Who We Are
We are a group of people interested in supporting Valley Gardens. It was agreed with the Harrogate Borough Council that a group would be formed in October 2009, and the initial steps toward organization were then taken.
You are welcome to join us and support this magnificent Park. To find out how to join, click here. Please pass the word to your friends.
Friends Pages
For current information about Friends activities and events, please visit our Friends Pages.
FOVG Officers: The Officers of Friends of Valley Gardens are:
- Chairman: Jane Blayney
- Vice Chair: Neil Hughes
- Secretary: Helen McCallum
- Treasurer: Jim Clark
- Parent Representative: Helen McCallum (Acting)
- Youth Representative: Open
- Administrative Officer: Sue Clarke
- Marketing and Publicity Officer: Liam Clarke
- Volunteer Gardening Coordinator: Tony Sissons
You can contact our Officers by emailing them at any of the following links:
FOVG Chair
FOVG Vice Chair
FOVG Secretary
FOVG Administrative Officer
Meeting Information
Friends of Valley Gardens hold a meeting every other month. Meetings are nominally held in Jan, Mar, May, July, Sep, and Nov. Meetings take place at the Harlow Hill Club, 12 College St. (off Otley Rd.), Harrogate HG2 0AH, Phone: 021423 563 200 and begin at 7:00 PM. Specific information about each meeting can be obtained by looking on the Friends Pages or by emailing our Secretary.
Objectives
The group is established for the public benefit for the following purposes in the area comprising Valley Gardens, Harrogate. In collaboration with the responsible Local Authority, the aims of the group shall be:
- To promote and encourage the involvement of the local community of all ages in the enhancement, management, and maintenance of Valley Gardens
- To work towards improved safe access for all to the park and to promote safety for all park activities
- To conserve, enhance, and promote the park area for the benefit of people and wildlife
- To advance the education of the public in the flowers, trees, wildlife, and heritage of Valley Gardens by encouraging them to participate in the management of the park and various activities.
- To promote high standards of planting
- To promote high standards of tidiness
- To develop a management plan including an ongoing status survey in conjunction with Harrogate Borough Council
- To raise funds, apply for grants and invite/receive contributions to further the objectives of FOVG
- To identify operational problems, such as drainage, lighting, litter, and anti-social behaviour, and suggest solutions
- To protect and enhance the biodiversity of the area
- To work with, and facilitate communications among, local authorities, organisations, voluntary groups, and the public to further the above objectives.
We are not the first Friends Group to support Valley Gardens. In 1986-87, the Sun Pavilion and Colonnades were in disrepair and under threat. A group of friends, lead by Anne Smith, joined together to save them and to prevent the building of a car park on Garden land. A history of this group is well documented in the press coverage of the time. You can read more about the Original Friends of the Valley Gardens by clicking here.
Contact Us
We welcome your comments and questions. One of our “Objectives” is “to facilitate communication with the local authorities, Organisations and Voluntary Groups...”
A regular agenda item for our bi-monthly meetings is “Questions from the Community” which we will do our best to answer. When necessary, we will coordinate our answer with the Harrogate Borough Council.
For more information about Friends of Valley Gardens, please contact us.