Didsbury Park Recognised by MCC as an Asset of Community Value
DIDSBURY PARK ACHIEVES RECOGNITION BY MCC AS AN 'ASSET OF COMMUNITY VALUE'
In February 2025 we drafted an application to MCC for Didsbury Park to be recognised by MCC as an Asset of Community Value. Last week we received an email from MCC Legal Services to state
"The City Council has now decided that Didsbury Park, Wilmslow Road, Didsbury, M20 5LS should be included in its list of assets of community value"
This status remains valid for 5 years.
We are delighted that the high standards of the park,which have been achieved by volunteers working with MCC for the last 11 years, have been recognised in this way. However, the Board of the Friends of Didsbury Park still strongly believes that Didsbury Park should be given longer lasting protection for the benefit of the current and future Didsbury Community. It is felt that without permanent protection, the park will remain vulnerable to short term political decisions and development pressures.
After 11 years and over 50,000 volunteer hours of work it would be such a shame if the park was ever lost to the people of Didsbury.
HISTORY OF DIDSBURY PARK :
Last week our research (thanks to Louise) led us to the exact date when the Recreation Ground (the forerunner of a smaller version of Didsbury Park) was opened i.e. Saturday 16th May 1896.
What we have discovered since then is that according to the Manchester Evening News of 15th January 1909:
In 1909 a bill was put forward to provide an entrance from Gillbrook Road (or as it was known then, Grange Road) into the Recreation Ground. It looks from later maps after 1909 that a part of Jim's front garden was taken away to do this.
However we cannot yet be so precise for the date when the Recreation Ground extension was completed and the park as we know it today was opened. What we have discovered however is that that according to the Guardian of 7th January 1925 there is an article which states that "The Didsbury Recreation Ground will be extended by 7 1/2 acres."
So we know that there was agreement at the beginning of 1925 to expand the Recreation Ground but we are still researching when this actually happened. If it was 1926 then it will be our centenary year next year but let's do some more research before we jump to that conclusion.
TODAY
It was a little bit worrying to wake up first this morning to a particularly awful weather forecast for our volunteer work in the park today. However, thanks to some great support from everybody concerned, we still had an amazing turnout of 55 volunteers. I am delighted to report that with this huge workforce we were able to complete the planting of this year's spring bulbs. That is, we have now planted 25,000 new bulbs in just three Monday volunteer sessions. The park will look stunning in spring!! Thank you everyone. This is a huge achievement and well deserving of 3 weeks Christmas holiday - after next week of course!
In addition to our support from the Brentwood High School students and from Segan and Sheeba from Bridge College, we also had teams of volunteers from the National Highways Authority, WSP and Costello Medical. We were also joined by individual volunteers from business such as Darcey from BT, Rebeka from Amey and Ynah from Mace Group. It was also a real pleasure to welcome Will Storey from MCC who rolled his sleeves up with us and helped us in the wild flower meadow. Everybody was made very welcome.
A special thank you should also go today to Sandra who managed the large drinks order at the break, in Gill N's absence. Thank you Sandra.
TODAY - BULB PLANTING
I think it is fair to say that virtually everyone was involved in planting spring bulbs right across the park today:
Picture 1 shows the teams from WSP and Costello Medical planting daffodils along the hedge outside the DNC. Great work -thank you
Lesley Mc, Jude, Christine and some volunteers from business planted Cammassia along the Flower Walk. Thank you - these will look stunning when they grow
Picture 2 shows Sandra, Denise, Louise and Gill B planting small alliums in the rose beds. These are beautiful plants which should provide lots of colour for a long time. Well done team
Jude organised a large team of volunteers to plant tete-a-tete and large daffodils along the whole length of path to Wilmslow Road - Great work - thank you
Anne and Lucy worked with a small team of volunteers to plant the remainder of the tulips, in the flower beds from the rockery to the Gillbrook Road entrance. Picture 3 shows Lucy being an example to us all, by cleaning all the wet muddy soil from her spade before storing it away. Well done and thank you both.
Pictures 4 & 5 show some members of the National Highways team busy planting daffodils in both the flower bed and the grassed area in the Bird Garden. This will bring a lot of colour to the Bird Garden in spring - thank you. Picture 6 shows Darcy with a barrow load of green waste, on her way back to the skip from the Bird Garden. Thank you Darcey.
And we had saved a small bag of big daffodils for when the students from Brentwood High arrived so that they could finish their planting in the woodland area. Thank you all. This woodland area will be great in the spring.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part in one way or another to help us plant up the whole park ready for spring.
TODAY - NONE BULB PLANTING ACTIVITI ES
Picture 7 is a picture of Chris, Augustine, myself and 3 National Highways volunteers prior to beginning the work to move a section of wild flower meadow hedging from the designated space where one of the new public access gates will be installed and replant it behind one of the benches. This is the last piece of preparation work we needed to complete before the contractors begin their fence work which is scheduled for the first working week in January 2026. A special thank you to Will Storey from MCC for joining in and helping us out in this particular activity . It was a real morale boost to see you supporting us - thank you.
Having tidied up a small puddled area around last weeks newly installed bench, the heavy gang consisting of Richard, Carl N and Gary joined Kevin and Sue in the woodland to continue the bug hotel developments. Great work everyone.
Picture 8 shows Lesley M working hard to clear up some of the last leaf fall we have had in the park this autumn. Thank you Lesley - we are nearly clear for another year.
Picture 9 shows Lorna, doing a sterling job tidying up the path on her own. Shortly afterwards a support team of 5 more volunteers came to her aide and the path was soon made safe and tidy once again. Thank you Lorna.
Thanks once again to Tristan and Ilma as they continued to develop the moss garden Thank you both.
Picture 10 shows Ynah and Rebeka having planted winter aconite in this area, It will be interesting to see how these flourish in spring. Well done and thank you.
REMINDER - NEXT MONDAY 8TH DECEMBER - CHRISTMAS CAROLS, MINCE PIES AND MULLED WINE
I hope everybody is looking forward to next Monday when we will finish our volunteering at 11am and then retire to the DNC garden where we can enjoy some mince pies and mulled wine whilst listening to some lovely Christmas carols being sung for us by the children's choir from Didsbury CofE primary school.
After next week, there will be no volunteering sessions again until Monday 5th January 2026.
FINALLY - CAN YOU HELP?
I know we are all amazingly proud of Augustine who has been awarded a place at the University of Westminster starting in January. The university is located in one of the most expensive areas of our already expensive capital city. Currently Augustine has not been able to sort out any accommodation. I know it is a long shot, but somebody on our circulation list, may know of a room which might suit Augustine at an affordable price. If so can you please let Sonia or myself know and we will pass it on.
Thank you once again for your amazing support.