Whitby's Friends of Pannett Park celebrate 20th anniversary
Whitby’s Friends of Pannett Park group is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its formation.
The Friends of Pannett Park was founded in June 2005 when Councillors Alf Abbott and Joe Plant called a meeting of those interested in restoring the park to its former glory.
In July 2005, working parties began to meet two mornings each week to start the rejuvenation of shrubberies.
The group started to apply for Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) funding, at first to restore the floral clock and then for a major restoration of the park.
The work of the Friends was vital in supporting the HLF applications, satisfying both the requirement for community involvement and in their volunteer hours attracting match funding, resulting in the opening of the floral clock in 2006, the play area in 2009 and the Grand Restoration in 2010.
The many accolades for the park include 16 Green Flags, Green Flag Heritage Site Accreditation, along with numerous Yorkshire in Bloom awards including Gold, Platinum, Best in Category and Best Public Park.
The 20-year milestone was celebrated by present and founder members along with the North Yorkshire gardening team with whom they have worked closely throughout the years, as well as representatives of many other supporting organisations.
Bob Bennett, chair of the Friends group, made the introductions and asked for a thought to be given to those no longer with us - Peter Turner, Kath Horsley,
Ron Wood and Sandra Turner.
Walter Turner, a founder member of the Friends of Pannett Park, reflected on the early days of FPP and the heavy manual work involved in digging out brambles, wild cherries, elder, nettles and more weeds.
When clearing undergrowth he recalled finding a toy gun which he had lost many years previously when playing in the park as a small boy.
He paid tribute to the dedication of the original volunteers and others who have joined them over the years and wished them well in facing new challenges.
Cllr Sandra Turner, Whitby Town Mayor, spoke on behalf of Whitby Town Council, trustees of the park, and told of her love of the park and appreciation for the efforts of the volunteers working alongside the park team.
Everyone enjoyed a special afternoon in beautiful surroundings with the parking looking its best.