August 2019

Wow...it's been a scorcher!

Well, where do we start. There was certainly a lot of bouncing at the park, picnics, ice-creams, smiley faces, toasties and playtime. Thank you for visiting us over the summer despite the ongoing parking issue. We really do value your support of the project. A busy park is always the plan and we've certainly achieved that this summer.

Our volunteers are worth their weight in gold!

Our volunteers have been absolute stars, we're sure you can agree!  Hours and hours of valuable volunteer time enables the park cafe to be open with refreshments and toilet facilities 7 days a week. That's quite an achievement. We are extremely grateful to each and every one of them!  

WELCOME to the 'Old Spokes Home'

'Where bikes come to fly'

We told you recently that funding had been secured to create our very own community led cycle hub in the park. The building has arrived and the wheels are very much in motion preparing the area to receive and upcycle bikes, providing an amazing little service to the local community starting mid-Autumn.

We had lots of key words and suggestions for the 'name'. Thank you for your input.

We've decided on 'Old Spokes Home' with Hardie Cycle Hub as our strapline.

Low cost refurbished bicycles will be available for purchase from as little as £25 for a child's bike and from £65 for an adult's bike. We will also have a broad range of new and used parts/accessories for sale at low prices as well as bicycle servicing and maintenance at affordable rates.

Here's a few bullet points as a starter:

• We need a Bike Maintenance Apprentice and we are starting the recruitment process now!
• Here's the full role description
• You can APPLY here 
• We will also need motivated volunteers to help make this happen. If you are interested, have some basic engineering skills or have sales experience to run a mini retail outlet please REGISTER your interest here.
• We are now happy to receive bikes for up-cycling, please email over a photo to rob@friendsofhardiepark.co.uk in the first instance.
• Bikes that we CAN accept need to be cosmetically sound with NO RUST - something that can be worked on not just scrapped (we are unable to store or take 'scrap' bikes)
• At this point in time we can only take bikes delivered. We are unable to collect.

This is a really exciting project enabling the park to help our community access affordable bikes. We will train a young person to learn a valuable skill and deliver the service. At the same time, educate and inform our users regarding safe, affordable cycle use, maintenance and travel.

The project will have its own social media presence and dedicated website soon. Watch this space for details and we hope you like and follow us to keep up with our development.

Adam's mission accomplished

A huge thank you to Adam Kortlandt who managed to raise £532.54 including gift aid by completing the Prudential Ride London.  He soldiered through the 100 mile course after putting in hours of training prior to the 5th of August. 

Rider Number: 23158  - Completed in 6 hours : 38 mins : 23 secs

Thank you to everyone who donated, followed his progress through training and supported on the day. We are very grateful for the donation. What a champ!

Adam's contribution will go into the slide fund. He certainly helped our dream become reality!

1-2 make it 3 reasons to visit the park this Sunday

Pop along to the park this Sunday 1st Sept. There's something for everyone! The SS17 Tweed and Vintage Ride will be leaving from the park at 12.30pm, come along and see the spectacle. We have some artisan stalls to browse selling homemade wares and Sunday brunch is on the menu in the cafe!

For any detailed information regarding the ride, please email Matt Hill :  thurrockcyclingcampaign@yahoo.co.uk 

Here's an idea of what brunch could look like on Sunday morning! Hope to see you there!

Coming soon...

Thank you for your patience with the humungous slide. As you can see it has been installed. We are waiting for the contractors to return to lay the rubber safety matting and sign-off the installation.

Watch our social media stream for the opening date. It won't be long! Some finishing touches and you'll be soon slip sliding away!

So it's a big thanks to Esso

Following a recent service station upgrade, Esso chose to celebrate the re-opening of the South Ockendon Esso Tesco Alliance Service Station with a presentation of £150 towards landscape improvements at the park and a donation of branded blankets to keep our customers warm whilst enjoying a cappuccino on the decking. Amanda visited us to present the cheque donation which will be used to help finish the landscaping around the new slide. Grass seed and wild flower seeds are on order!

Amanda Maserati, the Esso Territory Manager, says, “This was a major upgrade for the service station involving complete replacement of the underground pipework and an upgrade to the tank monitoring technology. We recognise that it would not have been possible without the patience and support of the local community. We wanted to give something back to the community by way of thanks, and have chosen to build on our existing support for Friends of Hardie Park, which does such an important job in the local community.”

PS If you are on the decking and need a blanket they are now stored behind the front door in the bookcase! Please help yourself.

Thurrock Soup

Hardie Park is a SOCIAL ENTERPRISE.

Thurrock is a place where Social Entrepreneurs (people who start Social Enterprises) can try their idea and make a difference directly in their own community and it is happening all over! From Grays to the Garrison, Linford to Lakeside, Corringham to Chafford Hundred, Ockendon to Orsett and Stanford to Stifford and everywhere in between!

THURROCK SOUP is a great event where you can come and hear some of these ideas pitched, Dragon Den stylee and you can support your favourite one with a fiver - or more if you like (and you get a bowl of soup thrown in!)

We're really excited about the next one at Thameside Cafe in Grays on Sept 18th from 6:30pm, as we'll be hearing from a previous winner, Kara, who takes kids into old people's homes to do art and its changing the lives of the residents and the children, what a brilliant idea!

The event is open to anyone and everyone! Please come, share and invite your friends!

SS17 Look for a Book

What a great little initiative that has been embraced by the local community. Well done to all the proactive parents and children who have participated and to Rachel Clotworthy local resident for making it happen. Here's the FB group link if you want to take part. 

If you would like to hide some books but don't have any to share, or you are spending time in the park and would just like to get involved, you are very welcome to take books from our bookcase to hide!

We have so many and we would love you to share them with the community. Cafe open 9am to 4pm daily.

Volunteers' Macmillan Coffee Morning

Our lovely volunteers have put the date in the diary to support Macmillan Cancer Support. Their coffee morning is at the Hardie Park Cafe from 10am on Friday 27th September. It's buzzing at the park on a Friday with our Gardeners, Shedders and Petanque crew all on site. Please come down and support by buying a hot drink and cake. All proceeds from their sale will go to this well deserved cause.

Moonbeamers pop-up cinema in the park!

Event Date: Fri 27th September 2019 - Book Tickets Here - full event detail in link
Gates Open: 5:30pm Live Entertainment Starts: 6:30pm Film Starts: 7:30pm (approx.)
Ticket Price £12.99 includes live singer and big screen karaoke. Available online only. 

Tell your friends and family, why not get a group together for a fab evening under the stars!

Half-Term Activities

Here's what we've got planned so far over the half-term for the kids.

Wednesday 23rd Oct  - Learn to Knit or Crochet - Starts prompt at 10.30am until 12.30pm - 6 places available with our Hardie Park Craft Ladies - (£2 donation adults - £1 children) First come first served.

Saturday 26th - Halloween Hunt at the Park.  Dress to scare if you dare, we will be having a competition on the day so get your thinking caps on!  Lots of ideas in the pipeline for spooky fun including the annual hunt around the park. Come down to Hardie with your friends and get your FREAK on! Just £3 to enter the hunt and activities.

Tuesday 29th - Spooky Craft with Dee - Two sessions 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm - £1 per craft - No need to book. 

Wednesday 30th - Learn to Knit or Crochet - Starts prompt at 10.30am until 12.30pm - 6 places available with our Hardie Park Craft Ladies - (£2 donation adults - £1  children) First come first served.

Thursday 31st - Pumpkin Carving - £3.50 Full detail to follow.

If you use social media our events are loaded on our facebook page @lovehardiepark Passionate about Hardie Park.

Event Planning Volunteers

If you would like to help get our events up and running we would really appreciate your input. Get in contact via events@friendsofhardiepark.co.uk - Our event team always needs more hands on deck.

If you like planning, sorting on the day, maybe run a stall at an event to fundraise, shake a bucket on the gate, marshall the car park maybe - we would love to have you on board! We have a variety of events over the course of the year and new ideas and talents are always welcome!

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