Friends of Newport Lakes - Survey Results
The Friends of Newport Lakes (FoNL) have been working to improve Newport Lakes Park for
21 years and some of the current Committee Members have been there from the start.
Altogether 40 surveys were returned for analysis, from 89 e-mails sent out, plus paper
surveys completed in the park (30).
Do you know what FoNL does? Do you think it matters?
Please take a moment to consider all the things that the Friends Group does:
What does Friends of Newport Lakes do?
It organises:
Does this matter to you?
Yes
Maybe
No
Conservation events – planting, mulching, weeding etc
Clean-up events
W ater quality monitoring
Educational events – about birds, plants, snakes, bats etc
Social events – group break-up, dog days, celebrations
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It lobbies, liaises and supports:
Funding and grant bodies to fund projects
Council, to consider and address issues and concerns observed
in the park
School groups learning about the park
Community groups holding events
In association with Council, it undertakes projects:
Disability path
Drinking fountains
Park benches
Tree labelling
Educational signage and plaques to recognize contributions
Bird Hide
Mosaics and associated pamphlet about walks
Night-camera to detect nocturnal animal activity
Birds of Newport Lakes Bird Book
It manages:
Recruits and supports members
Informs members of environmental events of interest
Manages money from membership, grants and bequests
Keeps records, holds meetings and AGM
Keeps records of birds and animals seen in the park
Produces a Newsletter for members
Maintains a W ebsite and a Facebook page
Continue to page 2
You could start with your ideas for the 21st Birthday Celebration.
Please indicate if you support these suggestions and/or add your own.
Ideas for the FoNL 21 st Birthday Celebration
A family BYO picnic in the amphitheatre with a ‘talent quest’ concert?
A BYO picnic/BBQ in the Paveys/Arboretum area (near facilities , dog-inclusive)
Include live music (? Provided by Newport Fiddle and Folk club)
Interesting
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Information Stall (Markets & aligned organisation ‘get togethers’)
Fund Raisers (eg. Film night at the Sun Theatre)
A guest speaker
Photographic exhibition – new and historic images - with an opportunity to gather old
members and new, workers, dignitaries etc. Either in park for a day with a market or
fair or picnic or Substation for longer but with an opening night. Maybe to coincide with
Newport Folk Festival? Then turn images into a video and/or photo book for website.
21 years photo and notice on noticeboard
21 years story in the local paper
21 years plaque on a new specimen tree in the Arboretum
A 3 minute video (for website and you tube) of 21 years of stories and memories about
the Friends
A 21 year project – a children’s garden
An ecumenical service of thanksgiving
I DO THINK A DOG INCLUSIVE EVENT IS NOT A BAD IDEA BUT I WOULD HAVE IT
EITHER IN THE ARBORETUM OR N/W HOLE.
What about a ‘car rally’ without the car. Send people off on a hunt for i tems/clues in the
park (eg, leave a clue at the frog mosaic, rock no.3 etc) and have prizes for first finished,
youngest competitor etc. I would like to see the prizes come from the nursery that FONL
or council pay for. Have the ‘race’ finish in the amphit heatre with a bbq lunch. It ’s a nice
place to wait for other competitors to finish.
The FoNL Committee will consider the suggestions about how to celebrate our 21st Birthday and
will let people know what, and when, the event will be in due course.
It is not too late to have input or to get involved in the planning.
For further information contact: Mary Burbidge on 93915758 or [email protected]
This has been circulated widely, to the Friends Group and to people who might value the park, so one
more little tick box to fill in, please:
Are you a:
Tick if Yes
Current FoNL member?
Ex member?
Regular park user?
Infrequent park user?
Dog walker?
HBCC worker?
Other? ….
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If you would like to tell us the most important things about the park for you or the most important
work to do in the park or have any other thoughts or suggestions, please write them here:
Many helpful suggestions were made: Some will be considered by the Committee, some will be
passed on to HBCC for consideration .
Thank you!