Our Projects in Marple Memorial Park
The Friends of Marple Memorial Park have had amazing success with their projects in the park, thanks largely to the great support from local people, other voluntary organisations and the Marple business community. You can read more about these successes here.
Basketball Nets
New hoops and nets for the Basketball Court
Sometimes a park improvement only needs to be a small thing!
New basketball nets fitted by Friends of the Park is one of our lowest budget and quickest projects ever, and new hoops are on their way!
Refurbishment of the Stocks
Refurbishment of Marple's Stocks
In 2004, during the very earliest days of Friends of Marple Memorial Park, local man Tony Heginbotham created some new replica timbers for us made from reclaimed softwood. Tony did a brilliant job and despite being softwood they have lasted nearly 20 years before beginning to disintegrate over the last couple of years.
We decided in 2023 that the time had come to make some new replacements and Terry Wood, one of our original volunteers when we were first formed in 2003, agreed to take on the task. As we have a little more money than in those early days, we chose to make the new ones in hardwood. So these latest versions will probably outlast most of our current volunteers!
Outdoor Exercise Equipment
Outdoor Exercise Equipment update: 4 February 2024
The current situation with the outdoor exercise equipment is much better than it was but, bearing in mind that it was supposed to be completed in September 2023, the installation phase has been a huge disappointment to us. We remain happy with our choice of equipment but wish it had been installed properly first time.
Click the photo for a full update...
Allotment Bed Refurbishment
New raised beds supported by Stockport Hydro
We're kicking this new project off in 2023 by building two new raised beds. The first was constructed in January and February using recycled materials from last year's Marple School Gardens Project. We had always planned to recycle the materials from this project in the park and taking over the allotment beds has become the perfect opportunity.
For help with materials for the second raised bed we submitted a grant application to the Stockport Environmental Challenge 2023 in January and we were delighted to learn that this was successful. On 17 March 2023 we received funding of £500 towards the cost of materials including sleepers, fixings and top soil for our second raised bed.
COVID Commemoration Project
COVID Flag Pole Memorial in Marple Memorial Park
In October 2023 Friends of Marple Memorial Park completed a COVID Commemoration Project with Stockport Council to create a permanent memorial in the park to remember those we have lost and to celebrate the way the Marple Community came together to help one another during the pandemic.
One of the things in the park we associate most with the pandemic is the flag pole where we flew the NHS flags to thank key workers. Our proposal developed from this and the fact that the flag-pole was nearing the end of its life. Our aim was to combine a new flag-pole with the integration of a small monument with commemorative plaque built in front of it.
We shared our plans and sought feedback on the idea from the local community throughout the project's development and were supported by the Marple Mutual Aid Group too.