Barnes in Bloom November 2016
The Church Road Planters are nearly completed and the walls repaired – slightly later than planned. There were gaps left in the planting where the walls needed fixing and those gaps will be planted next week (first week of December). Emma Robinson and I met with Richard Kempton of SW Trains Community Liaison, who has a budget for improving the stations on our route. We are looking to add 4 large planters provided by the Bee Friendly Trust on the platforms at Barnes Bridge and a welcoming planter near the ticket machine on the Long Walk side. I have a meeting arranged with the council to see how that might be made possible.
The barrier troughs and planters at the river wall end of the High Street have been given their winter makeover and people are really beginning to appreciate what the council, in conjunction with your BCA, are doing to brighten our dead areas year round.
Russell organised the annual bulb planting on the Green and we numbered about 25 hardy souls and planted 3,000+ narcissi and crocus in various locations around the perimeter towards the brook.
Barnes Green is about to be officially the 1st ever Dementia Friendly Park in Richmond Borough and there is now a 6 – 8 week programme of re-surfacing paths, additional benches installed and access to the pond being improved. Features such as distinctive exits and entries, ‘way-marked’ routes, a meeting point and information sheets will also be developed as a result of the previous consultation. Fish and the Alzheimers Society and their clients, the Town Team and residents played a large part in that consultation – helping the council and us to understand the needs of this group. We hope it will improve the Health & Wellbeing of all and come the spring, Barnes Green will be an even more delightful place to enjoy.
I would also like to add that Kingston Hospital has recently opened a re-furbished Derwent Ward, giving anyone with dementia a very much more attractive and congenial place to stay if needed. Kingston’s fund raising for dementia facilities is making a huge difference for residents of this area.
Nicki Urquhart