Previous News

Autumn Clear up day.

October 16th 10am meet by the playground.

We are going to be removing some of the rubbish that is in the Pond and clearing away rhododendron from around the pond. Be prepared for muddy conditions. Children will definitely need to be supervised as the pond is very smelly!

Fungi Hunt

2nd October 12pm.

Come and discover the fungi of Oakley Park. A walk led by Elliott Fairs. Shoes suitable for muddy conditions are needed!

Installing our new Orienteering course

11 September 10.00 a.m.

Installing our new Orienteering course in conjunction with Southern Navigators. Please come along and help!Be prepared for mud and digging!

Friends of Oakley Park celebrated their 21st Anniversary!

June 12th 2pm.

To celebrate we played cricket in the park with people from across the community. Equipment was kindly loaned by the Fleet junior cricket club. Ages ranged from 5-65. We even had the local beat Officer join in for a quick go at fielding. We also sold refreshments and plants. At the end of the event we announced the winners of the childrens' art competition run through the local schools. The Fleet Town Council judged the entries and the prizes were awarded by the newly elected Town council Chairperson Bob Schofield (it was his first official engagement!). We concluded the event with free slice of cake for all.

Our winners

Infant School winner: Sennen Ratcliffe from Tavistock Infants Junior School winner: Jasmine Arnold from Velmead Junior school Infant school runner up: Malachy Knights from Fleet Infant school Junior School runner up: Joshua Hart from All Saints Junior school.

Their winning pictures can be seen: Winning entries

Prizes were donated in part by Authors and Artists and the Fleet Bargain Bookshop. Friends of Oakley Park would like to say a huge thank you to Designer Print of Albert Street, Fleet for their magnificent banner that they have supplied free of charge to help advertise our event

Tree Shake

Saturday 24th April 2pm.

Come along and find out what a tree shake is! A fun activity for the family, guided by Colin Gray (Fleet Pond Society)

Hedgerow Planting

Sunday 18th April 2pm.

Come along and dig! Please bring along a garden spade/fork Meet at the Albany Road entrance to the park by the Memorial Garden

Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday April 3rd April 2pm.

Come and join in our annual Easter Egg Hunt. Free for children to participate. Young children should be supervised in the wooded area, particularly around the pond. We also run an activity for very young children in the playground.

Bird Boxes

Saturday February 20th 10am. Meet by the entrance to the woods near the children's playground.

We are installing 6 bird boxes in the woodland area. Come along and help! Please note that ladders are involved and children must be supervised.

AGM and Social

Saturday 23rd January 8pm. Church of Our Lady Hall, Corner of Kings Rd and Connaught Rd, Fleet.

Social evening and Annual Meeting.

Tickets are just £7 for the Social Evening and includes a buffet and drinks. We are very pleased to welcome Paul Knightley as our guest speaker for the evening from TORRO (Tornado and Severe Storms Research Organisation) Please phone 674815 or email oakleypark@live.co.uk for further information. Tickets may be bought at the door.

Bulb Planting and Autumn Clean up day.

Young and Old welcome!

17th October 10am. Meet by the Playground.

Come along and help transform the Park. We have lots of bulbs ready to be planted to help light up the woods and around the park with their native flowers. We are also going to be clearing up some of the woodland area pulling out non-native species. Please come along in old warm clothes and with any gardening tools you can, especially bulb planters. Children are very welcome but will need to be supervised, especially around the pond.


An end of an era, 18 July 2009

A local story brought to you by the Friends of Oakley Park.

Family and friends gathered for a picnic in Oakley Park today to celebrate the life and retirement of a very special lady, Elizabeth Hume-Wright.

Elizabeth, seen here with Katie Drew, who attended the play group, built an extension to her home and started the Wood Lane School on the 14 January 1980. Unfortunately, with Elizabeth about to retire, the school will also close its doors. Over the past 29 years, 542 children have attended the play school and looked after by Elizabeth and her 11 staff. Many of whom have worked with her from the day it opened. Liz, as she is known to her friends, has seven children of her own but still managed to run a successful business providing a first class preschool play group for the local residents of Fleet. A very well liked and respected lady, she was extremely surprised that Katie Ellis with help of her staff, friends and the children past and present from the play school had arranged a retirement party without her knowledge. The local fire brigade attended along with the NEHASB, North East Hampshire Area School brass band who provided some excellent music. With plenty of games for the children to play and refreshments including an ice cream van, a great time was had by everyone . The party in Oakley Park, sponsored by Mackenzie Smith, a local estate agency, was a huge success.

Opening of the rocks ceremony, 22nd May 2009

The Friends of Oakley Park are pleased to announce that the climbing rocks have now been completed. Our many thanks to the National Lottery, Hart Council and all those involved. The funds raised for the rocks came from a National Lottery grant, bid for by the Friends of Oakley Park in conjunction with Hart Council. We recently began repainting the basketball pole and back screen.The first coat has been done, with the second coat to be finished soon. Shortly we will tackle the remembrance garden. Although only a small area, the fencing now needs replacing and new shrubs planting. The plaque remains OK, but the wooden post is rotten so will need changing. Any one with an interest in helping, drop us an e-mail and we will let you know when we will be starting the work.