Friends of Alexandra Park Whalley Range

We are dedicated to improving public facilities within Alexandra Park.

Our Achievements in 2024:

• Funded the installation of two age-friendly benches outside the Café.
• Installed a new slide for the under-3s in the Children’s Playground.
• Opened the Park Information & Heritage Centre for public visits on 60 occasions, thanks to our volunteers.
• Launched a Gardening Group to renovate and replant several flower beds.
• Completed the setup of the Woodland Glade Tree classroom.

Our Plans for 2025:

• Clear the Lake and its banks of litter and waste.
• Move floating timber to the island to enhance the habitat.
• Improve facilities for feeding waterfowl on the Lake.
• Restore eroded Lake banks and replant suitable vegetation.
• Introduce new habitat types in the Lake and throughout the Park.
• Organise a variety of community engagement activities within the Park.

ALEXANDRA PARK NEWS

 Whats App Community - Activities in Alexandra Park There are now four Whats App Chat Groups within the Activities Community. Community members can easily join one or more of these Group if they wish to take part or keep in touch on a specific topic.  The latest group to join is called “Friends Park Heritage Group”.   You can join the Activities Community by scanning this QR code with your phone camera. or email friends of alex park on

  riendsofalexandraparkmanchest@gmail.com 

Once you’ve joined the Community, you can choose which Group you would like to join. Other WA Groups for activities from other organisations may appear in the Community from time to time and you can choose to join these as well.  If you have such a group and wish it to appear in the Alexandra Park Activities Community, please email the Friends. 

 Park Improvement Projects On Saturday 6th June volunteers met to continue work on building “dead hedges”, which are intended to guide park users through the woodland to the east of the Lime Walk along wildlife friendly routes.  The access routes into this part of the Park have multiplied over the years, meaning that the wildlife within the woods is less hidden from view and more exposed to human contact and disturbance.  We are trying to reverse this trend and at the same time introduce more wildlife friendly features such as bug hotels, stick piles, bird and bat boxes.  The next Woodland Work Session will be on Saturday August 1st at 10.30 am. To get involved in any of this work you can join the Group via the WA Community described above.  Alternatively, just email us as above.

 Schools Activities 2026 10 sessions of nature-based activities were held this year between 9th and 18th June.  270 children from four local primary schools (Our Lady’s, St Mary’s, Claremont and St Margaret’s) took part in Pond Dipping and Leaf & Tree knowledge sessions.  In addition 60 pupils from Manley Park had a session on Park heritage and history.  Many thanks were expressed by the schools to all the volunteers who worked on this project, particularly to Sheila, the Schools Activities organiser.  A lot of people put in time and effort to make sure the children had a great local experience.   Plans are now being developed for next year’s programme.  Join the Schools Activities Chat Group if you want to keep in touch with this activity. Gardening Group The Gardening Group continues to meet regularly and is making good progress on maintaining the beds in the Princess Rd gate area, the Lodge raised beds and the planter boxes outside Bembé.  More work is planned on the lakeside areas which we are trying to bring back to life ! To get involved with this group, email in if you’re interested or join the Activities Community using the QR code above and then choose to join the Gardening Group. Green Roots - Global Voices Festival - Sunday 26th July This is planned to be a showcase celebrating Muslim-led sustainability initiatives across Manchester and will include community organisations, family activities, workshops and opportunities for local groups to connect.  The Friends of Alexandra Park plans to have a stall explaining how park users can contribute to sustainability every time they visit the Park.  Please get in touch if you would like to help design and construct the display or volunteer to staff the stall on the day.  It runs from 12.00 to 15.00. 

Car Boot Sales Our first Car Boot Sale of the year on Saturday 13th June was a great success !  The weather was kind and there were plenty of vendors and buyers.  Vendors reported that sales between 11.30 and 12.30 were very good.  All the money raised through the charge for pitches will be put into supporting Friends activities and improving the Park. Publicity for the next Sale, on July 18th, will start soon and we are asking Friends to consider volunteering to act as a Steward for a particular shift.   Shift A - Arrival stewarding 0825 to 1000.     Shift B - Information Table 1000 to 1130 Shift C - Information Table 1130 to 1300       Shift D - Departure Stewarding 1300 to 1400 Please volunteer for a shift and help the day be another success (weather permitting !)  Email in with your reply as this activity is not organised through a Whats App Group. 

Heritage and Information Centre Why not come to view the art exhibition in the Lodge called “Gangland Illustrated” ?   The artist is quite often available in the Lodge to talk to visitors.   Come and see it for yourself - the Lodge is open, thanks to our volunteer guides, every Wednesday and Friday from 11.00 am to 2.00 pm, when you can also explore the history of the park through our displays and videos.  This exhibition will leave the Lodge during September, with a new exhibition available from 26th September until the new year. If you would like to volunteer to meet and greet visitors to the Lodge, please email the address below and let us know. You can also contact the Lodge Team through their own Facebook page - search for “Chorlton Lodge”   RIP Tony O’Mahoney A very good Friend to the Park died a few days ago.  Tony has been a well known figure in the Park for many years.  He was extremely knowledgeable on bird life and led the Friends Bird Walk several times a year.  He will be greatly missed.  Condolences to his family. Dates for your diary - some forthcoming activities  Wednesday 8th July  Saturday 18th July Sunday   26th July Saturday 1st August Saturday 29th August Heritage event in the Lodge - find out more by joining the Chat Group Car Boot Sale in the Park  - 10.00 am to 2.00 pm Green Roots/Global Voices festival at Café Bembé Work party in the Woodland 10.30 am to 1.00 pm  Car Boot Sale in the Park  - 10.00 am