Now We Are 10!

It seems perfect timing that to mark welovebearwood’s 500^th posting that we can celebrate Warley Woods Community Trust’s 10^th anniversary.  Happy 10^th Birthday Warley Woods!

After the celebrations with lots of bubbly and very happy smiley faces yesterday afternoon, Viv Cole, Warley Woods Trust Manager told us why this is such a momentous occasion especially as it hasn’t always felt like a walk in the park.

Viv said..."The Community Trust is really pleased that on 1^st April we celebrated 10 years of managing Warley Woods. The lease for the site was finally signed back in April 2004 after 7 years of discussions with both Birmingham City Council and Sandwell MBC.

Since then the Trust has been actively improving the physical state of the site and organising events and activities to ensure that more local people will be able to enjoy the beautiful green space in many different ways. The Trust has over 800 members and last year over 400 people volunteered at Warley Woods – giving their time, so that the site can keep giving back to everyone who visits.

The site has been awarded Green Flag for the last five years and in 2011 and 2012 it came second in the public vote for the UK’s favourite green space. The Trust was the first charity of its kind to take on the running of an urban park and its survival has never been guaranteed. It has taken hard work and persistence through the 10 years to continually improve and thrive.”

 
Viv told us to keep a close eye on Warley Woods calendar as there will be lots of special activities throughout the year to celebrate their 10^th birthday

Warley Woods Milestones include:

 2004 Took on management of Warley Woods park and golf course

 2006 Centenary events with schools

 2006 Publication of the Trust’s first book

 2006 Began delivery of regeneration through Heritage Lottery Project (HLF)

 2006 Created new children’s play area

 2006 New park sculptures

 2006 Stride healthy walks start in the Woods

 2007 Completed £1,000,000 HLF Project to time and to budget pathways, benches, bins, fencing, treeworks, signage

 2008 Buggyfit comes to Warley Woods

 2008 New swings for young people

 2008 Tree trail leaflet

 2008 Pavilion building now fully accessible with new toilets, boiler and windows

 2009 History trail leaflet and signage

 2009 Restoration of Edwardian Drinking Fountain

 2009 Trust Membership reaches 800

 2009 First golf summer school – free for children from Sandwell

 2009 Green Flag Award

 2009 New perimeter path around golf course

 2009 Virgin Trains sponsors Santa in the Woods

 2009 Kickstart Bootcamp comes to Warley Woods

 2010 The Wilderness Opened to the public

 2010 Theatre in the Woods for the first time

 2011 (and 2012) Silver Medal in the People’s Choice Award for green spaces

 2011 Volunteers now number over 400  

2012 Events calendar lists over 20 events to take place in the year

 2012 Warley Woods Pacers (running club) affiliated to England Athletics

 2014 Viv Cole, Trust Manager, celebrates raising £1,000,000 for the Trust

 2014 10^th  Birthday Celebrations

Well done Warley Woods.  Here’s to another great 10 years and many more to come!