We are the Friends of Park Hill Park and Recreation Ground, a Croydon-based volunteer-led community group working in central Croydon. We are a diverse group of different ages, backgrounds and experiences but with one aim; to preserve, protect and improve this historic park and support Croydon residents to improve their wellbeing through our activities and events.
The park features woodland, ornamental gardens, a cherry tree walk, tennis and basketball courts, a children’s playground, kiosk, a cycle route and pavilion. The 'hidden gem' of the park is the Walled Garden with six garden 'rooms' from which the stunning Victorian Water Tower can be seen, also located in the park.
The park is a patchwork made up from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s deer park and Coombe Cliffe House, the former home of the Horniman family, which once included a stunning Victorian conservatory, now grade II listed and located at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill.
Our group, founded in 2014, was originally inspired to restore the Cecily Mary Barker Memorial Garden, celebrating the life and work of this world-famous author and illustrator of the Flower Fairies. The restoration got the local community, especially kids, interested in gardening and ecology. Since 2014, with the support of the Council, we’ve taken over other garden beds within the walled garden.
As well as running regular gardening sessions for the community, volunteers have worked on dance, yoga and children's mural projects. We’ve also organised 4 community festivals; 2015; Flower Fairy Festival. 2016; Wild in the Park 2017; BIG DANCE. 2018; Peace and Wellbeing Festival, during which we launched the Peace Garden.
All of these activities have brought together diverse communities from across Croydon and grown the popularity of the park and in particular, the Walled Garden.
As landowners, Croydon Council confirms its support for the proposed Stage 1 of the Walled Garden project. ''The support extends to the Friends of Park Hill’s crowdfunding campaign aiming to improve accessibility in the Walled Garden and to create a performance space for the Peace Garden.''
The Council is also supportive of our overall vision for the Walled Garden and surrounding infrastructure within Park Hill Park.
