Hours:            3 days per week 

Salary:           Volunteer position

Closing date:  Monday 12th March 2012

Interview:       Thursday 22nd March 2012

To view a job description click here

To apply:  please send your CV and a covering letter by Monday 12th March 2012 to Diane Liness, The Parks Trust, Campbell Park Pavilion,1300 Silbury Boulevard, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD or by email to d.liness@theparkstrust.com.

If you require any further information or would like an informal chat about the position, contact Martin Kincaid on 01908 255376 or m.kincaid@theparkstrust.com.

The advice of the SaferMK community safety partnership, whose members include The Parks Trust and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, is:

If you see an animal you believe to be in distress on the ice it’s best to report it to the RSPCA on 0300 123 4999.

The next Parks and Run will take place from Campbell Park Pavilion on Sunday 4th March at 10am.

As part of our busy community team you will help to develop and promote our events programme, work with our volunteers and support community groups and others to organise events within the parks. 

The successful applicant will have an enthusiasm for and knowledge of outdoor and sporting activities and must be willing to gain experience of events organisation.  You’ll be a passionate individual with the drive to assist in delivering high quality outdoor events.  It’s important that you enjoy dealing with members of the public and can ensure that they have a safe experience within our parks. A flexible approach is necessary as hours may vary, and will include weekend and evening work. 

Hours:             18.5hrs/week 

Salary:             £6.50 per hour

Closing date:   Friday 17th February 2012

Interview:        Week Commencing Monday 27th February 2012 

Job description – to view a job description please click here 

To apply:  please send your CV and a covering letter by Friday 17th February 2012 to Diane Liness, The Parks Trust, Campbell Park Pavilion,1300 Silbury Boulevard, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD or by email to d.liness@theparkstrust.com.

If you require any further information or would like an informal chat about the position, contact Julie Dawes on 01908 255375 or j.dawes@theparkstrust.com.

We’d like to know what dog owners think about the parks and to hear what type of dog-related events you’d like to see or perhaps be involved in, to listen to your thoughts about how we can encourage responsible dog ownership and find out what type of information is important to you and how you’d like us to communicate with you.

The session will include a short presentation at 7.30pm by our community ranger Dawn Morland who’ll be able to tell you about how we manage the parks so that they can be enjoyed by all our visitors and by local wildlife.  We’ll also try and answer any questions you have about dogs and our parks.

We hope you can join us for some tea, coffee and a chat.  To reserve your place please call 01908 233600 or email events@theparkstrust.com.  So that we have an idea of how many people to expect we’d really appreciate it if you can let us know if you’re attending.  As we will be indoors please can we ask you to leave your dog at home on this occasion.

Park in the Pavilion car park.

The new footpath runs adjacent to Queen Eleanor Street and allows walkers and cyclists to take a circular route around Stony Stratford Nature Reserve by joining two existing footpaths at the east and west of the Reserve.

The route begins at the London Road bridge follows the river Ouse to the north of the Nature Reserve, includes a bird hide, connects to the Reserve car park and then follows the line of the Queen Eleanor street to the south of the Nature Reserve.

The footpath has been installed by The Parks Trust’s Direct Works Team and local contractors. Initially the pathway was cleared, over-hanging vegetation removed, the footpath finished with woodchip, sourced from local cricket-bat willow tree felling and two small wooden bridges built to cross ditches.

Rob Riekie, Head of Operations at The Parks Trust, explained: “This footpath will greatly enhance people’s enjoyment of the park. Currently you must retrace your footsteps if you walk in this area, but the new path will extend people’s walk and provide them with the opportunity to enjoy more of the wildlife at the site.”

Budding birders will join park rangers at the All of a Twitter event on Tuesday 14 February, 10.00-12.00, at Ouse Valley Park. Children will be encouraged to get to know their garden and parkland birds, where they like to live and what they eat.  You’ll make bird feeders, discover all about owls and learn how to identify different types of birds.

Or, join the Rocking Rocks event. Park rangers will introduce youngsters to fun events with a geological twist. Discover more about the formation of rocks, build a volcano and hunt for some fascinating fossils. The event takes place on Thursday 16 February, at Stonepit Field at 10.00-12.00.

Booking is a must as these half-term events are hugely popular. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Each event costs £3.00/child. Book online, call 01908 255379 or email events@theparkstrust.com to secure your place.

There are only ten questions and we'd really appreciate your feedback.  The survey is part of some market research, being undertaken for The Parks Trust by Start Up Research, which will help us to understand what people know about the Trust and the work we do.

You can find the survey here.

This year’s highlights include an open-air Shakespearean production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and Roald Dahl’s ‘The Twits, a two-day festival dedicated to walking, the Big Doggie Do, World Picnic and a garden party in Campbell Park to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Events Guide includes plenty of activities to keep children occupied during the school holidays, including an Easter Bunny hunt, Frog Day, circus skills and a Spectacular Science event. Further highlights include monthly adult education workshops, a mini-festival to celebrate May Day and Milton Keynes’ hugely popular open-air cinema.

Don’t forget our regular monthly events including: the Women’s Walking Network; bike rides with the Easy Riders, Pushchairs in the Park, orienteering and Parks and Run. 

Many of our events are free or have a minimal charge. This year’s Events Guide is supported by MK News, recent winner of Britain’s Best Regional Newspaper title.

To get your free copy of this year's guide, download a copy here or receive a copy by post by calling The Parks Trust on 01908 255379 or email events@theparkstrust.com .

Jess Smith, Events & Education Ranger at The Parks Trust, said:  “With the Christmas holidays approaching and freezing weather setting in it’s important to spread the message about keeping away from the ice.  The schools’ competition is a great way to get children thinking about winter water safety and we’d like to say a big thank you to all the children who entered and to the local companies who have so generously provided our competition prizes.”

Finlay Hughes, 7, from Newport Pagnell and Annabel Owen, 6, from Shenley Church End, winners of the 5 to 7 category, each received a family tobogganing session from the Snowdome at Xscape.

The winners of the 8 to 10 year olds were Emma McEraddy and Sophie Burns, both from Giles Brook School.  Their prize was an ice skating session at Planet Ice.

The 11 to 14 year old winners were Charlotte Bennett, 13, from Emerson Valley, and Tara Lewis, 12, from Lavendon who received tickets to see ice hockey team MK Lightning.

The class prize of a forest school session from Milton Keynes Council was awarded to year 6 of Brooksward School, Neath Hill.

The plans include building a new 12 x 12 m2 stage area giving a performance space of 144 m2, erecting a permanent canopy to protect performers from rain and shield them from the sun, and creating a gabion wall behind the stage to provide screening and protect neighbouring properties from noise. 

Briony Serginson, Head of Community Engagement at The Parks Trust, said:  “By improving the amphitheatre we can offer a much better experience for visitors and for performers and have greater versatility in the kinds of events that are held there.  With national and local celebrations planned for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games, as well as the return of Milton Keynes’ International Festival, it’s important that Campbell Park’s facilities allow Milton Keynes’ residents and visitors to play a full part in these and future festivities.”

Subject to planning permission, the Trust hopes to start work on the amphitheatre in the New Year and complete the project by May 2012.

The planning application, reference number 11/02637/FUL, can be viewed at www.milton-keynes.gov.uk .

Cast onsite from black pigmented concrete, Cave, is made up of three large slabs which appear to have fallen together to form a rudimentary shelter.  The concrete surface of the structure bears the marks of the burnt timber shuttering used to form it.  Inside Cave, a pair of iron stools cast from timber sit around a blackened circular depression in the concrete.

Taking inspiration from the man-made landscape of the park, the new artwork nestles into the hillside of the Belvedere, a man-made feature originally formed from city centre building spoil.  Cave provides visitors with a resting place that offers an expansive view over the countryside, and also a space to experience urban life at the edge of the new city. 

Briony Serginson, Community Team Manager at The Parks Trust, said:  “It has been very exciting to work in partnership with MK Gallery and with Heather and Ivan.  We hope that the installation of Cave will encourage even more people to explore the amazing public art in our parks.”

Emma Dean, Head of Exhibitions at MK Gallery, said:  “We are very happy to have collaborated with The Parks Trust on this major new commission by internationally acclaimed artists Heather and Ivan Morison, and we hope that Cave will bring much enjoyment to visitors of Campbell Park.”

Cave is a permanent commission, and open to visitors to Campbell Park all year.  MK Gallery and The Parks Trust are especially grateful to all the companies that have supported the project:  Andrew Howard and Partners, Bardon Concrete, Trendrevel Services Ltd, Camford Concrete Pumps Ltd, Hargreaves Foundry Ltd, David Lock Associates and Keens Shay Keens MK.

Netmums gave Willen a special 'mum's choice' award, acknowledging what a great place it is for families to visit.

Willen Lake is the city’s most popular park.  Over one million visitors a year take part in watersports, go running, take their family to  the playground , enjoy the high ropes course  or simply picnic along its shores.

The South lake, managed by Whitecap Leisure on behalf of The Parks Trust, has a great calendar of events including the colourful dragon boat racing, charity fun runs, final of the national  Jet skiing competition and next year will host a major portion of the first Milton Keynes marathon.

But did you know that Willen Lake is actually made up of two lakes and that by walking just a little further you can discover a haven of tranquility just minutes from the great activities at South Willen Lake.

North Willen Lake, connected by footpath and redway to the South Lake lies to the north of the H5, Portway and has its own free car park off the V10, Brickhill Street.  It’s home to the Peace Pagoda and provides a haven of tranquility that attracts an amazingly rich and varied bird population.  A walk around the lake is about one and a half miles and has plenty of features to enjoy.  In the centre of the lake is a small island – this provides a home for many ground nesting birds and regular visitors include ducks, geese and other waterbirds such as redshank and common tern. Since the lake was created in 1973, it has been adapted and improved to provide the best possible habitat for birdlife and  in winter its bird population swells with the arrival of over-wintering waterfowl.

Next to the Peace Pagoda is the Japanese temple – home to the Nipponzan Myohoji  monks and a inspirational garden free to visit for all. This corner of the park is home to the ‘One World’ cedar tree planted above the temple to celebrate the first Earth Summit in 1992 and a circle of small standing stones.

At the north east corner of the lake the path leads to Willen village, the 17th century church of St Mary Magdalene, the Priory and Willen Hospice.

The Environment Agency has confirmed that Blue-green algae is present within the north and south lakes at Caldecotte. Algal blooms can be harmful to both people and animals. Blue-green algae produces toxins and anyone coming into contact with the blue-green algae should seek medical advice.

Dog walkers are advised to keep their dogs out of the water.

Blue-green algae occurs naturally in rivers, lakes, ponds, estuaries and the sea. Excess nutrients cause the algal blooms when the rapid increase in the number of algae leads it to rise to the surface of the water. Blooms can look like paint, jelly or form small clumps and may be blue-green, grey-green, greenish-brown or reddish brown in colour. Blooms can occur over a matter of days or weeks and are often dispersed by a change in weather conditions.

For further information visit the Environment Agency website www.environment-agency.gov.uk

The work is being carried out after local residents were asked to identify their aspirations for Woolstone Green. They said they wanted it to be restored to a more traditional village green and the bulb planting is one of the improvements funded by Campbell Park Parish Council and The Parks Trust that will achieve this.

Briony Serginson, Head of Community Engagement, said: “We’d like to thank the 15 residents who helped with the bulb planting – it was great to see the local community getting involved and being so hands on.”

The Parks Trust has already removed overgrown vegetation, reinstated grass areas and planted an oak and two weeping willow trees. Fruit trees will be planted in the spring and there will also be hedge planting by the border of the Cross Keys pub.

Gather your family together and join park rangers to Search for Santa. Follow a trail through the woods and look for signs, tracks and traces of Father Christmas. When you find him tell him what’s on your toy list and receive a gift for Christmas. The Search for Santa takes place on Saturday 17 December at timed bookings between 11.00 until 3.00 at Howe Park Wood, Milton Keynes. This event is now sold out. 

Warm up your vocal chords and join The Parks Trust’s popular annual outdoor carols at Willen Lake, Milton Keynes in support of Willen Hospice.  The shimmering waters of North Willen Lake, Milton Keynes, will provide a magical atmosphere underneath the stars for traditional carols.  Join the throng on Sunday 18 December at 4.00 until 5.30. This event is free and there’s no need to book. Come dressed for the weather and bring a lantern.  Download the songsheet here

Families can work together to make festive decorations. The Crafty Christmas event involves crafts, games and Christmassy fun at Campbell Park, Milton Keynes. The fun takes place on Tuesday 20 December, 10.30-1.00 at Campbell Park Pavilion, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes. A charge of £3/person will be made for materials. This event is now sold out. 

For further information and other events in December click here

The wooden platform is built out over Furzton Lake, allowing birds to be fed on the water, and has been constructed with anti-slip walkways and railings to ensure the safety of visitors.  It is located near the car park at Shirwell Crescent.

Rob Riekie, Head of Operations at The Parks Trust, explained:  “We know that people enjoy coming to our parks to feed the birds and wanted to create an area where people could do this at a safe spot which lets them appreciate the wildlife and view the beautiful surrounds of Furzton Lake.”

Rob continued:  “Another advantage of the feeding platform is that it should help keep the area around the lake cleaner by reducing the mess birds create when they come out of the water to get their food.  There should also be less food left scattered on the ground where it can potentially attract vermin.”

You can get advice on what to feed waterfowl from charities such as the RSPB www.rspb.org.uk.   

If you’ve got a few minutes to spare please complete our easy online survey.  The survey is part of a market research project we are undertaking and we hope to report the findings back to you in the New Year.

Your views are really important to us so we do hope you will take part in our survey.

Dawn said:  “We patrol our 4,500 acres of parks and green spaces daily to see that they are safe and can be enjoyed by all our park users and the wildlife that live there.

“With around 10,000 neighbours whose properties border our land and many more thousands visiting our parks regularly it’s important that we all look out for and respect each other and the local environment.  By working together we can all help tackle problems such as anti-social behaviour, littering and fly-tipping.”

Susi will be attending the Greenleys Community Event at Greenleys Community Centre on Wednesday 26 October from 10am to 12pm.

Dawn will be at the Conniburrow Good Neighbour Event on Thursday 27 October between 1pm and 3pm on the community playing field in Conniburrow.

Susi said:  “It’s really easy to be a good neighbour in the parks.  For example, people can ensure that they take their litter home, put their green waste in the proper bins rather than tipping it over a garden fence, clear up after their dogs, and also keep their dogs under control especially around other park users and wildlife.”

The Safer Communities Unit has produced 10 tips on how to be a good neighbour.  Click here for details.