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Sponsors
We would like to express our gratitude to the following organisations, who have in a variety of ways aided and supported our campaign.
Organisation |
Comment |
TESCO WEMBLEY EXTRA |
Thomas Musgrave, the Community Champion in Tesco
Wembley Extra, is supporting the PARC campaign on behalf of his store. "I am proud to be able to play a part in the local community by supporting the local people, many of whom are our valued customers and staff who use the park regularly and we would like to see it stay a safe place for them in the future." |
DANIELS DEN, St Michael the
|
I am writing on behalf of Daniel’s Den to support the PARC campaign to save the post of the park keeper in Monks Park. Daniel’s Den is a parent and toddler organisation based in Brent and many of our parents and children use Monks Park on a daily basis to attend our sessions. They also use the play facilities there in the knowledge that the presence of the park keeper is there to help if there are any problems. As you will be aware that over the years Monks Park has encountered lots of problems which has made it a no go area. With the introduction of the park keeper this has changed dramatically and it has been great to see that families have been able to use this open space. Many of our families live in limited accommodation and having a park nearby is a life line – sadly I fear that the lack of the park keeper will make people feel too vulnerable to go there. Daniel’s Den is the lead organisation for the Brent Parent and Toddler Network and a couple of years ago we organised a picnic for all toddlers and their families in Brent as part of the National Family Week celebrations in Monks Park. Gary, the Monks Park park keeper, was such a help in the planning of this event and on the day. He went out of his way to help and on the day fully participated in the event. He is an excellent bridge builder with people and it was evident that he has a good relationship with the local community. A huge hole will be left if he is made redundant. Areas like Monks Park need the consistent presence of a park keeper to maintain the levels of peace and safety – this is something all our families need. In the light of all the cuts I do feel certain priorities need to be addressed and the safety of our parks is crucial especially in vulnerable areas. Let's hope the children and families of Tokyngton and St Raphael’s do not lose this safe place to play as a result of no park keeper. Yours sincerely, Joanna Gordon |
GALLERY IN THE PARK, Monks Park Cafe Kiosk |
"We are very happy to support your campaign" |
St. Michael and All Angels Church, |
I write in support of the campaign to keep the full time Park Warden in Brent River Park (which I know as Monks Park). Under the eye of the Warden it has become a place to enjoy for dog walkers, football players and young families among others. I was involved in the launch of the Brent Parent and Toddler Network there in May a couple of years ago. The Warden was very helpful - and the whole event passed off without incident. I believe that the value of a full-time Warden based there cannot be overestimated. He gets to know the park users, whoever they are, and keeps a watchful eye on them. Any problems with the grounds themselves, or with the users, is quickly identified. A full-time Warden represents value for money, not only for what he prevents, but also for what he encourages in the park. I fear that removing him, or even making him part-time, would have a detrimental effect very quickly. Yours faithfully, |
MONKS PARK PARADE SHOPS. |
The vast majority of shops in this parade have supported us and host the paper petition on our behalf. Here are a selection of comments from the shop keepers: " I've been here over 20 years and remember all too well what it was like before the Park Warden, we cannot go back to those bad days" "I cannot believe the Council are doing this to us, we are pleased you are fighting them" "I take my grandchildren there, it's a lovely place for the kids to get some fresh air and run around safely" "I walk through there from home to get to my shop, I'm not at all happy about losing the warden" "Who is going to look after the park? It'll be an absolute rubbish tip" "I remember how it used to be, we don't want all that trouble back!" |
THE MAYHEW ANIMAL HOME,
|
The loss of static park
wardens in the borough of Brent will not be a saving as the loss
of such service will lead to increased costs elsewhere. With the
increasing number of animals going stray or being abandoned, the
work of the park wardens was a great help to the Council’s animal
welfare services and The Mayhew Animal Home that functions as a reception
centre for Brent stray dogs. Quite often the park wardens can quickly
reunite a lost dog with its owner but now there is the potential
for more dogs to be picked up as stray, potentially costing the council
more.. There is also the welfare of the dogs and owners
to consider. If a stray dog can quickly be reunited with its owner
that is much less stress both for the owner and the dog, who otherwise
would get taken into kennels until the owner comes to claim the animal.
With animal welfare services being stretched to the limit, there
is also a risk to public safety if animals are not recovered and
returned as quickly as possible. |
Your organisation
could be displayed here - email us
HERE to find out more |
|
Supporters
With seemingly an endless number of people offering us their support, be it signing our petition, canvassing, doing the 'back room' stuff such as printing & copying etc., or simply giving us words of encouragement that motivate us to fight, we would dearly love to mention you all by name, but that would be a list the size of a phone directory, so we hope you will be content with a very big THANK YOU.
If you have not already given your support, but would like to, there are a number of things you can do:
- Sign our petition, either the e-petition on this web site, or the paper one to be found in many of the Monks Park shops, Tesco Extra Wembley, and other business and community buildings.
- Display one (or more!) of our posters in your premises.
- Send us your comments for inclusion below (submissions will be included at the sole discretion of the campaign managers and their decision is final - no offensive language please, no matter how angry you feel!)
Comments from residents:
The warden is essential, who
wants to go back to how it used to be!
|
I'm absolutely
horrified to discover what is about to happen - please stop it! |
Typical
council, take our taxes but don't give a damn about Tokyngton,
all the money goes to Harlesden and Willesden |
The
warden is the only person I see working in the park,
who's going to clear it up when he's gone? |
I'm
going to have to get rid of my dog, I'm too
scared to walk in the park without the warden on duty |
I take my grandchildren
to the park, it's such a shame if we loose it because it becomes too dangerous. |
WHAT! Are the
council mad, this place will be terrible without Gary (Editor: Gary is the Warden) |
You're wasting
you time, the Council don't give a damn about us! |
I always pay
my council tax and what do I get in return, no services
and
them squandering it on themselves and the favoured few staff - disgusting! |
Without the Warden the crowd of regular drunks
will permanently take over the new children's play area, no one else keeps them out, if the Police move them on, they just wait 15 mins and then come back. It's just not right to have the drunks in the play area in the first place, let alone have them openly using it as a toilet and leaving their discarded cans and bottles everywhere! Don't the Council care about the children? |
I was taking photos of plants in the park, and
was approached by five lads who apparently thought I was infringing on their 'patch'. This was a rather unnerving situation and will make me more wary about visiting the park in future. |
Your comment could be displayed here - email it
to us HERE |
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