Category: Friends of Torr Park

The Friends of Torr Park in Eastham Village works with the Council to promote Torr Park as a safe and enjoyable family environment. It advises the Council on areas that need attention and suggests measures to improve the site, such as maintenance, equipment renewal, litter collection, anti-vandal ideas, sports and events. It looks forward to the return of village cricket to the Park.

Volunteers Day

Children’s Play Equipment in Torr Park, Eastham

The second Friends of Torr Park “volunteer day” will take place on Saturday 27th April. The aim again is to clear brambles and other intrusive species from the Rhodedendron bushes in the centre of the park. Also, depending on numbers etc., there will be litter picking equipment that could be utilised or there may be opportunity to cut back some of the ivy growing on the trees.

The intention is to start at 9.00 am and the day will conclude around 3.00 pm. We would welcome any volunteers willing to assist and it is understood this may be for a shorter period, an hour for example would be fine and much appreciated. You are of course very welcome to come for the whole period.

Torr Park Pavilion

The former cricket pavilion in Torr Park has been ‘lent’ to the Friends of Torr Park as a place to store their equipment and rest after their labours in the Park.

Umpires coats hanging where they were left in 2018

The graffiti-covered building has been an eyesore ever since the cricketers left pre covid.

When the door was opened, it looked like a time warp. The interior had remained untouched since the last game; the umpire’s coats were left hanging, ready for the next game, and photos and trophies still adorned the walls.

Cricket has been played in Eastham for over 150 years – it’s time to resume the tradition.

Working Party in Torr Park

Steve Bailey’s Friends of Torr Park held their first working party just before Easter. Seven enthusiastic Friends turned out to begin the task of de-weeding the Rhodo beds, which are a feature of the Park in the spring. These have become overgrown with brambles, elders, and other material that shouldn’t be there (the definition of a weed is ‘a plant in the wrong place’).

Two one-tonne polybags and several brown bins were filled and removed from the site. The larger branches were left for the council’s chipper the following day. The chippings will be recycled on the beds to act as mulch and prevent further regrowth.

Branches awaiting the council's chipper
Branches awaiting the chipper
Chipped ready for recycling

Meeting with local Parks manager

The Friends of Torr Park and The Graveyard Team will meet with Carl Davies, the Council’s Parks manager for the Eastham area, on the 25th January. It is hoped the Graveyard Team will be able to organise the co-ordination between the Council’s workforce and the Graveyard volunteers to manage everyone’s time and input more effectively. The Torr Park contingent will be seeking to understand how the Council will be operating and what the priorities are for the Friends Group

Eastham’s St Mary’s Church. The graveyard seen through the lych-gate

Friends of Torr Park

Let's get cricket back to Torr Park

The Friends of Torr Park Group is now active again under the umbrella of EVPA. Its mission is to work with the Council to improve the Park for all users.

If you have any ideas that will help this ambition please leave a comment.