Family Fun Day: the Countdown begins

Less than a month to go now to the Fun Day on Saturday 29th June 2024 & the time-table has been finalised as follows:

• 1–4 pm: Face-painting, pony rides

• 1-5.30 pm: Bouncy castles, surf board simulator

• 3-5 pm: Lucas Jet Circus performance in the marquee

• 3-4 pm: The Great Formosa Bake-Off competition*

• 5–6 pm: Traditional sports day races, with Tug of War challenge

• 5-6 pm: Kids’ disco party with music statues & other fun games

• 6-9 pm: Live music by Havana Good Times & salsa dancing with DJ disco music in between the sets, plus a mystery guest....

Please will parents be sure to supervise their children at all times since the party organisers can’t take any responsibility for them. Also don’t forget that you will need your fob on the day to get into the Garden.

Last but certainly not least we would like to thank our sponsors, the Hampstead Orthodontic Practice, Winkworth’s estate agents & our own Westbourne Management, for their generous support.

Great Formosa Bake Off

There are two age categories for this year’s Bake Off, kindly organised once again by Susan Wright: 12 years & under, who are invited to produce biscuits or cup cakes, & 13 years plus, who should bring a celebration cake or a tea loaf.

No need to enter in advance – just turn up on the day & bring your creations to the Bake-Off stand in the Garden from 3 pm. They’ll be judged on taste, texture, appearance & technical complexity, & the winners will be announced at 4 pm.

Tree pollarding postponed

Due to the practical constraints of pollarding in the Summer months this year's planned tree pollarding will now be put back to the Winter when the operation will be easier and less hazardous. Meanwhile our tree surgeons will be grinding the stumps from the three felled trees down to the ground as soon as they have time in their schedule.

Formosa Board apologises for hitch in pollarding plans

Sharp-eyed users of the Garden will have noticed that the bi-annual pollarding scheduled for early March was suspended after only a day or so following questions over the felling of three plane trees, two along Sutherland Avenue & one at the rear of Warrington Crescent. According to the original Garden Masterplan these did not appear to be due to be cut down for several more years.

The Formosa Board has now issued the following statement: “An administrative glitch between our tree agency & Westminster Council has meant that the pollarding process has had to be temporarily suspended.

“We understand that as soon as the permissions have been granted and our tree company has the resources necessary to complete the works, the pollarding will be completed as usual. Some residents have written to us to raise concerns regarding the sequencing of trees for felling and the process by which this was communicated. “The Garden Committee would like to confirm that a thorough investigation has now taken place & lessons have been learned, particularly in respect of timely communication with residents. The Garden Committee wanted to apologise to any residents who have been concerned enough to write in and wanted to thank them for their passion for the garden.

“We plan to discuss the matter again at our annual AGM so please do come along!”