Friends of Dunorlan Park
The Friends of Dunorlan Park are an enthusiastic group of
volunteers who support the park in a variety of ways, including
running a programme of events and activities throughout the
year.
About the Friends
'To further the restoration, preservation and sympathetic
development for enjoyment by the public of the urban park and
gardens known as Dunorlan Park, Tunbridge Wells, in the county of
Kent.'
This charitable association had its origin as an informal
conservation group in the mid-1990s when the late Peter Reynolds,
our first Chairman and Honorary Life President, invited a number of
people with an interest in Dunorlan Park to meet at his home for
general discussion of the then condition – showing signs of
deterioration because of previous lack of attention and investment
– and possible future of the park and gardens.
There followed a number of meetings of the group and
consultations with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council officials about
restoration initiatives that culminated in an initial application
for a grant from the lottery funded Urban Parks Programme. While
this application was turned down, encouragement and some funding
was given for further research towards a revised application to the
successor Heritage Lottery Fund which was first submitted in
September 1999.
Partly in order to demonstrate the level of support for these
applications, but also to ensure continued local participation in
the future of Dunorlan Park, it was decided to widen the scope of
the informal group of Friends by inviting the public to join to
make a much larger and thus more influential organisation.
The Friends of Dunorlan Park was, accordingly, launched at a
Public Meeting in the Town Hall in October 1996; our constitution
was approved at The Friends’ first AGM on 3rd April 1997 and the
Association registered as a Charity (No. 1063715 / 0) on 31st July
1997.
Membership of The Friends rose steadily over the ensuing years
and by late 2005 had grown to over 350 persons. The sometimes
seemingly unending process of the HLF application came to a joyous
conclusion in February 2003 with news of the Fund’s approval of a
grant of £2.1 million towards the cost of what was eventually a
much more extensive restoration project than was originally
believed possible – but it cannot have been a hindrance that in
2002 English Heritage had named Dunorlan as a park of historical
interest and granted it a Grade 2 listing. The on-site work of the
Restoration Project commenced in September 2003 and was largely
completed by the end of 2004 – with representatives of The Friends
actively involved in the project committees.
Meantime The Friends membership had not been idle – and, now
under the Chairmanship of Mrs. Ruth Baker (who as the then Mayor of
Tunbridge Wells had presided over the original public meeting
founding our Association), had committed to and had raised £10,000
towards the water features of the project via an aptly named
Millennium Cascade Fund. Alongside this was a varied, expanding and
very popular annual programme of themed walks and talks organised
by The Friends in and about the Park, for members and any other
interested parties.
Effective completion of the project – and the official
re-opening and full access to all areas of the Park in June 2005 –
has addressed many of the original matters on which The Friends
focused their attention - Restoring the Lake and Ponds; A path
round the lake; Restoring the fountain and avenue of cedars;
Reinstating the historic Victorian garden – but some remain as
timeless purposes of any such Friends group:
- Keeping the focus of the owners (TWBC) on the continuing
importance of proper funding for and maintenance and improvement of
the restored Park and its facilities
- Encouraging and facilitating wider knowledge and use of the
Park and all it has to offer – particularly as an education
resource for local schools and their pupils and as a healthy
recreational facility for people of all ages, whether local or
visiting.
- Helping countryside protection in the extension lands
- Assisting with applications to funding bodies
We continue to look for new members to bring interest,
enthusiasm and energy to The Friends. Membership is £5 per annum
for an individual and £10 per annum for a family (of whatever
size!). Members receive a regular newsletter and early notification
of all Friend’s events and gatherings.
Pages in this Section
Friends of Dunorlan
Park Newsletters
Issue 38 July 2007
Issue 39 December
2007
Issue 40 March 2008
Issue 41 August 2008
Issue 42 December
2008
Issue 43 March 2009
FoDP - Annual Reports
Each year the Trustees publish the organisations annual report. The
report summarises the years achievements, its highs and lows.
Related Pages
Head Gardener's Newsletters
The following Newsletters have been written by Tony Ewins, Head
Gardener at Dunorlan Park.
Trees, Plants and Wildlife in Dunorlan Park
The A-Z of plants is being developed; Information is being added
continuously.