Projects
Childrens' playground
In 1998 Dulwich Park Friends started a campaign for a new playground by collecting a petition of over 750 signatures and presenting a deputation to Southwark Council. Fundraising by the Friends produced £20,000. After a user survey and a public consultation on designs, Phase 1 of the playground - for 0-10 year olds - was completed in June 1999. 300 questionnaires were then sent out to local schools to 11-16 year olds which indicated very poor facilities for this age group in Southwark. We made a second deputation to the Council and Phase 2 was designed. The Friends raised a further £35,000 from applications to grant trusts and Phase 2 was completed in July 2000.
Winter Garden
The Winter Garden, near the Court Lane gates, was designed by Professor Isaac Marks and planted by the Walworth Garden Farm. It was created to add winter interest to the park. Dulwich Park Friends raised £4,000 for the project and it was planted in November 2001.
Greening the Park
Greening the Park was a campaign to convert the old contractors' yard at the Old College gate into a car park so the rest of the park could be traffic-free - at the time cars could drive all around the Carriage Drive and park indiscriminately which spoilt the enjoyment of the park. The campaign was launched on 19 May 2001 with a traffic-free Fun Day, which showed how peaceful the park could be without traffic. Over 1000 laps of the park were completed by cyclists, runners and pram-pushers. Local councillors, Tessa Jowell and local headteachers all gave their support, and over 1,000 signatures were presented to Southwark Council. We worked with the Council on the scheme and proposals for the disabled and elderly to continue to access the park. Dulwich Park Friends raised £20,000 towards the new car park and it was opened in October 2003.
Skateboard park
A group of local teenagers approached Dulwich Park Friends in 2001 asking our help to campaign for a skateboard park in Dulwich. Designs were produced and we made a deputation to Dulwich Community Council for funding of £20,000 and were successful. After much consultation it was agreed that the skateboard park would be located in Belair Park and it was completed in April 2004.
Village Copse
The Village Copse was planted at the northern end of the West Lawns, close to the Francis Peek Centre, in January 2006. The Dulwich Village Preservation Society donated £10,750 to create the copse and it was designed by two Dulwich Park Friends committee members, Stella Benwell and David Nicholson-Lord. 20 standard oaks, 1,000 native tree whips and 5,000 bluebells were planted by TRUE (the Trust for Urban Ecology) to commemorate the Society.
Bulb planting
Over 67,000 bulbs have been planted by volunteers from the Dulwich Park Friends Dig the Park campaign since October 2007. These include crocus, scylla, camassia, colchicum and daffodils. £4,000 was raised by a grant from Dulwich Community Council, Dulwich Society and Dulwich Park Friends' own funds.