'The Pleasaunce Post'

Summer Picnic

The Friends of East Greenwich Summer Picnic on 8th June was a great success (for more photos see Album, right).

Record numbers of local residents (over 700 we reckon) made the most of the glorious sunshine. Families brought their own picnics and spread out over the dog-free zone to relax and have fun.

This year face-painting proved immensely popular, with over 100 children queuing up to be decorated. The youngsters also enjoyed the fire engine, treasure hunt and the circus performers.

The perfect weather helped boost sales of our famous Pleasaunce Rum Punch, and the fresh baguettes sold out even faster than the cakes.

We used the Picnic to launch our photo competition and received several entries on the day. For more about the rules and closing date for entries please click here.

Many thanks to all those Friends Committee members and other volunteers who helped make the Picnic such a resounding success.

Warm thanks also to our sponsor:

KING STURGE ESTATE AGENTS

and to all those local businesses who donated raffle prizes:

THE CUTTING ROOM, IVOR HOWELL CAMERAS, GREENWICH THEATRE, GREENWICH COUNCIL, WESTCOMBE PARK MAMAS & PAPAS, BLACKHEATH STANDARD.

 

Capturing the Pleasaunce

Pleasaunce Photography Competition

We want your photos of East Greenwich Pleasaunce!

As a way of celebrating East Greenwich Pleasaunce, the Friends launched a photo competition at our annual Summer Picnic on Sunday 8th June. The entries will be displayed on the day for all to see, and digital-only entrants will also be displayed on our website at www.fegp.typepad.com. Ivor Howell Cameras, Westcombe Hill, have agreed to offer a prize to the winning photographer, and all entries will be eligible for inclusion in an exhibition due to take place in the Autumn at the Viewfinder Photography Gallery, Peyton Place, SE10.

The only rules are:

1. It has to be your own work

2. It has to be recognisably of East Greenwich Pleasaunce

3. Maximum three photos per person

4. Closing date for entries: 31 July 2008.

Depending on the number of entries we receive, we may decide to have a children’s category and an adult category. So when you submit your photos (emailed to pleasauncefriends@hotmail.comor by post to 11 Chevening Road, Se10 0LB), please be sure to include your name, age, address, contact telephone number, and/or email address. You may also like to include details of your camera and the settings used for the photo (keen photographers like that sort of thing).

Thanks and happy snapping!

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

FRIENDS OF EAST GREENWICH PLEASAUNCE

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Wednesday, 2nd April 2008, 7.30pm - 9.00pm

Lovell Hall, The Forum @ Greenwich, Trafalgar Road

(Please note: not in the Family Room as previously advertised)

* Annual Report

* Election of Officers + Committee members (new volunteers always welcome)

* Priorities for next year (suggestions sought)

* Get the latest on the Café plans….

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Easter Sunday Event

Fancy being on the Friends Committee? We would really welcome some new members.

Please email pleasauncefriends@hotmail.co.uk for details of what's involved and how to put yourself forward before the AGM on 2nd April at 7.30pm in the Family Room of the Forum, Trafalgar Road.

Thanks.

2008 in East Greenwich Pleasaunce

Belated Happy New Year to you all!

The Friends Group would welcome your ideas and involvement this year.

What would you like us to aim for?

Do you like what we've done so far?

How would you like us to carry on?

Can you help us?

We'll be holding our AGM at the end of March, but we'd love to hear from you before then.

Please email us your views at pleasauncefriends@hotmail.co.uk.

THE STORY SO FAR...

Since setting up the Group in March 2006 we have:

• Built a new community group with nearly 200 life members
• Represented the Pleasaunce at local Council meetings and on the Police's Safer Neighbourhood Team Ward Panel
• Worked with Greenwich Council on plans for a cafe and toilets in the Pleasaunce
• Hosted eight events in the Pleasaunce, including family fun days, Christmas Carols, and a 150th Anniversary birthday party for the Park in June 2007 with funding from local businesses and national grants
• Marked the 150th Anniversary with a time capsule filled with memorabilia chosen by pupils from local primary school, Halstow, and commissioned a plaque by Greenwich Mural Workshop, funded by the Greenwich Hospital Trust and Friends events
• We also set up this website (do send in your photos/comments).

Carols in the Park Cancelled

CAROLS IN THE PARK (TODAY, SUNDAY 2ND DECEMBER FROM 2PM-4PM) HAS HAD TO BE CANCELLED DUE TO THE BAD WEATHER.

SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.

Fancy a Christmas Cruise?

(Click on the poster to enlarge)

Christmas Carols in the Pleasaunce (click on the images to enlarge)

Trafalgar Day Act of Remembrance

As the noon-day sun shone brightly on a beautifully crisp Autumn day (Satruday 20th October), young and old gathered to commemorate Trafalgar Day and lay wreaths at the foot of the plaque which honours the 3,000 sailors buried in the Pleasaunce.

As the trumpet sounded the Last Post, members of the Royal Navy Veterans Association and young navy cadets lowered the Standards in moving tribute to all those who gave their lives at sea in defence of Great Britain (for more photos click here).

 

The service was led by the Rev. Derek Clacey, vicar of Christ Church, Trafalgar Road and attended by around 100 locals, cadets and veterans as well as local dignitaries, such as the Deputy Mayor and Councillors Mary Mills and Dick Quibell.

After the short service The Friends of East Greenwich Pleasaunce laid on tea, coffee, cakes and hot rum toddies (dark navy rum, lemon and lime juice, muscovado sugar and hot water) which proved particularly popular with the navy veterans.

Local children also showed off some of the artefacts and memorabilia which they have chosen to go inside a time capsule to mark 150 years of the Pleasaunce's existence as a naval cemetery. The capsule will not be opened until 2157.

  

The Friends also displayed the mosaic they commissioned to mark the spot where the time capsule will be buried (the exact location is still under discussion).

Some members favour burying the capsule near the main entrance to the Park and some suggest putting it next to the new commemorative Tulip Tree that has been planted in the dog-free zone (see below). If you would like to express your view simply add a comment to this article or send an email to pleasauncefriends@hotmail.co.uk

(Liriodendron Tulipfera 'Fastigiatum' or 'Tulip Tree')

 

Trafalgar Day Act of Remembrance

The Greenwich Royal Navy Veterans Association

will be holding their annual

TRAFALGAR DAY ACT OF REMEMBRANCE

in East Greenwich Pleasaunce on

SATURDAY, 20TH OCTOBER AT 12-MIDDAY

(The Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805' by J.M.W. Turner, National Maritime Museum/Greenwich Hospital Collection)

The ceremony will mark the Battle of Trafalgar and honour the 3,000 sailors buried in the Pleasaunce.

In advance of the event a young Tulip Tree has been planted by the Council's Parks department in the dog-free zone to mark 150 years since the Pleasaunce was originally created as a burial ground. The tree is easy to recognise because of its distinctively-shaped leaves (left).

From 11am the Friends of East Greenwich Pleasaunce will provide refreshments and display some artefacts and mementos that the pupils of Halstow School have chosen to go in a time capsule to be buried near the newly-planted tree at a future date. The Friends also commissioned a mosaic plaque to go near the tree (see photo below), based loosely on an original design by Jane Lydbury, who also designed the Friends logo.