The idea
Manor Park is 'Sutton's back garden' and we want to bring the community and our High Street together to deliver activities for the whole community. Most of us are exhausted by the pandemic and many of us have been affected personally and financially and are feeling isolated and lonely. We want to help us all to recover and come together again with safe and healthy outdoor activities. You've already helped us to identify lots of activities- yoga, storytelling, arts activities, but what else would YOU like? Give us your ideas and we'll help to make them happen!
We want to celebrate Sutton by creating an arts project together (Sutton as One) showing how we feel about our community, bringing families together in creating a giant canvas to be displayed in the borough.
Manor Park is Sutton's most popular park and is the garden for many families with no outside space. Our research shows that local people love our park and would like to see free activities for the whole community.
What we'll deliver
- Commission a community arts project for Sutton
- Interactive and inclusive Story telling for children through the Summer
- Work with the community to provide a mix of fun and educational activities for all
- Provide inclusive Tai Chi
- Outdoor drawing classes
- Picnic with music in August
- Community yoga
Why it's a great idea
Let's all play, learn and create in Sutton's very own back garden!
Last year, we raised money for trees and a social orchard and this year we want to work with the Council and Mayor's Fund to provide activities that help everyone to come together and enjoy our lovely park. This exciting project will -
Bring outdoor arts and sports projects to families and individuals, helping to bring the community together and improving mental and physical wellbeing.
Bring storytelling to the younger children, firing up their imaginations in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Bring opportunities for local small businesses, social entrepreneurs and artists to showcase their work (and get paid for doing it)
Bring an arts project to the town centre where everyone can share their hopes for a better Sutton
Bring opportunities for shoppers in our revived High Street to connect with their local park.
Be community led and unique to Sutton.
Bring us all together and improve health and physical and mental wellbeing
Steps to get it done
- Consulting with the community to find out which activities they would like to see in the park
- Consulting with local community groups, artists and teachers to establish costings and dates
- Work with partners (sutton New town community Festival, council etc) to establish a diarised programme
- Look for match funding
- Write risk assessments and covid-safe protocols for each activity
- Obtain any necessary permissions for the council for specific events
- Promote the concept and activities
- Start to deliver events June 2021
- Socially distanced drawing classes to commence June 2021
- Yoga/Tai Chi to commence June 2021
- Park Toddle July 2021
- Storytime activities commence early July 2021
- Sutton as One art project late July 2021
- Chalk Art Paths August 2021
- Environment challenge August 2021
- Summertime Big Picnic end august 2021
- Monthly planning and monitoring with partners
- Free yoga sessions during August 2021
- Environment challenge wih mini beasts August 2021
Manor Park is right in the town centre and would benefit from being more integrated with the High Street, which is struggling, as are many post-Covid. We have talked to parents, children and other park users to find out what activities they would like to see and have come up with a flexible programme that can be adapted to make them covid-safe.
We were fortunate enough to have lovely book boxes donated by Costa Coffee and the Reading Agency and we have been holding sessions in the park, giving away book boxes to local families who may not otherwise know about our community groups. We engaged families in conversations which proved to us how much they depend on the park for exercise and respite for them and their children and what kinds of activities they would like to see. This project has been co-designed by park users and reflects the diverse nature of our community
