Full steam ahead for spring into the park!
Telford & Wrekin Council is delighted to announce an official celebration of Telford Town Park winning the best park in the UK and being awarded the green flag.
The Town Park was voted the best in the Fields In Trust Awards at the beginning of December – and the council is to celebrate its success at Spring Into The Park between 11am and 4pm on April 2.
The event will a free seasonal celebration of the great outdoors for all the family and will be attended by very special guest Thomas The Tank Engine. Thomas and the Fat Controller will be appearing at intervals throughout the day.
It will include pond dipping, bird box making, bug hunting, walking and exploring. There will also be a petting farm where people will have the chance to hold bunnies and chicks and feed lambs and donkeys.
This year will also see the council starting a new tradition by hosting a Gardening Festival, based in the Queen Elizabeth II Fields In Trust Arena.
This will be made up of a very large marquee hosting stalls from nurseries, garden centres and organisations that have a passion in the gardening sector.
The council will also be hosting a Question Time-style panel which will include experts in their field for the public to ask questions of.
The marquee will also feature activities for families and young people to get involved with, such as planting and Easter arts and crafts.
Steve Ledshan’s Shire and Carriage Horses will also be in the park offering rides around the arena for £1 per person. There will also be an Easter egg hunt ride on a miniature steam train.
Councillor Liz Clare, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Leisure Services and Culture, said: “We were very pleased but not surprised that our beautiful Town Park received national recognition in the Fields In Trust awards and Spring Into The Park is a great opportunity for everyone to celebrate its success.
“I think we’ve lined up an exciting event that has something for all the family and we know that Thomas the Tank Engine will be a huge draw.
“We are looking forward to a fantastic day out and there will be more announcements about what will be there for people to enjoy in the coming weeks.”
Telford Town Park is owned by Telford & Wrekin Council and was nominated for the Fields In Trust award last year by a member of the Friends of Telford Town Park, a group which started in 2003 to help give the park extra care and attention.
Friends of Telford Town Park nominated it because of the range of attractions including new features like the water play, high ropes course and adventure golf, the sensory garden, a fantastic mix of biodiversity and nature reserve as well as the more formal gardens.
The Telford Town Park Arena is protected by Fields In Trust as a Queen Elizabeth II Field and is the focal point for a variety of community and business events.
There were 122 parks nominated nationwide and 8,000 public votes cast. It was the first time Fields In Trust had given out awards based on people’s votes.
Fields In Trust is the only UK wide charity which protects and improves outdoor space for people to enjoy.
