Our work - Friends of Brockwell Park

Donate a Tree

The gift of a tree can be a wonderful way of remembering a loved one, marking a momentous occasion or simply enhancing a beautiful spot in the park. If you would like to donate a tree in Brockwell Park, then Friends of Brockwell Park are the people to approach. We plant about 20 trees every year on behalf of the public. We liaise with the Parks Department to choose the species and locations of the trees, ensuring they fit into the tree strategy for Brockwell Park. We offer those trees to donors, helping them select the right one for them.

Trees cost approximately £385, which includes the support system as well as aftercare of the tree and its planting pit.

Here’s some more useful information:

Larger growing, forest-type trees are generally chosen for open parkland spaces.
Non-native ‘exotic’ trees are planted in more formal areas such as round Brockwell Hall or near some of the entrances.
If you would like to gift a tree to Brockwell Park,

Here’s how the process works:

'They are a joy to sit under'

'Trees are so special. They act as both a marker for where we are in the cycle of the year, from the dormancy of winter through to the vibrancy of new leaf in spring to full bounty of their summer canopies and to the glory of their autumnal colours. They are a joy to sit under to enjoy their shade and of course, they are a way of maintaining the air quality of our cities.

‘Brockwell Park is a jewel of a park in South London, offering residents and visitors glorious panoramas of this great city and it is full of beautiful trees. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to donate six trees. Many dear friends contributed to these trees to celebrate me reaching my 60th year. I had never imagined I would since I was diagnosed with HIV in October 1982, at which time it was considered a terminal diagnosis. I was 33 and expected to be dead within months.

‘This year, a group of friends and I are donating a couple of trees in memory of our very dear friend Kevin Wilson who died earlier this year. Hopefully they will flourish and be a place where we can come to remember him.

‘I can only encourage people to plant trees in Brockwell Park as a way of marking significant anniversaries, both happy and sad, as well as memorials.They are also a great way to offer joy to fellow citizens.’

Jonathan

Benches

Donors love to give benches to the park for all sorts of reasons, but in the past, busy Lambeth officers did not have the time to negotiate between them and the bench suppliers and so donation was not encouraged.

The Friends of Brockwell Park stepped into the gap and, for many years, we have volunteered our services to liaise with these three important groups: the potential donors of park benches, the Council and the bench suppliers.

In our role as go-betweens, our volunteers lifted the admin burden off Lambeth officers and helped donors and suppliers make new benches a reality in Brockwell Park. It is a unique success story that has added many benches to Brockwell Park down the years.

Where we are now with benches:

'Children climbing over it, bikes resting against it'

‘When Ellen Ferguson, our oldest resident, died, the neighbours of Trinity Rise and Brockwell Park Gardens (past and present) got together and crowdfunded the purchase of a bench in her memory. Nearly 50 households sponsoring about £15 a go pretty well covered our costs.

‘In consultation with Friends of Brockwell Park about the available sites, we chose a position on the main drag from Brockwell Lodge to the gates at Herne Hill, between the two shelters.

‘Once in place, we held a small bench party to inaugurate it, remember Ellen, and enjoy the fact that she had once again brought neighbours together. Now, I love to pass by and see people of all ages sitting on Ellen’s bench, children climbing over it, bikes resting against it and the thought that, one day, an historian will come along and wonder about Ellen Florence Rose Ferguson, who died aged 99, and decide to find out more about her long, hard, wonderful life like we did.’

Ewan

The Friends of Brockwell Park sale has become a well-loved monthly tradition during the warmer months. Conveniently situated in the Brockwell Lido car park on Dulwich Road, you’ll find treasures to recycle, recover and repurpose. It’s a lovely place to potter around on a Sunday morning, meeting neighbours and buying their bits and bobs (things you’ve always secretly wanted but were too shy to ask about!) . Happily they no longer want them so they are yours for 50p and a natter. An added bonus are the delicious home-made cakes on offer baked by FoBP volunteers and committee members. So, go ahead and shop local, secure in the knowledge that your pennies are going towards wonderful park projects and your friends’ pockets.

Friends of Brockwell Park Autumn Walk — Uses of our Wild Plants

Another Friends of Brockwell Park free walk.

Meet Sunday 9 October at 2pm at the Clock Tower

Dr. Roy Vickery of the South London Botanical Institute will speak about 'Uses of our Wild Plants'.

He is deeply knowledgeable and his talks are always wide-ranging. Expect entertainment as well!

All welcome!

Contact information: friends@brockwellpark.com

All walks are free but donations to support park projects are always very welcome.

Over the years the Friends have actively campaigned to:

Stop the 1,000-seater athletic stadium;

Ensure that the lido was not demolished;

Limit vehicle access to the park;

Successfully introduce the park ranger service;

Successfully bid for £5 million Heritage Lottery funding;

Defend the park against the intrusion of the Herne Hill junction;

Offer constructive alternatives to the traffic issues at the junction;

Minimise the impact of events in the park;

Stop the loss of the park ranger service and permanent Lambeth personal in the park;

Minimise the number of gated events in the park and limit the level of noise from such events;

Oppose any intrusive planning applications that would impact onto the park;

Offer constructive alternatives to the future funding issues for the park;

Set up Park Watch;

Support music, theatre and dance events in the park with the BPCP , MADD and independent artists.

Although not all of our campaigns have been successful, our proactive presence in the park ensures that the voice of our members and the wider community are heard and that our work for the trees, benches, arts, history and general wellbeing of the park remains safe for community enjoyment into the future.

We promote public accessibility and enjoyment of this beautiful park's history and biodiversity

Biodiversity

Birds and biodiversity in Brockwell Park - past, present and future

Mistle thrush at nest, by Ian Judson

Cormorant by Ian Judson

The gift of a tree can be a wonderful way of remembering a loved one

Donate a Tree

Here’s how the process works:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Facts about Brockwell Park’s tree plan

Jonathan's trees

'They are a joy to sit under'

Brockwell Park's benches: a tradition of generosity

Benches

Where we are now with benches:

1

2

3

Facts about Brockwell Park’s bench donation scheme

These benches last very well and continue to look good through the years.

Unfortunately, we can’t arrange benches in the Walled Garden.

Wooden benches are not available anywhere in the park.

Ellen's bench

'Children climbing over it, bikes resting against it'

Ewan

Who doesn’t love a good old British car boot sale?

Car boot details

The Friends of Brockwell Park car boot sale is normally held on the second Sunday in the month, between April and September.

Here's the small print. Sellers arrive from 7am on a first come, first served basis. The price is £10 for a pitch. Buyers can come and shop from 9 am to 1 pm.

Please check our Events page for up-to-date information.

We hope to see you at some point this year

Walks