Changes in the Parks Teams

We are fortunate to have council officers who not only run Holland Park very ably, but they work well together as a team and they involve The Friends in much of the strategy and many day-to-day decisions. Two of the team will take voluntary redundancy from the start of April, with compensating promotions.

Ullash Karia

We have known Ullash since he took on the role of Head of Leisure and Parks for RBKC 16 years ago. He presided over the building of the large and popular Leisure Centre in the north of the borough in 2016, which was fitting as he is a real sports enthusiast. He has chosen voluntary redundancy from his role managing parks, open spaces, cemeteries, capital projects, sports development, the Ecology Service, community gardens team and leisure centres. He has always given his teams credit for good work and was particularly proud of his team collecting the top award for demonstrating core Council values of respect, integrity and working together. His real passion is cricket and he is a qualified coach as well as being an avid sports and wellness coach. Ullash has always been open with The Friends about successes and challenges, so that we could work together to make positive changes. We will certainly miss him.

 

 

Sergeant Helen Tilbury

We will miss Helen too when she takes voluntary redundancy after nearly 20 years with the Parks Police Service. You will know her from her patrols around the park, giving help to those who needed it and keeping her eye on everything. The Parks Police keep us all safe but often do so by preventing trouble and we have often seen Helen sit down with someone to understand the underlying problem. She has known the park since childhood and we will all miss her significant experience as well as her regular contact with The Friends, keeping us in touch with what’s happening in the park and often helping us set up our events. It is likely there will be some restructuring of the Parks Police so that they can continue to operate with two teams to give daily cover and keep us all safe.   

Parks Management

 

Current Parks Manager, Monica Castelino, will be promoted to take on the post left vacant by Ullash Karia – Leisure and Parks Manager. This means she will add the remit for managing the sports and leisure portfolio. We are delighted to see Monica promoted and feel it is well-deserved, based on her impressive record.  She has worked in the parks team since 2007, displaying a calm and can-do attitude and being decisive, which saves so much time. As a friend of The Friends, she has worked closely with us from topline strategy to daily detail, willing to talk things through when opinions have differed. Parks Projects Manager, Sarah Brion, will move to Monica’s team to take responsibility for cemeteries, the idverde contract and parks projects. The Friends have worked with Sarah on several projects and currently on conservation of the Old Dairy. 

 

 

The above news means changes to who we work with in the park, but we are reassured that we know all those stepping up to take on different roles.  We wish Ullash and Helen well in what they choose to do now and we won’t lose touch with them. We wish Monica every success in her new role and wish Sarah and the rest of the parks team enjoyment in what they do. The Friends feel fortunate to know you all.

Jennie Kettlewell: Photos by RBKC

[February 2026]