A community group is in need of new volunteers to help care for a local park and to allow it to run a wider range of activities.
Friends of Wray Crescent Open Space (FoWCOS), based in Tollington, Islington is searching for new members to help maintain their namesake park, which serves over 12,000 residents.
Jonny Evans, Chair of FoWCOS, said: “Some of our energy has fallen over the years. After COVID-19, a lot of people got involved in volunteering.
“Rising costs of living and going back to work changed this. People who wanted to get involved later moved out of the area because of high rent prices.”
The group plays an active role in the local area, having recently hosted free yoga sessions and the first Wray Crescent Festival.
Each week, the group works on Wray Crescent’s Yvonne Conolly Garden. Produce from the garden is regularly donated to local food banks and vulnerable members of the community.
“The more love you put into the space, the more love you get out of it”
Mr Evans said that the group would particularly welcome gardeners, those who are trained in first aid, DBS-checked individuals, publicists, writers and managers.
“It’s an opportunity for people to get involved in something that showcases the best of Tollington,” he said. “The more love you put into the space, the more love you get out of it.”
“The skills we need are as wide as the vision.”
According to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the percentage of people who helped to run volunteering activities halved between 2018-2022.
Interested in getting involved? Fill in the contact form on the Friends of Wray Crescent Open Space website.
MA Newspaper Journalism at City, University of London. Bylines in MyLondon, Clash Magazine, DIY Magazine, and more. Freelance Arts and Culture Journalist.