do not have the hours available to do all they want to do. The Friends will continue to work with them to support their programmes and add resource when possible.

Richard seems to have unusually eclectic interests and has been helpfully observant on subjects as diverse as the park's drainage and a green solution for the newsletter envelope. Welcome Richard. We look forward to working with you and hope you enjoy being a trustee.

Photo by Eva Blechová

[Winter 2018]

Holland House Needs Urgent Conservation

In the autumn newsletter, we were pleased to report that the conservation plan for Grade 1-listed Holland House was being drawn up in three stages, with work on the roof and facings of the main building due to start this autumn. Well, it seems the Council has hit a snag, and there is as yet no news about when this essential work will start: this year or next. We understand that the detailed plans of the stage-one work have not yet been sent to Historic England, so The Friends are lobbying hard to get this important programme back on track. Parts of the stone facing are flaking off, the finials were loose and have been temporarily removed, and anyone who cares to look will see that the window frames in the east wing, housing the youth hostel, are in a very sorry state indeed. What another winter will do to this fine example of Jacobean architecture does not bear thinking about.

Where we are making progress is that The Friends are obtaining quotes from two specialists in historic tiles conservation to get the beautiful tiles on the upper and lower walkways cleaned, repaired and protected. The Council is happy for us to do this, as we were instrumental in the major tile conservation work (both getting it done and contributing funds) in 2004, under The Friends' previous chairman, Nicholas Hopkins.

Text and photos: Jennie Kettlewell

On a sunny Tuesday during half term, children walking past the café area were surprised by a stall draped with a banner stating: 'Imagine you are a detective! What can you discover?' During the day about 60 children visited the stall, eager to find all the features depicted on an activity sheet that we handed out, with clues to help find them, all the features being within easy walking distance of the stall. When the children had ticked off all the items, they were given badges that showed that they were now 'Holland Park Detectives'. This occasion also offered an opportunity for the children and accompanying adults to learn more about the park and The Friends. Several of our publications were sold, especially the new 'Children's Guide to Exploring Holland Park'. Click here for more details.

We are hoping to have such a pop-up stall again sometime.

Joy Puritz

Holland Park's Cup of Tea

Talk on 25 October 2018 in The Orangery

Our speaker, Jonathon Jones, established the first British tea plantation at the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall. He has not only applied his undoubted horticultural knowledge, but has encouraged the public to think very differently about tea drinking – quite a challenge in a nation of tea-drinkers.

It all started with selling the estate's produce as a way of funding the estate's ten gardeners. He fascinated the audience with stories of growing the Camellia sinensis in an area it would not have been thought possible – alongside the River Fal at Truro. Research and experimentation have led to some 35 'clones' of the tea bush. A 'clone' is what would be called a cultivated variety in other plants. Experimentation continues, and Jonathon is considering how the true scent of the tea bush could be built into our cuppa, probably from the flower, instead of the false scent that is usually added.

He told us how to make tea, and that boiling water brings out the bitterness. Black tea should be brewed at 95o, herbal tea at 85 o, and green tea at only 75o to get the optimum taste. Who knew that.

Holland Park has venerable camellias but has not had the tea bush until recently, when we bought one from Tregothnan. Jonathon wondered about other links. Tea was introduced into Britain around 1610, just a few years after Sir Walter Cope built Holland House. Were his family early adopters of tea?  The Duchess of Bedford was a well known tea drinker. Did she drink tea at Holland House? Did Earl Grey visit Holland House, in spite of the fact that he and Charles Fox did not always agree?

Tregothnan is now a very successful international tea business, even exporting tea to China. We were tempted by the many variations of tea available from the estate. As yet, stock of the products in Britain is selective, but the full range is available on their website: www.tregothnan.co.uk. One person in the audience commented that: 'We can expect to see exciting things happening in the tea world over the next few years, with the tea trade recognising the role Jonathon and Tregothnan are playing.'

The evening was rounded off with delicious canapés and a Tregothnan tea cocktail concocted by our events organiser, Graham Franklin.

Text and photo: Jennie Kettlewell

[Winter 2018]

The Friends' Nature Walks

Meet outside the Stable Yard at 9am on the first Saturday of each month.

We will have a one-and-a-half-hour stroll through the park looking at birds, plants, butterflies and park management of current interest. There is no charge and all are welcome without booking.  No dogs, please, as even well behaved ones on leads disturb the wildlife. We recommend you bring binoculars.

Sat 1 Dec

Sat 5 Jan 2019   
Sat 3 Feb   
Sat 2 Mar   
Sat 6 Apr

[Winter18]

Autumn Bat Walk

It is good to see that the Ecology Service events are being well attended and the Bat Walk on the evening of 13 September was no exception.

It was led by a representative of the London Bat Group, who was full of praise for the woodland areas of the park and how these allow for the dark conditions that bats need. Old trees are important too, as these have the nooks and crannies which bats need for roosting, i.e. resting and sleeping.

Participants saw Soprano and Common pipistrelles. There was also a brief appearance over the Wildlife Enclosure pond of a Nathusius' pipistrelle, which we were told was a new record for Holland Park. Probably this was a bat only passing through the park, but clearly it found it a useful place to feed during its journey.

This event was sponsored by The Friends, so that those who were interested could participate for free.

Richard Kulczycki

[Winter 2018]

Pimm's in the Park

This year we had better luck with the weather than last: it was a lovely sunny evening on Tuesday, 24 July. Thanks to Michael Volpe, General Director of Opera Holland Park, we again had the use of the marquee overlooking the Dutch Garden and, it being dry, we were able to enjoy being on the terrace as well, for an even better view. We were very pleased to see so many new faces, and it was a good opportunity to talk to members, and to hear their views. Plentiful and tasty canapés were enjoyed, washed down by a refreshing Pimm's concoction.

[Autumn 2018]

Crab Apple Jelly

At the time of writing (early September) it is not yet clear whether this year is or is not a good one for apples. We need the small green bitter kind that makes your mouth dry up if you bite into a raw one, but miraculously turns into tangy red jelly when cooked. Be assured that we will search for them later this month, so when you read this do ring 020 7602 0304 to place your orders. Supplies are always soon exhausted.

Rhoddy Wood

[Autumn 2018]

Christmas Cards 2018

Our Christmas card this year of the new café yard, by Catherine Masterman, shows how it will look once it has settled in and is attractive in its own right. We will hold a ready supply of these cards in both the standard 152 mm x 197 mm format at £9.50 per pack of ten, and the small 118 mm x 168 mm at £8.00.

We will also make up mixed packs of ten old designs of Holland Park at £6.50, which will be very largely of big ones in 4 or 5 different designs.

Delivery by hand to local postcodes is free, but beyond that we have to charge an additional  £1.70 per pack of large or mixed cards and £1.40 for small cards.

All cards will have the standard greeting 'With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year'.

Do avoid that last minute panic.

To order online click here.

News Update

as at 30 August 2018

Café Yard

At last the café yard is finished and now boasts 170 seats, some of which will be removed during the quieter winter season. The area under the western arches has been opened up and provides a shady space to enjoy a cold drink, coffee or meal. Big planters have been borrowed temporarily from the stable yard to provide at least some softening. We hope a couple of small, leafy trees will be potted up into large containers to provide a pretty green setting, appropriate for a park. It would be good to see some flowers too. We hear that delivery lorries are being directed across the front of Holland House in order to turn at the Duchess of Bedford Gate. This is disappointing as a great deal of work has been done over the years to reduce traffic in the park.

Holland House conservation

The conservation plan for Grade 1-listed Holland House is being drawn up in three stages. Work on Stage 1, the roof and facings of the main building, should commence in autumn 2018. Work on the East Wing, leased to the youth hostel, is scheduled for 2019 as Stage 2. Stage 3 will cover the walkways, though it is not yet known if this includes conservation of the tiles. We are delighted to hear that conservation is at last going to happen as it is very much needed and also overdue.

Thanks due to Opera Holland Park

When planning consent was sought for the opera's ancillary buildings for the years 2018-2020, the application was for the opera to occupy the site from 12 March to the end of September, in line with their lease. In the consent report it was noted that there was an agreement between The Friends of Holland Park and Michael Volpe, General Director of Opera Holland Park (OHP), to work together to reduce the build and deconstruct time so that the Holland House terrace could be open to the public for longer each year. I can report that just over four weeks has been shaved off the working time this year, without affecting performance dates. There is no promise of precise timing for next year because it is weather dependent, but I feel there is enough trust to know that we are well on the way to having the terrace open to the public for longer each year than it has been in the past. Many thanks are due to you Michael and to Nic Watson, Operations Manager of OHP.

Belvedere tower

The renovation work has taken far longer than expected and the end date is still not clear. Not only would we all like a view of the elegant tower on this listed building, but I think many will be pleased to see the contractor's compound and equipment removed from the car park, where it takes up an unacceptable amount of space.

Adventure playground

Planning consent for the much needed improvements has been granted and work, including drainage channels to prevent flooding, is due to start this October. The installations will be of natural wood, rather than the current gaudy constructions, so they fit more appropriately into the park environment. It is after all a woodland play area and not a city centre landscape. This is a fundamental overhaul rather than cosmetic change, so it is claimed that the resulting playground should last at least 20-25 years. Consequently the topographical and installation work will take time, and the play area may not be open again until April 2019. Please look out for signage in the park, which will keep you informed on progress.

Cricket nets

Planning consent has been granted for improved cricket nets on the sports field. The bowler's run up will be incorporated into the structure to prevent a line of worn grass on the field. The whole construction will enclose a three-bay practice facility with an artificial grass surface. The cricket cages will be surrounded by a 3-metre security fence to prevent misuse and damage which, sad to say, is a problem with the current nets. It will also ensure stray cricket balls do not endanger others in the area. The work is due to start sometime in October. Again, please watch out for information signs in the park.

Text and photos: Jennie Kettlewell

[Autumn 2018]

Holland Park Conservation Volunteers

Jennie Kettlewell

Photo by Gerald McEnery

[Autumn 2018]

Concert on Sunday, 9 December, at 7.30pm in the Orangery

Christmas Concert

You will just be in time to book for our musical event heralding Christmas: our concert of carols sung by The Tallis Chamber Choir, conducted by Philip Simms, and you the audience, of course. Do not forget the seasonal, and often amusing, readings to go with it, all rounded off by Janice Miles's mouth-watering canapés and a glass of wine or two to follow. Tickets are £22.

Click here to book online.

[Autumn 2018]

2018

Tuesday 23 October

Kids can be Holland Park Detectives!

Children can imagine they are Holland Park detectives, spotting things in the park and putting a tick against the pictures on the specially designed activity sheet.

When they have found as many as they can, they can come and claim their Holland Park Detective badge from the Friends of Holland Park desk in the Café Yard. Join in or just drop by and have a chat. Please mention this to any of your friends and family who are not members of the Friends. You do not have to be a member to join in the fun, and it is free.

The Friends will be there from 10.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., with kids' activity sheets (free) to hand out, information on the park, and copies of the Children's Guide to Exploring Holland Park for sale. The guide is packed with fabulous things to discover, interesting facts and lots of fun activities. At 36 pages it will provide many hours of happy occupation, and all for only £5. Buy it at the Friends' desk on 23 October, or order a copy from our secretary, Rhoddy Wood, Tel. 020 7602 0304 / rhoddy.wood@virgin.net, or order it here.

2018

Saturday 20 October

Autumn tree walk with Dr Alan Harrington

Meet in Stable Yard. 11-1pm

Free and no booking needed.

2018

Saturday 13 October

Bird-Ringing Demo: See Birds Close up

The bird-ringing demonstration is a great opportunity to see some of Holland Park's birds close up. Once a bird has been safely caught in a mist net, a specially trained ringer will hold the bird gently to show detail of the markings, wing feathers and how the ring is painlessly attached. The bird's size and weight are logged, along with the number on the ring, allowing useful information to be tracked on each ringed bird.

Drop in to Holland Park's Wildlife Enclosure in the north of the park from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. Bring the children: this event, which is sponsored by The Friends, is great for all ages.

Photo: Male and female blackcaps by Jennie Kettlewell

[Autumn 2018]

Dates for your Diary

Annual General Meeting 2018: Report

All FHP events in the diary are printed in bold. The Friends' Nature Walks (NW) are continuing to be led by varying regulars who have the requisite skills and commitment. We will have a one-and-a-half-hour stroll through the park looking at birds, plants, butterflies and park management of current interest. There is no charge, and all are welcome without booking. Meet outside the Stable Yard at 9am on the first Saturday of each month. No dogs, please, as even well behaved ones on leads disturb the wildlife. We recommend you bring binoculars if you can.

The Ecology team have, yet again, planned an exciting programme of talks, walks and events for the year ahead, all aimed at encouraging children and adults to explore and understand the natural world we are lucky enough to have around us in Holland Park. In order that the events can be free for participants, The Friends will continue to sponsor the walks and talks that are led by independent experts in their field and ensure their costs are covered.

Events organised by the Ecology Service of RBKC are listed as 'ES'; where FHP have sponsored them, this is indicated. Unless otherwise stated, the meeting place is in the Ecology Centre near the Adventure Playground. Some must be booked, in which case please call 020 7938 8186 or e-mail ecology.centre@rbkc.gov.uk. There is a charge for those marked £.

Holland Park Conservation Volunteer days (for adults) are every third Saturday of the month from 10.30am to 3.30pm; meet outside the café. No specialist skills are required, and this is your chance to make new friends while getting healthy outdoor exercise: digging, chopping and planting in the wilder parts of the park. Tea, gloves, tools and instructions provided. Wear sturdy shoes and old clothes, and bring waterproofs and your lunch. For further information from the Ecology Team visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/ecology, call 020 7938 8186 or e-mail ecology.centre@rbkc.gov.uk.

Thurs 5 July    ES. Summer tree walk: the basics. Rhoddy Wood. Must book. 6.30-8pm

Sat 7 July    NW

Sat 14 July    ES. Pond surveying: Wildlife Area Open Day. 12 noon-4pm

Thurs 19 July    ES. Wild plants of Holland Park walk (sponsored). Must book. 6.30-8pm

Mon 23 July - Fri 31 Aug    ES. Children's summer holiday activities. Must book. £

Tues 24 July    Pimm's in the Park, marquee at east end of Dutch Garden, 6-8pm, £18

Thurs 26 July  ES. Herb magic: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in. 12-4pm

Sat 28 July    ES. Damselflies and dragonflies walk (sponsored). Must book. 2-4pm

Thurs 2 Aug    ES. Spot the ladybird: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in. 12-4pm

Sat 4 Aug    NW

Thurs 9 Aug    ES. Brilliant butterflies: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in. 12-4pm

Sat 25 Aug    ES. Holland Park botany walk. Meet at café. 2-4pm

Thurs 30 Aug    ES. Top of the crops: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in. 12-4pm

Sat 1 Sept    NW

Sat 8 Sept    ES. Holland Park storytelling walk (families with children over 5 years). Must book

Thurs 13 Sept  ES. Autumn bat walk (sponsored). Must book. 7-8.30pm

Sat 22 Sept    ES. Autumn leaves, Wildlife Area. Drop in. 12-4pm

Thurs 27 Sept     ES. Hedgehog talk (sponsored). Must book. 6.30-8pm

Sat 6 Oct    NW

Sat 13 Oct    ES. Bird-ringing demonstration (sponsored). Drop in at Wildlife Area. 7-11am

Sat 20 Oct     Autumn tree walk. Dr Alan Harrington. Meet in Stable Yard. 11-1pm

Mon 22 - Fri 26 Oct  ES. Children's half-term holiday activities. Must book. £

Thurs 25 Oct    ES. Batty bats: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop-in. 12-4pm

Thurs 25 Oct   'Holland Park's Cup of Tea', in the Orangery, 7pm, £18

Fri 2 Nov    ES. Children's Night Safari (4-8 year-olds). Must book. £

Sat 3 Nov    NW

Sat 3 Nov    Fungi foray (sponsored). Must book, 2-4pm

Fri 9 Nov    ES. Children's Night Safari (8-12 year-olds). Must book. £

[Summer 2018]

It felt like a summer's evening in The Orangery on 20 April: the sun was shining, the air was warm, the children and peacocks were crying out merrily across the lawn. Inside was the glittering display of glass, ceramics, bronze sculptures, not to mention the screens against both walls covered with art works of the highest standard, a standard which we have come to expect of our annual art exhibition. The browsers had been put to one side to make space for chairs, for this was our concert night, this time blessed with the delightful combination of flautist and harpist, a duo known as Heavenly Duets, normally made up of Anne Allen (flute) and Cecily Beer (harp), but Cecily having that morning been taken ill, Portuguese-born Zita Silva replaced her at a few hours' notice, giving us a highly accomplished performance without a pluck out of place. Anne Allen's flute playing was beautifully expressive: one could hear at once in the opening piece, the second movement of Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto, how much she loved what she was playing.

We were treated to more classical music, by Saint-Saëns, Massenet, Debussy and the French harpist, Marcel Tournier, before Mike Abrams stood up from the audience to tell us about his composition, Suite in the Old Style, of which we were to hear the world première. He reassured us that, as the title suggested, this was not going to be in the style of a composer like Stockhausen; indeed, the three movements were perfectly accessible and a great pleasure to hear.

The second half took on a lighter mood, with British folksong arrangements, Mancini's Moon River and Gershwin's Embraceable You. Instead of the billed Entr'acte by Ibert, the concert was rounded off with Lord Henry Somerset's A Song of Sleep. Anne read out the poem, also written by the composer, assuring us that, in this cruel world, sleep is a great consoler. Despite this soothing finale, the audience did not fall asleep but helped to remove the chairs in order to make way for wine and Janice Miles's delicious canapés.

Joy Puritz

Photo of Zita and Anne rehearsing in the afternoon of the concert by Sandra French

[July 2018]

Landscape in the Making

The elegant brick-lined passage pictured here is an old private sewer for Holland House, found under the terrace during the recent landscaping work.

Xanthe Quayle of Camlin Lonsdale, the landscape architects who designed the scheme, gave us a fascinating glimpse of the unexpected discoveries during the work on the terrace:  hollow chambers, dressed kerbstones, crazy drainage and unexplained walls. Each new find had to be explored and dealt with before work could continue. The laid paving finish on the planning application all looks relatively simple, but it is what is under the ground that has proved to be the real challenge.

The audience were clearly impressed with Xanthe and her team's attention to detail in choice of stone types, colours and variation for the paving, all of which had to take account of the huge weight of the Opera Holland Park auditorium canopy and the 50-ton crane needed to install it. Not, by any means, a simple commission, added to which Xanthe explained that a project of this magnitude would normally be allowed 18 months, rather than the six month winter break between opera seasons.

The terrace will be a great place to sit in the winter sun, to admire Holland House and its new environment, but we will not be able to do this until the end of September. At that point we will be able to enjoy the pinks, ochres and pale greys of the different stones. We will write a more detailed article in our winter newsletter.

Jennie Kettlewell

Photo by Camlin Lonsdale

[July 2018]

Artisan du Chocolat

After founding the chocolatier business in 2000, Gerard Coleman is still hands-on in the production atelier so that he can focus full attention on finding the finest ingredients, and on quality, which is his passion. In the shops it is the aroma that first strikes you, then the wonderful display of irresistible chocolate. Go on, treat yourself! And do try their hot chocolate drink as you won't have experienced anything quite so indulgent before.

Offer: 25% discount on all in-store purchases.

Participating branches of Artisan du Chocolat are:

246 Kensington High Street, London, W8 6DN.  t. 020 7348 0381

81 Westbourne Grove, London W2 4UL.  t. 0845 270 6696 (option 2)

89 Lower Sloane Street, London SW1W 8DA. t. 0845 270 6996 (option 3)

www.artisanduchocolat.com

Jeroboams' new shop

We are very pleased to announce that the newest branch of Jeroboams is the latest local business to join our Friends & Neighbours scheme. The store offers a wide choice of wines both classic and from lesser-known interesting producers. There is a selection of spirits, some of which you might not find easily elsewhere. Do visit soon and ask manager, Philippe Berthome, to suggest some summer drinking. They also provide glasses and ice, delivered with your drinks for your summer parties. Jeroboams fine food and wines in Holland Park has been with us since we launched our programme.

Offer: 10% discount on all purchases from both these shops, when no other promotional discounts apply. Certain products are excluded from the discount, at the discretion of the manager:

254 Kensington High Street, London W8 6ND.  t. 020 7348 0644.

96 Holland Park Ave, London W11 3RB. t. 020 7727 9359. www.jeroboams.co.uk

[July 2018]

News Update as at 11 June 2018

Holland House Terrace

Contractors, Blakedown, formally handed the newly resplendent Holland House terrace back the Council at 9.30 a.m. on 19 March. An hour later Opera Holland Park started work on their build for this year's season. It is a great credit to Camlin Lonsdale and Blakedown that they were only one week later than the scheduled date, considering the real challenges found under the ground they were paving. We will see the full beauty of the new landscaping after the opera season. Thanks are due to Opera Holland Park for shaving time off the deconstruct time last autumn and a speedier build this spring. The intention is that there will be a ticketed celebration on the terrace for members, stakeholders, Council officers and elected members, and of course those who carried out this large project. We think this is likely to be in the early evening on Tuesday, 25 September. Watch the website and noticeboards in the park for details.

Photo by Camlin Lonsdale

Café Yard

The café's south terrace is now open and attracting custom. By the time you read this, the work on the full extent of the café's outside area should be completed, and the capacity will have increased from 80 to 170 seats. This has been partly achieved by opening up the area under the western arches, previously used for storage. The café will look wonderful but a little stark to begin with, and we need to green it up as appropriate for a park.

Photo by Jennie Kettlewell

Nature Play Area

You might have noticed the flourishing living willow classroom that has appeared in the Nature Play Area just to the north of the Ecology Centre. This is part of a wider project being worked on by the Ecology team and The Friends. Some years ago, this area was given free access as a children's play area, but its popularity was its undoing, and the result was compaction, loss of ground cover, loss of habitat and damaged trees. It had to be closed to the public and has not re-opened. The intention is to have limited and supervised access by a single gate and path to the willow classroom. Woodland management work will produce a healthy canopy layer, an understorey of shrubs and green ground cover as an attractive and appropriate environment for children to learn about nature. The Friends will work with Ecology to re-apply to the Mayor's Greener City Fund, with the fund opening for applications from July 2018. Funds are needed to cover the cost of volunteer work, materials and planting. We have received feedback on why the 2017 bid was unsuccessful, and have been advised to limit future access to avoid re-compaction and to guard against 'woodland gardening' i.e. pretty flowers that are not in keeping with natural woodland.

Holland House Conservation

Conservation of Holland House remains well overdue, considering the schedule set out in the Conservation Management Plan for the Grade-1-listed building. We heard that a condition report was sent to Historic England who were considering their response to the Council's proposals for essential work. It would be of great concern if this grand listed building did not live up to its new environment.

Adventure Playground

This playground is well used and popular, with the result that it is suffering from the wear and tear of many years. Plans for a much improved playground, including draining works, have been agreed under a Certificate of Lawful Development, which did not require consultation. Planning consent was, however, required for the equipment over four metres in height, and a decision is due by 26 June. The Friends' concern was the application to fell 12 trees. After discussion between RBKC Park Management, a Council tree officer and trustees, it was established that several of these trees were poor specimens that needed to be removed on safety grounds, and some others would jeopardise the drainage needed to prevent the playground from flooding. The contention was about three horse chestnuts, two of which were not especially good specimens and not expected to last more than ten years. Given that this costly renovation is expected to last at least 20-25 years, it has reluctantly been decided to achieve the best possible playground and drainage solution, and replace the chestnuts with trees that will last the course.

Photo by Erect Architecture Robert Bray Associates

Tree donated by The Friends

An excellent start to the greening up of the café area is the new Acer freemanii 'Autumn Blaze', donated by The Friends and looking splendid in the Café Yard. This semi-mature specimen was planted on 25 May by Cllr David Lindsay (Lead Member for Healthy City Living) and chairman of The Friends, Jennie Kettlewell. To ensure it thrives in this paved area, there is an impressive 2-cubic-metre structure under the ground, which will allow the air and water to reach the roots, without compaction.

Belvedere tower

We are surprised that this renovation work is not yet completed. In order to improve the temporary appearance for those hiring the Belvedere and Orangery, we understand that the scaffolding will be covered with a scenic screen, depicting the tower beneath it.

Children's Guide to Exploring Holland Park

Children will love this new book packed with fabulous things to discover, interesting facts and lots of fun activities. At 36 pages, there is enough to keep kids occupied through the holidays and over many visits, so you do not have to think up ideas to occupy them. We were advised by children (6-10-year-olds) who told us what they really, really liked and what simply did not interest them; and we listened. If you have children, small relatives or friends with kids, do not deny them the chance to try out the word searches, spotting challenges, nature drawing, 'spot the difference' and dot-to-dot pictures.   Price £6.50 including postage.

Order online here.

Talk on Thursday, 25 October, at 7pm in The Orangery

Holland Park's Cup of Tea

Holland Park has a long history of growing glorious camellias. This June it added Camellia sinensis, the plant that produces tea. Our speaker, Jonathon Jones, knows all about camellias and tea, because he established the first British tea plantation at the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall.

Tickets are £18, to include Janice Miles' delicious canapés, wine, and we might even get a tea cocktail!

For further information click here.

Click here to book online

[Summer 2018]

Gelato Mio

Gelato Mio's aim is to bring real Italian Gelato to London, preparing all the gelato themselves with natural, uncomplicated recipes, fresh ingredients and traditional Italian recipes. The Holland Park shop was the first Gelato Mio to open in London, built to an Italian design and offering a real feel of Italy with a range of authentic Italian coffee, panini and patisserie.

138 Holland Park Avenue, London W11 4UE.  www.gelatomio.co.uk  t. 020 7727 4117

Offer: 10% off all purchases in the Holland Park Avenue shop.

[Removed May 2018]

Dates for your Diary

All FHP events in the diary are printed in bold. The Friends' Nature Walks (NW) are continuing to be led by varying regulars who have the requisite skills and commitment. We will have a one-and-a-half-hour stroll through the park looking at birds, plants, butterflies and park management of current interest. There is no charge, and all are welcome without booking. Meet outside the Stable Yard at 9am on the first Saturday of each month. No dogs, please, as even well behaved ones on leads disturb the wildlife. We recommend you bring binoculars if you can.

The Ecology team have, yet again, planned an exciting programme of talks, walks and events for the year ahead, all aimed at encouraging children and adults to explore and understand the natural world we are lucky enough to have around us in Holland Park. In order that the events can be free for participants, The Friends will continue to sponsor the walks and talks that are led by independent experts in their field and ensure their costs are covered.

Events organised by the Ecology Service of RBKC are listed as 'ES'; where FHP have sponsored them, this is indicated. Unless otherwise stated, the meeting place is in the Ecology Centre near the Adventure Playground. Some must be booked, in which case please call 020 7938 8186 or e-mail ecology.centre@rbkc.gov.uk. There is a charge for those marked £.

Holland Park Conservation Volunteer days (for adults) are every third Saturday of the month from 10.30am to 3.30pm; meet outside the café. No specialist skills are required, and this is your chance to make new friends while getting healthy outdoor exercise: digging, chopping and planting in the wilder parts of the park. Tea, gloves, tools and instructions provided. Wear sturdy shoes and old clothes, and bring waterproofs and your lunch. For further information from the Ecology Team visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/ecology, call 020 7938 8186 or e-mail ecology.centre@rbkc.gov.uk.

Thurs 5 July    ES. Summer tree walk: the basics. Rhoddy Wood. Must book        6.30-8pm

Sat 7 July    NW

Sat 14 July    ES. Pond surveying: Wildlife Area Open Day             12 noon-4pm

Thurs 19 July    ES. Wild plants of Holland Park walk (sponsored). Must book        6.30-8pm

Mon 23 July -  ES. Children's summer holiday activities. Must book. £

Fri 31 Aug

Tues 24 July    Pimm's in the Park, marquee at east end of Dutch Garden, £18          6-8pm

Thurs 26 July  ES. Herb magic: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in           12-4pm

Sat 28 July    ES. Damselflies and dragonflies walk (sponsored). Must book        2-4pm

Thurs 2 Aug    ES. Spot the ladybird: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in      12-4pm

Thurs 9 Aug    ES. Brilliant butterflies: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in    12-4pm

Sat 25 Aug    ES. Holland Park botany walk. Meet at café                    2-4pm

Thurs 30 Aug    ES. Top of the crops: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop in      12-4pm

Sat 8 Sept    ES. Holland Park storytelling walk (families with children over 5 years).

Must book

Thurs 13 Sept  ES. Autumn bat walk (sponsored). Must book                   7-8.30pm

Sat 22 Sept       ES. Autumn leaves, Wildlife Area. Drop in                     12-4pm

Thurs 27 Sept     ES. Hedgehog talk (sponsored). Must book                       6.30-8pm

Sat 13 Oct     ES. Bird-ringing demonstration (sponsored). Drop in at Wildlife

Area          7-11am

Sat 20 Oct     Autumn tree walk. Dr Alan Harrington. Meet in Stable Yard      11-1pm

Mon 22 - Fri     Children's half-term holiday activities. Must book. £

26 Oct

Thurs 25 Oct     ES. Batty bats: Ecology Centre Open Afternoon. Drop-in          12-4pm

Thurs 25 Oct     'Holland Park's Cup of Tea' (see p.3), in the Orangery, £18           7pm

Fri 2 Nov     Children's Night Safari (4-8 year-olds). Must book. £

Sat 3 Nov     Fungi foray (sponsored). Must book                        2-4pm

Fri 9 Nov     Children's Night Safari (8-12 year-olds). Must book. £

[Spring 2018]

You are now able to make payments to The Friends of Holland Park directly from this website. Payments may be made for new membership, renewing membership, event tickets, art exhibition entries and merchandise.

Payment is made through PayPal, but you are not required to have a PayPal account; you can make payment from your debit or credit card.

It is no longer possible to download an order form from this website and pay by cheque. We apologise if this is an inconvenience for you, but it makes good sense for The Friends administratively. Paid-up members will still receive an order form with their quarterly newsletters.

If you have any problems, please contact Rhoddy Wood on 020 7602 0304 or Rhoddy.wood@virgin.net.

[January 2018]

Membership Cards and Subscriptions

Those of you who use your membership cards to receive discounts when shopping with some of our Friends & Neighbours, might have noticed that the end of February is when your card expires. A new green one is enclosed with your Spring newsletter if our records show you as having paid your subscription for 2018. All subscriptions were due on 1 January except for those who joined after 1 September 2017. If we think you have not yet paid, there will be no membership card and your enclosed order form will be green, with a standing order form on the back. Over 600 of our members use standing orders, as it means they never have to remember again, and it helps our treasurer too.

There is now a further choice of method to pay which is to pay online via this website, paying with your credit/debit card or by PayPal. This avoids the hassle and expense of finding an envelope, cheque and stamp, but cannot be combined with a standing order. You can, however, click on a very obvious yellow button if you want to add a further donation, as some of our members do.

Current minimum rates are £12 or £9 for the over 65s, with joint subscriptions available for two people at the same address for £20, or £15 where both are over 65. You will agree these are very modest sums, but we keep them low to enable all to join.

Our records are not infallible, so do contact Rhoddy on 020 7602 0304 or rhoddy.wood@virgin.net if you have a query.

However you pay, we are most grateful for your support as it gives us clout in all our dealing with the Borough and other bodies.

[Spring 2018]

Defibrillators in Holland Park

We have been asked to let our members know about the availability of defibrillators in Holland Park. All Parks Police vehicles are equipped with a defibrillator and there is also one in the Holland Park Police Office in the Stable Yard. If you find someone in Holland Park in need of a defibrillator (not breathing or appears to be suffering a heart attack), please call 999. This will alert the London Ambulance Service. Any call made to the London Ambulance Service concerning someone in our parks and open spaces, is automatically forwarded to the Parks Police duty phone. This is to ensure the fastest possible response until an ambulance arrives.

Christmas Carol Concert

There was a good audience on the 10 December in the Orangery for the 18th visit by the Tallis Chamber Choir and their conductor, Philip Simms. With the wide range of carols, in terms of both period and nationality, beautifully performed, and the wonderful food provided by Janice Miles, it was a great way to start the Christmas season.