Friends of Arnot Hill Park Working With Gedling Borough Council

• About Arnot Hill Park
• What is The Friends of Arnot Hill Park?
• What does it involve?
• Who can join?
• How can I join?

About Arnot Hill Park

Arnot Hill Park dates back to 1792 where it originated as a villa landscape to compliment the house built by John Hawksley, a Nottingham manufacturer and mill owner. Many changes have taken place since that time to both the house and the grounds occupying Arnot Hill Park e.g. the house has been rebuilt on at least two occasions and the lake which dates back to the original mill pond has seen many changes to it since the Daybrook stream once flowed through and fed the lake.

In its time the park has had a colourful range of uses and activities dating back to 1919 following the end of the First World War, when it was formally opened to the public as an open space for the people of Arnold. Over the years activities have included maypole dancing, tennis, bowls, fishing and a bandstand that lasted from the Coronation of 1937 to 1970.

The Council currently hosts one annual major event in the park; this is the Arnold Carnival, which in 2006 is in its sixth year.  Attendances at the event totalled in excess of 20,000 visitors last year. In addition the park also hosts an annual play event with Nottinghamshire County Council, which in 2005 attracted around 2,000 children, young people their families, carers and support workers.

More recently, the Council in partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund have restored much of the park back to its former glory as can be seen in the illustrated photographs.

Over the past 5 years a range of developments have been undertaken to refurbish and rejuvenate the park to the benefit of a wide range of users. This has included improvements to the lake itself, the provision of a new refreshment kiosk, the development of a skate park facility and a new play area, restoring the rose and sensory gardens, undertaking various planting schemes around the park, reinstating all the walls around the park, refurbishing the gatekeepers lodge and making improvements to the lighting as well as improving security through CCTV cameras.

What Is The Friends of Arnot Hill Park?

The ‘Friends of Arnot Hill Park’ is a group of like minded people who wish to be involved in the voluntary management and development of the park and through their efforts make a real difference in shaping the future of the park for both current users and generations to come.

There are two strands to the ‘Friends of Arnot Hill Park’ , firstly there is a wider group of members who will form part of a network that comes together at certain times of the year to discuss issues and be involved in initiatives to develop the park as well as contributing comments and articles to the group’s newsletter. The second strand will be a core group of members who will manage the regular affairs of the ‘Friends of Arnot Hill Park’ and who will meet on a regular basis and report back to the wider membership.

What Does It Involve?

The Friends of Arnot Hill Park Group will work with Members and Officers of Gedling Borough Council and be involved in a wide range of activities and initiatives of their choice, which will include: -

• Helping to monitor and safeguard the wildlife in the park.
• Looking at ways of educating the various users of the park e.g. on the correct feeding of the wildlife.
• Identifying a range of improvements needed in the park.
• Discussing and improving signage and interpretation of the park.
• Considering educational use of the park by schools and other groups and organising and conducting tours.
• Discussing and helping with the organisation of events held in the park e.g. the Arnold Carnival.
• Organising Friends of Arnot Hill Park events.
• Helping with planting and maintenance of the park.
• Helping with a consultation exercise with users of the park to identify the key issues and future aspirations and needs.
• Assisting with the preparation of an application for Heritage Lottery Funding to make further improvements to the park.
• Assisting in preparing the Arnot Hill Park for a prestigious National Green Flag Award.

Who Can Join The Friends Of Group?

Anyone is welcome to join the ‘Friends of Arnot Hill Park’. We are particularly keen to see a wide representation on the group from a range of interest groups (in no particular order)

• Local residents.
• The Park’s Outdoor Bowls Club.
• Teenagers who use the Skate Park.
• Parents of children and young people who use the Play Area.
• People with disabilities.
• Retired people.
• Those people with an interest in the park’s wildlife.
• Members of the wildlife trust.
• Those people with an interest in the heritage aspects of the park.
• Those people interested in helping with the events e.g. the carnival.
• Those people interested in the caring for the trees and plant life in the park.
• Local Schools.
• Local Businesses.
• Any other users of the park.

How Can I Join The Group?

People who wish to be part of the wider ‘Friends of Arnot Hill Park’ group or sit on the management committee can join by one of the following ways: -

1. Complete the online enrolment form for membership of the wider group or complete the online candidate registration form to join the management committee.
2. By e-mailing your name, address, telephone number and preference to the Parks & Admin Development Officer at parks@gedling.gov.uk or by calling on 0115 901 3603.
3. By coming along to an open meeting of the ‘Friends of Arnot Hill Park’

Online enrolment forms for the "Friends of Arnot Hill Park"

• Fill in the online enrolment form to apply for membership of the wider group of the Friends of Arnot Hill Park here.
• Fill in the online enrolment form to apply to become a member of the Friends of Arnot Hill Park management committee here.
• Fill in the online Arnot Hill Park User Survey here.
• Download the Friends of Arnot Hill Park Information Leaflet here PDF (131KB)

Come and Join Us and Help Shape the Future of Arnot Hill Park.

Working Together To Protect Our Natural Environment For Future Generations To Come