2024

 

News Update as at 7 February 2024

Marouflages

Japanese tissue paper
Japanese tissue paper applied
to surface of panel 1

Mao Wen Biao, the artist who painted these wonderful panels depicting a party in the grounds of Holland House, has worked on a surface retouch of the paintings. We are grateful to him for this and for his original work which all park visitors can enjoy. 

We have always called them The Murals, but they are ‘marouflages’ because they are painted on canvas and not directly onto the plaster wall. That is unusual for work in the open air and is part of the problem the council is trying to solve. Damp has got into the fabric of the building on which the canvases are fixed and it is necessary to examine the state of the two panels on the left, to see if damp has affected the canvas. Richard Rogers Conservation is carefully securing the paint surface with Japanese tissue paper and is exploring the possibility of removing both of these canvases for conservation. While that is happening, any damp in the wall can be dealt with and the spaces will be filled with same size photographs of the paintings, kindly donated by Gilead Limor.

The aim is to conserve these works so that all can enjoy them for a long time to come.

 

Bird boxes

Bird boxes
Ornithologist, Bill Haines, preparing
the bird boxes

Look carefully, and you will see bird boxes fixed to trees around the  park, especially in the woodland areas. These are safe places for wild birds to nest and they come with different size entry holes to suit different species of bird. They include boxes for Tree Creepers and Tawny Owls as well as the many small birds to be found in the park. Each box has a number for easy reference to what birds are nesting where.  The Friends funded the cost of £1,081. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mediterranean Bed

Echium
Echium, from the original planting

This is the long bed next to the old brick wall along the north edge of the Dutch Garden. When, in 2017, it was in need of refreshment, The Friends worked with the head gardener to choose appropriate plants. The agreement was ‘for a structure provided by sizeable anchor plants interspersed with plants of varying size, shape and texture. Predominance of evergreen species meant the bed would look good in winter as well as summer. Bulbs and perennials were to add colour, but not so much that it clashed with the main attraction, the formal beds in the centre of the Dutch Garden.’ The chosen species were bought and planted, but not maintained, and it became quite out of line with the agreed concept. You will have noticed recently that many plants have been removed and the bed has been cleaned out ready for new planting in line with the original plan. 

The late Andrew Whiteley left money to The Friends, and the donation of over £11,000 covered the original plants and a soak hose. In Andrew’s memory, we would like to see this Mediterranean-themed bed looking resplendent and as originally intended.

Old Dairy

It’s early days yet, but The Friends are intent on conservation of Holland Park’s Old Dairy. It had been used as a store for the café, but another site was found for that purpose and the little building is now locked while work is scoped and costed. Part of the planning process is to research the history of the Holland estate’s farm, which was rented out for pasture to a commercial dairy company in the early 19th century. This dairy company, Tisdell & Tunks, may have sold milk to the Fox family and later to the Earls of Ilchester for use in the big house. It may be that the estate dairy was used for making butter and cream.

Text & photos Jennie Kettlewell

[February 2024]

 

AGM – come and hear about plans and achievements

Wed 10 April 7.30 pm in The Orangery, Holland Park 

Orangery
The Orangery, Holland Park by RBKC.

Be sure to put the date in your diary and come along, with your comments and questions. The formal part is usually over quickly, and we will have time to talk about our plans for future projects and hear your ideas. There is a great deal going on in the park. As always, there are real challenges and we have to learn to cope with floods as well as drought, and to manage our complex park with very tight RBKC budgets.

Our president, Eric Ellul, will chair the meeting and keep it all on track and on time.

Often, when it seems things are going well, people don’t feel they need to come to the AGM.  But please do come as there are still issues, as there will be with any park. We also need your votes at the meeting to ensure your committee remains in place to carry on the work. Come and challenge us with thoughtful questions and share your ideas. The trustees need your support and want to know that we are representing you.   

After the meeting, you can join old friends and new over a glass of wine, while admiring the wonderful display of art in our annual exhibition. You might even be tempted to buy a piece.

Members should please register to attend by contacting your chairman on jennie.kettlewell@thefriendsofhollandpark.org or calling 020 7243 0804.
 
We look forward to seeing lots of you on 10 April.

Jennie Kettlewell

[February 2024]

Please don’t feed the wildlife!

By Dr Alice Laughton, Ecology Service Manager

Robin
Robins find their own food by Tasso Leventis 

We need your help to protect the wildlife in Kensington and Chelsea. We understand that, for many people, feeding the animals is an important part of your visit, and something that children particularly enjoy. Unfortunately, with so many visitors to our parks, the overall result of thousands of visitors feeding wildlife is causing more harm than good.

Our parks are managed to provide enough food to sustain the wildlife that lives here, whether through planting of nectar-rich flowers, hedges and trees that bear berries for birds, or well-managed soils that maintain a wealth of worms and other invertebrates that birds and small mammals feed on. It’s vital that we maintain this balance to support biodiversity in our parks and green spaces.

Here are some of the reasons why it’s important to stop feeding the animals:
• The parks contain enough food to support the wildlife that lives here. When opportunities come up, our teams plant trees, hedges and shrubs that provide the berries, nuts and seeds that animals love. 
• Feeding encourages overcrowding of bird populations. Large numbers of crows and magpies that arrive bully the smaller song birds in the park, reducing the numbers that successfully breed here. 
• Processed ‘human’ food is not good for wildlife. They haven’t evolved to eat the same foods as us, and so these foods can cause harm. Bread doesn’t contain much nutritional value but fills up the birds’ stomachs so that they don’t forage for foods they would normally eat, which can lead to malnutrition.
• Animals that are used to being fed by humans now behave unnaturally around people, putting themselves and visitors at risk. For example, squirrels that have become too confident are more at risk of attack by a dog.
• Food such as bread or rice left on the ground attracts rats and other vermin, which is not good for other wildlife, or local residents and businesses.
• Uneaten food thrown into ponds or on banks which has been left to rot leads to a decline in water quality. This in turn results in more algae growing on the water, more disease and pests, and causes animals and plants to become sick and die.
• Encouraging large groups of birds to gather creates an excessive amount of bird droppings, which is detrimental to the health of the soil, and increases the need to clean park benches and other features.
• The high numbers of squirrels encouraged by feeding damage and kill trees.
• Throwing food for birds encourages them to group together, which can increase the spread of diseases, like bird flu.

[February 2024]

Award for Holland House Conservation

East wing of HH
East wing of Holland House by Ståle Eriksen

The Friends are delighted, but not surprised, that Allies & Morrison have been accorded a Civic Trust Regional Finalist award for their conservation work on Holland House. The work was carried out over 2021/22, and the award will appear in the Civic Trust 2024 Commemorative Brochure of Winners. 

[February 2024]

 

Summer party in the park

Nicholas Hopkins
Trustee, Nicholas Hopkins, preparing
  the summer party bar in 2022

Wednesday, 3 July 2024, 6-8pm in the marquee, east of the Dutch Garden.

Save the date in your diary and we will give more information via email, on our park noticeboards and on our website, saying when and how you can book. The party is for members of The Friends only, though members are welcome to buy a ticket for a guest. It is the perfect place for a summer party, as the marquee offers a fine view of the seasonal planting in the formal garden and gives shelter from the sun, if we are lucky, and the rain if we are not. 

Text & photo Jennie Kettlewell

[February 2024]

 

Butterfly Volunteers Needed

By Dr Alice Laughton, head of the RBKC Ecology Service

The Ecology Service started regularly recording butterflies in Holland Park in 2023 to help inform future habitat works and contribute to the local and national species data records. This is done by walking a set route through the park each week from April through to September and noting what species can be seen.

The Ecology team are looking for more volunteers to help monitor the butterflies in 2024. You don’t have to commit to recording every week (unless you want to!) and it’s a lovely way to bring new focus to a familiar walk around the park. 

If you think this is something you would like to do, please email ecology.centre@rbkc.gov.uk, mentioning Butterfly Survey in the subject box. The Ecology Service will be providing training on species identification and recording in the spring (more will follow on the park notice boards).

[February 2024]

NEW!  Butterfly leaflet

Butterfly leaflet
Cover of leaflet

We are fortunate to have thriving pollinator habitats in Holland Park and that means we have lots of butterflies. The Friends have produced a fold-out leaflet with photos of all 16 species, explaining where and when you can find them in the park. There’s useful information, such as the life cycle of a butterfly, behaviours, what makes an appropriate habitat, as well as some useful contacts to find out more. We are grateful to professional photographer Jed Corbett, Butterfly Conservation’s Steve Bolton and Andrew Wood, a moth and butterfly recorder for Hertfordshire Natural History, for letting us use their stunning photos. Technical advice was given by Andrew Wood, who leads the butterfly and moth walks in Holland Park. Phil Lyndon of Column Communications created the design and artwork, as he does for other Friends’ brochures. 

The leaflet costs a modest £3 if you buy it from the Holland Park Reception, or online for £3.90 (postage and packaging costs apply).

Butterflies are beautiful, so find out more by buying this leaflet. Then go and find them in the park.

Order online HERE

[February 2024]

2023

 

News update as at 3 November 2023

Kyoto pond clean up 
The Kyoto Garden was closed for three days in October, so that the pond could be emptied, then scrubbed out, before being re-filled. So, what happened to the koi carp?

Temp tank for Koi
Temporary tank for Koi carp

What looked like a children’s paddling pool, but was actually a temporary fish pond, was erected in the garden. When the main pond was refilled, some of the old pond water, complete with the good bacteria that nourish the fish, was included. That’s how the fish like it. If the water were to be cleaned of all bacteria, for example water direct from the mains, the fish would probably become ill because tap water has chlorine in it and that kills all the good bacteria. 

Visitors are asked not to feed the fish, or birds in the Kyoto Garden, or elsewhere in the park. The wildlife doesn’t need it and it can cause harm.  

 

Lord Holland statue

Jet washing statue
Jet-washing the statue

Over the years, this statue has attracted dust, general grime and the unfortunate result of pigeons sitting on Lord Holland’s head. Recently, specialists were brought in to clean up the bronze, which started with a jet wash. The work will be completed when the weather is more clement.

 

 

 

 

 

Holland Park Café
Following The Friends’ contact with the council to express concerns about some aspects of the proposed new lease, a meeting was called between council officers, councillors and the chairman of The Friends, Jennie Kettlewell. We were reassured to hear that the terms that impact on the park would be negotiated with whoever is chosen as the future operator of the café to ensure the lease is appropriate to the running of the park. The Friends were to be kept in touch with progress, before the proposal goes to the RBKC Leadership Team in December for a decision. It is understood that the new lease will start from April 2024. Since the meeting on 7 September, we have heard no more.   

Open-air gym and golf practice area
The open-air gym, to be found at the extreme south west of the sports field, is about to undergo  improvement. It has been extremely popular and this means that the equipment is coming to the end of its life. The same applies to the golf practice area. The council has held well-publicised on-site meetings in October to hear the views of those who use the facility. There is an on-line questionnaire, but the deadline is 27 November, shortly after you receive this newsletter.
If you want your view to be heard, act quickly by completing the survey on Holland Park | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (rbkc.gov.uk). If you need a hard copy or have queries, please contact the Parks Project team via email parksprojects@rbkc.gov.uk or by phone 07971 391404.

Marouflages
We have always called them The Murals, but they are ‘marouflages’ because they are painted on canvas and not on the plaster wall. The conservation expert will remove panels 1 and 2 in March for repair work to the canvas itself. We are waiting to hear when Mao Wen Biao will retouch the surface of the other nine panels, which should be as soon as possible so that they don’t deteriorate further.

Text & photos by Jennie Kettlewell

[November 2023]

Subscription Renewals and Membership Cards

Thank you again for all your support and we hope you will want to continue to help through these troublesome times when the park is more appreciated than ever, but also has had extra strains put upon it. Your membership also gives The Friends clout when negotiating with the Council on matters relating to the park’s future.

The Friends’ subscription year runs from 1 January each year. 
• New members, who joined since 1 September 2022, or existing members who have renewed since that date, are already covered for 2023.
• A useful number (about 60%) pay by bank standing order every year on 1 January, so will be covered for 2024.  
• Others, who do not pay by bank standing order, have already paid in advance for 2024, because you have paid since 1 September 2023.
• If you do not have a standing order and have not paid since 1 September 2023, your membership needs to be paid for 2024. You can do it online HERE.

If you do not have a standing order, please check when you last paid and whether your membership is due for renewal. Members who have not kept payments up to date will no longer receive the members’ discount card. If in doubt, check with Graham Franklin 07802 761 548 or ggfranklin3@aol.com. 

It is less trouble, to both you and us, if you pay by standing order.

To pay by standing order, please contact your bank and get it to set up a standing order, payable on 1 January each year to The Friends of Holland Park, Account Number 60636975 Sort Code 20-47-34, at Barclays Bank Kensington Branch. 

Rhoddy Wood

[November 2023]

 

Mike Quaia revisits the park

Mike Quaia
Mike Quaia with Tim Cox & Helen Tilbury
of the Parks Police

We had a surprise visit at our pop-up event on 25 October, from Mike Quaia, whose family ran the Holland Park Café before Cooks & Partners. Mike’s parents, as well as Mike and his wife Yvonne, are remembered with affection as a wonderfully warm Italian family who made the café  welcoming and engaged enthusiastically with the Holland Park community. Mike said he had lots of stories he could tell us about the café in those days, but they will have to wait. His focus has changed from running a café to painting and he hopes to enter work in The Friends’ 2024 Art Exhibition. 

Jennie Kettlewell

[November 2023]

 

 

 

History tour for Open Age

Rowean Freeland/Open Age Group
Rowan Freeland entertaining the Open Age group

On 11 October, The Friends organised a second tour for members of Open Age. This time, Blue Badge guide, Rowan Freeland, entertained his audience to facts and intriguing stories about Holland House and the families who had lived there. We devised a route that made wheelchair access possible, with regular stops where there was seating to listen to Rowan in comfort. Ewa Donnachie, Outreach & Engagement Coordinator for Open Age, shared the very appreciative  feedback, such as “The guide was very good, mixing history with extra amusing tidbits, ending in the surprise revelation which was perfectly delivered. All very enjoyable. Look forward to the next time.”  

Look out for dates for our 2024 Blue Badge guided tours. The information will be on The Friends’ notice boards in the park, and on our website.

Jennie Kettlewell

Photo by Ewa Donnachie

[November 2023]

Holland Park on BBC Channel 5

Owen Rogers
Head Gardener, Owen Rogers on camera

BBC Channel 5 ran a series of programmes on ‘The Royal Borough’.  Sadly, it focused solely on the rich and famous and did not explain that the borough is made up of a diverse community. We are grateful that Holland Park’s head gardener, Owen Rogers, was filmed giving a more balanced view, when he and his idverde team of gardeners explained the gardens and assets of the park, which is open for all to enjoy. Owen starred in the final episode, on a day when the team was under a lot of pressure to finish planting the Napoleon Garden on a sweltering day in September.  

Jennie Kettlewell

Photo courtesy of Channel 5

[November 2023]

News update as at 1 September

Good news on ‘the murals’
They are not actually murals, but ‘marouflages’, as they are painted on canvas, not the wall itself, and that makes a difference to how the 11 panels are conserved. The good news is that the council (RBKC) has agreed to go ahead with the conservation work proposed by Richard Rogers Conservation (RRC).

Mao Wen Biao
Mao Wen Biao in front of his paintings

Mao Wen Biao, the artist, can proceed with cleaning, retouching and re-varnishing all but the two panels on the extreme left. The Friends have agreed to pay Mao’s cost of £5,600 and are delighted he is able to undertake this work once again. 

The two panels on the left have suffered more extensive damage and the canvas backing itself is affected. After the paint surfaces of the two canvases have been stabilised, they will be carefully eased off the wall. A thin but strong frame will be inserted behind the canvases and the whole lifted off and taken to a site where the conservation work can be done. The repaired canvases can then be returned to their original site so that Mao can retouch the surface paintwork. 

It is a complex operation and we don’t expect to see the work completed until early 2024. The Friends, who commissioned the paintings and donated them to the council, see it as important  they are preserved in good condition as a historic record, and for the enjoyment of park visitors.

We await news of what the council will do to prevent water ingress from the walkway above the painted panels.

Holland Park Café
The Friends were invited to attend a meeting to hear plans for the new lease to be offered to the preferred operator. The name of the preferred operator was not shared. Following the meeting, chairman, Jennie Kettlewell, responded with comments on some aspects of the lease where it was thought they might impact on the park itself. A second meeting still left questions unanswered and further discussion will be held before a decision is made on what is included in the lease.

The native hedge

The native hedge showing laid structure

The hedge was planted immediately east of the sports field in 2007 as a staggered double row. The row nearest the sports field is the native Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn) and the eastern face is a mix of native hedgerow species. Both faces provide a prime habitat for wildlife, and the space between is a safe corridor for small mammals. Hedgecraft re-laid the hedge in 2013, in the South of England style, and it is likely there has been virtually no management of this hedge since. The laid west face of hawthorn is almost intact but overgrown, and the east face has mostly disappeared. The entire hedge is invaded with weeds.

The plan is to replant the east face this autumn with two-year whips, after idverde has removed the worst of the nettles and bindweed. The Friends have obtained an estimate for Hedgecraft to re-lay the hedge, merging the top of the two faces once the new whips have grown. Hedgecraft needed to know the length of the hedge which was a puzzler for The Friends, until idverde offered to help and came back very quickly with the answer – 145 metres.   

idverde are always busy but we hope they are able to zap the weeds soon, so that the planting and re-laying don’t have to be postponed.

Plan for the Dutch Garden

Dutch Garden showing box hedging
Dutch Garden showing
box hedging

In our summer newsletter, we said that the box hedging has been demolished by the box tree caterpillar, which is widespread in London. Box is now high-risk and the plan is to take out all the defoliated plants in October and replace them with four or five other evergreen species. This means there will be no winter bedding while the work is carried out and the new hedge plants are given time to establish. A-boards in the garden will explain the new hedge plants. We will have to be patient and wait until we can enjoy the customary colourful spring bedding.

Text and photos byJennie Kettlewell

[September 2023]

 

Friends & Neighbours news

As a member of The Friends, your membership card entitles you to a discount on purchases from a number of named local businesses. Not only is it a benefit for you, but it helps us build a community round the park.

Swimming pool at Kensington Health Club & Spa
Swimming pool at the Kensington
Health Club & Spa

One of the founding participants was the health club and spa at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Wrights Lane, south of High Street Kensington tube station. This used to be run as a franchise, but has recently been taken back under the management of the hotel and has changed its name to the Kensington Health Club & Spa. That’s not all that has changed. Smiling staff in smart new uniforms greet members and guests, the changing rooms are being upgraded, the reception now boasts a display of swimming and sports equipment for sale and everything is sparklingly clean. The new manager, Mo Abbas, told The Friends about the possibility of future events, such as the wellbeing session organised recently to experience the wonderfully fragrant spa products from Templespa.

Facilities include an 18-metre indoor swimming pool, a fully equipped gym, sauna, steam room hot tub, swimming classes and treatment rooms. Friends enjoy a special membership price of £75 per month for minimum of 3 months, paid by direct debit, with no joining fee. There is a 20% discount on food and beverages in the hotel restaurant and a there is a ‘secret’ garden behind the hotel.

Jennie Kettlewell

[September 2023]

Green Flag Award!

For over twenty years, Holland Park has won the prestigious Green Flag Award. There are eight criteria for the judges to assess, so it is not only about stunning flower displays, but includes subjects like absence of litter, clear information displays, biodiversity, conservation of buildings and implementation of a management plan. That means there are a great many people in the RBKC Parks Management and idverde teams whose work in the park contributed to the award.

RBKC Park Officers, Hassan Elkholy and Bulent Kazim were responsible for hosting the judges and putting together the visit programme. So much had to be fitted into a visit of only three hours, that timing had to be precise to the minute. Head gardener, Owen Rogers showed off the formal gardens and much else. Dr Alice Laughton, RBKC head of the Ecology Service, covered biodiversity. Jennie Kettlewell, Chairman of The Friends, was invited to talk about community involvement, especially The Friends’ contribution. The judges looked attentively at everything, from hollyhocks to habitats, and from litterbins to loos. They asked lots of questions and clearly understood the complexity of our park. All the hard work paid off and Holland Park has a Green Flag once again.

Thank you to Parks Management, the Ecology Service, the Parks Police, the idverde gardeners, maintenance team and the front-line staff in the park reception office. 

Jennie Kettlewell

[September 2023]

The Friends pop-up in the park 

Nigel Brockmann
Trustee, Nigel Brockmann, welcoming
visitors at the pop-up desk 

The Friends like to get out and meet people in the park and so hold a pop-up desk several times a year. It allows us to engage with park visitors, tell them a about the park and The Friends and of course encourage those who are not already a Friend to join. We also sell plants grown in the plant nursery by Holland Park gardeners from idverde. Many who know us well also take the opportunity to drop by and say hello. 

Keep an eye on The Friends Café Yard notice board for future pop-up dates. Plants won’t be on sale during the winter, but we will have Christmas cards for sale at our October pop-up and we will organise a special Festive Pop-up event on Sat. 2 December. 

Text and photo by Jennie Kettlewell

[September 2023]

Bird flu delays action on peafowl  

PeacocksThe Government advises that the scale of recent avian influenza (‘bird flu’) outbreaks across the UK and Europe has been unprecedented, with cases being confirmed into a second year for the first time. The threat to poultry and other captive birds has meant an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been in force nationally. 

The peafowl in Holland Park are not captive, but wild. If they were to be managed in any way, such as introducing new stock, they would no longer be considered wild and would be subject to government restrictions, such as locking up the birds and restricting access to them for all but essential bird keepers. These keepers would be required to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

It is for this reason, that action to strengthen the park’s stock of peafowl has been delayed. The peafowl would have been locked away for much of the past year. 

As you will have read in previous newsletters, the first stage is to build a peafowl lock-down cage, well away from where park visitors can reach it. Park visitors must stop feeding the peafowl, for two reasons. Feeding birds in the park encourages them to congregate and thus increases the chance of spreading bird flu from one bird to another. The peafowl need to learn that they are only fed at the site of the cage, so that they think of the cage as ‘home’. 

We all want to see these beautiful birds strutting round our park, looking healthy and breeding successfully. Let’s hope that bird flu declines and the council can get on with their programme to create a new pride in Holland Park. 

Jennie Kettlewell

[June 2023]

News update, as at 22 May 2023

Repairs to the terra cotta bricks
Terra cotter bricksThese can be found in the wall across the front of Holland House, and in a wall to the west of the house. They were probably made by John Blashfield of Ironbridge and installed when the raised terrace was created in about 1848. There are two designs: H for Holland, with a baron’s crown; and a winged cherub, wielding a four-pronged fish spear while riding on the back of a wyvern. Some of the bricks have been damaged, so moulds of both designs will be taken during the summer. Cleaning of all the bricks and the repairs will take place once Opera Holland Park has vacated the site at the end of September.

The Friends have agreed to pay the cost of £13,675.

Photo by Jennie Kettlewell

Murals
Following expert advice, it is likely that only two of the 11 panels are so badly damagedMurals that they need to be removed for conservation of the backing canvas, and because of rapid deterioration. These are the two panels nearest to the Café Yard and they will be stored until the site is dry and safe for them to be returned. Seven panels can be retouched by the artist, as the backs are relatively dry and it is the paint surface that has suffered from being in the open air. That leaves two panels which have some damage, but do not need immediate removal. The surface of these can probably be retouched in a way that is reversible, in case they need a more drastic solution in future. We still await news from the council about when they will seal the walkway above the murals, in order to prevent further water ingress. Some of the pillars between the paintings had suffered from rising damp due to flooding after torrential rain, but have now dried out. There is risk of future flooding if the cause is not corrected.    

North Lawn
New grassFollowing closure for the past six months, the North Lawn is now open again and is a wonderfully green sward. New fencing will guide people to the exit at the south via the central pathway.

                                                        New grass on the North Lawn                                                             Photo by Jennie Kettlewell

Toilets

New toiletsThe new toilets are open and functioning well after initial problems. The Friends havequeried the absence of a ramp entrance to the main toilet and, although this is not simple to achieve, it is being explored as it really is necessary for parents with prams and for those who can’t manage steps easily. The wheelchair access toilet is open for those entitled to hold a radar key.    

New toilets, with main door on left and radar key access door on right.                     Photo by Jennie Kettlewell

 

Café
We understand that the Cooks & Partners’ lease for operation of the Holland Park Café has been extended for the summer. We have no further news about which company will hold the lease after that. Nor do we have any news about the very necessary improvements to the interior, which will enable faster service at the till and service area. We have been told that potential leaseholders have understandably proposed interior decoration, and hope the Council will ensure the chosen style is in keeping with the historic site.

Sports ground
Our members tell us they are ‘willing the grass to grow faster’ on the fenced off part of the sports field. It has been treated and seeded and now it needs sunshine as well as rain to create a strong and healthy green turf. Much as it is needed, it should not be opened for use too soon, or the new grass will not withstand the pounding of all those little feet.

[June 2023]

AGM 19 April 2023

The AGM was well attended and well exceeded the 30 members needed to be quorate. All votes were carried.
• Minutes of the 2022 AGM were approved
• Accounts for 2022 were approved and have since been filed with the Charity Commission
• All trustees standing were re-elected: Jennie Kettlewell (Chairman), Silvi Spassov (Treasurer), Rhoddy Wood (Secretary), Nigel Brockmann (governance), Graham Franklin (member database), Sandra French  (art exhibition), Nicholas Hopkins (website), Joy Puritz (editor). 
• Roger Foreman was re-elected as independent examiner

Nicholas Hopkins reported on achievements in 2022: completion of the conservation of Holland House, completion of the quiet garden, installation of information boards on the history of Holland House, and continuation of the proactive tree health programme which can now be planned and assessed using the purchased meter that measures tree health. Rhoddy Wood reported there were just under 1,000 paid-up members at the end of 2022, which represents a steady increase following the pandemic. Silvi Spassov commented on the 2022 accounts. 

Chairman, Jennie Kettlewell, explained that members frequently say they appreciate our wonderful park, but there are always challenges. High visitor numbers result in erosion of grass and compaction of ground, for which there is no simple solution. Climate change, with extreme weather, causes plant loss and makes it difficult to plan. Drought and torrential rain were a challenge for the management of water. Current projects were conservation of the murals and the terra cotta bricks, with a longer-term project of conserving the old dairy. The Friends welcomed the management plan for each woodland area. 

Thanks were given to the French family for another successful art exhibition, to the trustees for their tireless work in running the charity, to president Eric Ellul for his support and to the members for their loyalty, without which The Friends could not operate.

[June 2023]

Kathleen Hall – sad news 

It is with regret we record the death, when she was only a month short of her 100thKathleen Hall birthday, of Kathleen Hall who was a trustee of The Friends for a number of years. She joined as a member in 1997 and came to our attention in the early 2000s. Our then editor asked if we would offer her a place on the committee because she would be able to give support on the technicalities of editing. Her last paid job before retirement had been as fulltime editor of an annual journal. We would have expected this to be of some literary organisation but it was about engineering or something similar. We were quickly impressed with her energy and application and we offered her the editorship of this newsletter when the incumbent retired but, unfortunately, this coincided with the severe deterioration of her eyesight, making it impossible for her to use a computer. With typical determination, she remained a trustee, writing the occasional article by hand and delivering newsletters well into her 80s until overcome by the effort and danger of negotiating front steps on her round. We heard that she went on playing tennis at the local lawn tennis club until she had to admit that she could not see the balls. Her interest in and support of The Friends remained until the end and members will remember seeing her at events in The Orangery when someone was available to give her a lift.

RIP Kathleen.  We were honoured to have had your support and expertise.

Rhoddy Wood

[June 2023]

Defibrillators in Holland Park

We have been asked to let our members know about the availability of defibrillators in Holland Park. All Parks Police vehicles are equipped with a defibrillator and there is also one in the Holland Park Police Office in the Stable Yard. If you find someone in Holland Park in need of a defibrillator (not breathing or appears to be suffering a heart attack), please call 999. This will alert the London Ambulance Service. Any call made to the London Ambulance Service concerning someone in our parks and open spaces, is automatically forwarded to the Parks Police duty phone. This is to ensure the fastest possible response until an ambulance arrives.

[June 2023]

News update as at 13 February

Murals

The Murals
The murals by Rhoddy Wood

The very attractive murals under the arches south of the Iris Garden have been suffering from water ingress for a long time. The Friends have pushed to have the walkway above made waterproof, but there has been delay after delay from the council and now we hear there is to be further delay as the project is transferred to a different budget pot. Meanwhile the paintings are being badly affected. The Friends last paid for the original artist, Mao Wen Biao, to conserve the panels about 10 years ago, and would have been prepared to pay for a further round of repairs, but there is little point in retouching damp panels that will inevitably suffer further damage. As no action was in sight, we have asked that the panels be removed and stored safely, so Mao Wen Biao can restore them off-site. They may be off-site for quite a while. The Friends are working with Park Management to find expert advice on how to handle and store the paintings, as well as how to re-install them, so an airspace is left between the panels and the Stable Yard building behind them.

Damaged murals
Damaged mural by Jennie Kettlewell

Until 1991, the wall along the Arcade was painted plain white, which became stained and dingy and was vulnerable to graffiti. The Friends found Mao, who after executing vast murals in the Beijing Underground, had come to London where he was unknown and so took a commission decorating hoardings for a developer. Ours are not strictly murals but are oils painted on canvas in Mao’s studio and then affixed to the wall. There is quite a story as to how the images were arrived at, with locals sitting for the artist in appropriate costume hired for the occasion. One of the ‘locals’ was Rhoddy Wood.  Can you spot her? 

Toilets
Here’s some good news. All the structural work, first-fix plumbing and electrics are now completed. The next stage is the ceiling, flooring and then installation of the toilet cubicles, showers and sanitary ware. Completion is now due in mid-March. Although this work has taken longer than expected, we will have the benefit of a really high standard of toilets.

Kyoto pond
The pond needs its annual clean out to remove silt, leaves and any bread or other food people choose to inflict on the fish. This will mean emptying the pond and storing the fish in a holding tank for a few days, while the work is being carried out. It is important that some of the original pond water is kept, as filling the pond with chlorine-laced water from the mains would probably kill the bacteria that the fish need to survive.  The Kyoto Garden will be closed for around three days in early spring, with advance warning given through notices in the area. 

Tortoise & Crane Island
Tortoise and Crane Island

The opportunity will be taken to repair the Tortoise and Crane Island, which has become waterlogged and lost its green topping of plants as a result. Fitting a membrane to keep the pond water away from the plant’s roots won’t work, as it would fill up with rainwater. So, we have to find planting that enjoys wet roots, doesn’t obscure the view of the waterfall and is in keeping with the original concept of the garden. That’s quite a challenge! 

We notice that the ‘deer-scarer’, just outside the Kyoto Garden wall, has been mended. It clunks regularly as the water weighs down the bamboo pipe and is released into the well beneath.

The Holland Park Café 

Holland Park cafe
The cafe by Camlin Lonsdale

We understand that a number of operators have tendered for the new lease, several have been shortlisted and their proposals are being discussed. The new operators were due to be in place by April 2023, but have been told that this will now be delayed. The Friends have written to the Council to make our views known on:
• Reduction of noise inside the café. There is a hard wall, hard floor, hard ceiling and a glass wall, which cause sounds to bounce around and intensify. An acoustic study was carried out in July 2013 and action recommended to reduce noise levels. 
• Pigeons are a nuisance in most cafés with outside tables, but the birds have started coming inside our café. Pigeon deterrents have been discussed following successful installation on Holland House during conservation works. 
• Re-alignment of the counter area, to enable faster service and shorter queues. This should take place as soon as tendering for the work is completed.

North Lawn

The North Lawn
North Lawn by Jennie Kettlewell

This area will remain fenced off until the grass has re-established, the ground spiked, with margin beds replanted and edged to prevent people treading on the plants. The south side, under the pleached hornbeams, will have a low fence to prevent erosion of the grass at the south corners.  We have asked for a notice to be erected to explain what is being done, and why it takes time to ensure the work is done in a way that it lasts.

Jennie Kettlewell

[February 2023]

 

Andy Walker steps down as trustee

Andy WalkerAndrea Walker, always known as Andy, has been a trustee of The Friends for many years. We first became aware of her when she badgered us to let her have a newsletter round until we had to find one for her. From that, she was “promoted” to running the art exhibition, no mean task, which she did for four years. When she wanted a rest from that, it was her enquiries (at her hairdresser’s!) which found us the French family to take over. Andy then reverted to delivering her round which she has continued to do.  

She subsequently took responsibility for the logistics of our events. As she found she had less time available, she became the Park Observer, which meant she kept an eye open for what needed doing in the park. Those of you who have been to our summer party and events in the Orangery will remember Andy, and husband Tony, running the bar, and Andy has very ably read the AGM report of the past year’s achievements.

In total she has undertaken a significant amount of work on behalf of members, but has now told us that other commitments mean she cannot continue. We are sad to accept her resignation as a trustee, but respect her decision.  

We will keep in close touch with Andy, who now becomes an Ambassador of The Friends. The trustees have conveyed to her how much her help has been appreciated over the years.

We will see you in the park Andy.  A big thank you.

[February 2023]

Janice Miles

Sadly we have to announce that Janice is retiring.  Difficult though it is to believe, her swansong for the Friends was at Tim Marlow’s talk in the Orangery in mid-February. 35 years ago she attended a talk by Sir Hugh Casson, then president of both the Royal Academy and The Friends of Holland Park, which inspired Janice to offer us her services.  She joined the committee and was soon catering for all our Orangery events.  At that time she lived in Holland Park, near several other committee members, and it was squeezed on to one of their sofas that I can still see her saying that she was resigning, but that it wouldn’t make any difference, she was happy to go on catering. We all sighed with relief and she has carried out her promise ever since. What makes this truly remarkable is that, though a highly professional and much sought after caterer, she has never charged us a penny for her work, only for the ingredients. She has saved us thousands of pounds.  

We have all loved her food and sold tickets to our Orangery events by saying she will be bringing her distinctive canapés again.  Everyone’s style is different, so we won’t be able to offer the same again. But she has taken holidays sometimes in the summer, when we have had to find someone else for Pimm’s, and they have been good in their own way, though we have had to pay commercial prices.

Our best wishes go to Janice on her retirement and all our thanks for 35 years of cheerful and friendly support.  

Rhoddy Wood

[February 2023]

Member, Simon Grantham, wins award

In November last year, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea held their first Sport and Physical Activity Awards since the pandemic. The event celebrated local sporting heroes and organisations that dedicate their time to helping borough residents get active. Ten awards were presented by Swimming World Champion and former Olympian, Mark Foster. 

Svetlana Mills and Simon Grantham with their awards
Svetlana Mills and Simon Grantham
with their awards

We are delighted that one award went to member of The Friends, Simon Grantham, for his work as Wellbeing Walk Leader for RBKC’s Active for Life programme. He leads a daily walk and co-leads the Nordic Walk in Holland park each Thursday afternoon.

Having been on some of the walks myself, I can attest to the fact that Simon is very careful to ensure walkers are safe, which has been particularly important during icy weather. He is  reassuring to those who haven’t taken a walk in a while and welcoming to all. The groups get to know each other, look out for each other and often go to a café after the walk for a friendly chat over a coffee and bun.

Other walk leaders who won an award were Mike Bates, Ewa Kingsleigh-Smith and Svetlana Mills (also a member of The Friends), who guided the first walk some 20 years ago.  

Nordic Walking Group by Simon Grantham
The Nordic Walking Group
by Simon Grantham

Lead member for Culture, Leisure and Community Safety, Cllr Emma Will, said of the awards,
“The Sports Awards celebrate local people and the organisations in our borough who support their community day in and day out and work hard to inspire them through a range of physical activities.” She praised their commitment, enthusiasm, and encouragement that helps people to feel connected and to improve their health. 

Congratulations to Simon and thank you for your support and your patience.  Do check out the Active for Life programme (see contact details under Links) and join one of the walks.

Jennie Kettlewell

[February 2023]

 

 

 

 

Please help prevent Avian Influenza

There have been 144 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in the UK since 1 October 2022, but none have yet been confirmed in Kensington and Chelsea. We want to keep it that way. RBKC Parks Management and the Ecology Service are following government guidelines, but you can help too.

Please don’t feed birds, including peafowl, in the park. Feeding encourages birds to congregate which could spread the disease. Do not touch surfaces where it is evident that lots of birds have been e.g. where there are bird feathers or bird droppings. And please don’t be tempted to pick up peafowl feathers, however attractive they are.  If you see a dead bird, do not touch it but please do report it to a member of the idverde staff, or email: Parks@rbkc.gov.uk.

RBKC will launch an impactful poster campaign with a QR code link for updates on the Government website. Or try:   https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england#full-publication-update-history

The avian influenza situation means we have had to postpone our plans to re-invigorate our depleted pride of peafowl in Holland Park. 

Thank you for helping keep Holland Park’s birds safe.

[February 2023]

Holland Park – a hotspot for wild bees

Bumble bee in Holland Park
Bumble bee in Holland Park by Max A Rush

Holland Park has always had bees. They are important pollinators, along with butterflies, hoverflies and beetles. While you might be familiar with honey bees, they are just one of over 240 species of bee in the UK, and perform less than a third of pollination. The majority of pollination is down to wild bee species, such as bumblebees and solitary nesting leafcutter and mason bees.

If the park’s bees are to thrive, it is essential to provide appropriate habitats to support them with foraging opportunities, as well as shelter and nesting sites. The main causes of bee decline are man-made stressors, including habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. 

For many years, Holland Park has hosted managed honey bees in hives. Keeping bees in hives offers no benefit to the ecology of the park, though the local community does like to buy the honey, when there is some. 

The RBKC Ecology Service is working to help bees and other pollinators by developing a Bee Superhighway that aims to increase the number of linked pollinator hotspots right across the borough. Holland Park is intended to be one of those hotspots. The approach will be to support a healthy wild bee population, instead of managing honey bees in hives, which compete with wild bees for limited resources. 

We can now look forward to bee banks, nesting sites and flowers that bees can’t resist, all of which will serve as a valuable way of engaging children in wildlife.

Jennie Kettlewell

[February 2023]

 

2021

 

Parks Police

The Friends would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Parks Police for working even harder than usual to help keep park visitors safe during the challenge of the pandemic. You are appreciated.

Should you need or wish to contact the Parks Police for any reason concerning Holland Park, please call them on 0300 365 5101.