Oaklands Park
Friends of Oaklands Park (FoOP) is a community group set up to help care for and celebrate Oaklands Park, making sure it can be enjoyed by everyone, of all ages, now and in the future. It is a much-loved local space, and the group’s aim is to protect what is special about it while making gentle improvements where needed.
There is far more to the park than many visitors realise. So far, the group has helped water young trees during dry spells, hosted a talk on the park’s history by local historian Andrew Berryman, and organised relaxed “walk and talk” events exploring everything from trees to herbs and wildflowers.
Events are low-key and welcoming, and members bring a wide range of interests, from boosting biodiversity and adding more colour and fragrance to reducing light pollution. There is also a strong focus on improving access, whether that means making seating more comfortable for older visitors or improving wheelchair access.
As the group grows, there are plans to add more informative signage around the park and keep people updated through a simple website, so that everyone can stay involved, not only those on social media. The aim is to encourage more people to enjoy this dog-friendly green space while also providing a shared voice for park users in conversations with Chichester District Council.
Oaklands Park is already a lively and much-used space, hosting everything from casual walks and picnics to rugby, football, archery, softball, fitness sessions, Parkruns and yoga. It is also home to a community orchard and garden run by Transition Chichester, as well as local sports clubs and the Chichester Festival Theatre.
If you would like to get involved, you would be very welcome.
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