The Friends Of Derby Arboretum  

 Video Launch

Next Meeting

To be arranged

6:30pm at The Heart of the Park

Heart Of The Park Building

The Heart of the Park Building forms the centre of community activity for the Arboretum and is the main meeting place for the Friends Group.

There has been no news on development regarding the Cafe, and other things such as the fountain would appear to have been abandoned. We are trying to find answers but when dealing with Derby City Council things seem to take an excessively long time to move on.

In the News

Recent negative press coverage was created following complaints about alcoholics gathering in the Arboretum and illegally consuming alcohol at the same time making a nuisance of themselves and abusing regular park visitors.

The problem had arisen due to a confusion over licensing of alcohol on park land, with drinking being permitted at events. The Arboretum has always been designated an "alcoho;l free area" since it opened in 1840 and new regulations brought in recently have declared the whole Normanton Road area as alcohol free. New notices at the entrances to the Arboretum tell visitors that alcohol is NOT permitted on the ste. 

There has been no significant increase in drug abuse on the Arboretum, Park Rangers are reporting very few finds of discarded needles compared with several hundred a week prior to the refurbishment, this reflects a small percentage of a bigger problem that still exists in the surrounding area.

The newspaper report published a remark by a senior councillor for Derby who asked "What are we employing park rangers for?" Well  he should know that park rangers do not have powers of arrest or powers to stop someone drinking on the park, only the police have such powers.

Our park rangers do a magnificent job with low resources and possibly without the level of support from the authorities that they deserve.  Their duties are to look after the park, litter picking, maintain sports equipment, advise visitors and help when requested, clean the toilets, take bookings for sports facilities, organise the playground, patrol the park and to contact the police if there is a problem. 

It is unfortunate that for all their efforts, park rangers are often on the receiving end of unwarranted verbal and sometimes physical abuse from visitors who have no respect for the rules.

 About the Meeting - 6:30pm Thursday July 20^th 2006

Ever wondered what to do with the kids during the school holidays?

www.whattodowiththekids.co.uk

This is an independent website offering information on events to entertain the family during the school holidays.

You can also promote your own event here.

Friends of Derby Arboretum Meeting

Election of Committee Members April 6^th 2006: 

Although we had a low turnout we were able to confirm the positions on the committee as follows

Chair: Jangir Khan

Vice Chair: Christopher Harris

Treasurer: Mr. Hussain

Secretary: Margaret Webster

Next  meeting :- To be arranged

The Friends Group is currently looking at the possibility of setting up a volunteer ranger service to assist the official rangers with the day-to-day running of the Arboretum.

We need litter pickers, marshals to help with events, possible assistance with planting flowers etc. and maintenance of vases.

There are many other you can help to look after the Arboretum,

email Chris our Vice Chair  for details or ideas you may have for taking care of our park

See Mike's Website "Derby's Urban Bodger" HERE

Photograph Copyright © Christopher Harris 

2002-2005