It’s been a busy summer for the volunteers at Friends of Newlands Park and, as we have just secured some funding for lots of new things, it’s going to be busy for some time to come!
Read on to find out what our volunteers have been doing, what we plan to do next, and how you can influence the development of the park, including the exciting plans for a playground upgrade.
We do hope that you can make it along to our AGM on 14th October and hear from us first hand. Social media can be great, but nothing beats a face-to-face discussion!
AGM Details
The Friends of Newlands Park 2026 Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 14th October 2026 at 7.30 pm at The Whiteford Room, Newlands South Church, Riverside Road, Glasgow, G43 2EG
We will be presenting updates on our activities over the past year, and our plans for the future. We will also be electing committee members.
All parkgoers are welcome to attend; we really want to hear from you! No need to book, just turn up.
Join us!
We’re especially looking for new committee members — and we’d love to hear from parents of younger children, to help keep the park welcoming and exciting for all ages. Your voice matters, and with just four meetings a year, it’s a manageable commitment.
Interested? Email info@friendsofnewlandspark.org by 7th October — we’re happy to answer any questions.
Or volunteer your way. No green fingers required, no big time commitment — just whatever you can spare, whenever suits you. Help with social media, fundraising, children’s activities, even fairy house construction. It’s a great chance to use your skills on local projects you care about, and to be part of a friendly, thriving community. Email volunteer@friendsofnewlandpark.org and tell us how you would like to get involved.
Gardening update – and Saturday Hit Squad call up
Our regular volunteers continue to be very busy! These images show what a difference just three volunteers made only 2 hours recently.
If you want to get involved, the Saturday Hit Squad will be meeting on 10th October at 10:00 – 12:00 for an autumn tidy-up. No gardening expertise required, children can join in (but must be with an adult) and tools and safety glasses/gloves are provided. Having seen what three people can do, imagine how the park will look with input from a ‘hit squad’ dozen!
Park souvenirs for sale
One of our park regulars has kindly given us some small items that he made for us to sell and raise funds for park improvements. They are made with wood salvaged from the park and are really lovely!
We only have what you see in the photo, so if you would like one of them, please get in touch and we will keep one aside for you, in exchange for a donation. Suggested donations are £5 for a dibber, and £10 for a bottle opener or a bottle stopper.
New funds for lots of new things!
We successfully applied for a grant from a fund specifically set up to support Park Friends groups, listing a range of items we needed to support our activities and to enhance the park. The funds will go towards some new tools for our gardeners; another wooden picnic table; and educational resources for children’s activities, such as wildlife information signs and a book sharing library, and fun activities that will encourage them to explore the whole park.
We would love to get local primary schools and children’s organisations involved in designing the children’s activities, so please get in touch if you think you can help.
Playground upgrade
After quite a bit of lobbying, we were delighted to hear that Glasgow City Council will be upgrading our playpark soon! Three of our volunteers met with the Landscape Technician responsible for managing the project and shared our ideas, based on the feedback we have received from surveys of parkgoers. It was a really productive meeting and we were impressed with the creative vision of project manager.
We have now seen some exciting draft concepts for the new play equipment, which will be situated next to the existing playground. Of course, there’s still a lot to do, and budget constraints will affect the final design, but we love this concept and will do our best to make it work. Come to our AGM and see for yourself and let us know what you think whilst there is still an opportunity to influence the design.
Every donation counts
Even a pound or two can make a difference. We rely on donations & grants to fund activities and infrastructure projects that benefit all users of Newlands Park. All donations are gratefully received. Make an on-line donation here, or email us contact@friendsofnewlandspark.org for other ways to donate.
Leave a comment