Welcome, to the Friends of Rickman Hill Park
A passionate community project
Our aim? To preserve, maintain and enhance our local much-loved open space.
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Rickman Hill Park (or Recreation Ground as some know it) is a 16-acre park that nestles between Coulsdon and Chipstead on the South Eastern-most border of the London Borough of Croydon. Sitting on the edge of the green belt at over 500 foot above sea level, it’s the highest park in London and offers some fantastic views of famous landmarks across the city!
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It already provides the community with a children's play area, sports & recreation facilities and wooded areas to explore. But, working in partnership with Croydon Council as a recognised "Friends Of" group and with the wider community, we want to improve facilities for all - making Rickman Hill Park a better place to visit, and a greater place to live near!
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Our ideas, activities and actions are designed to act as a catalyst to help community members reach their goals and fulfil their potential or just relax and enjoy a great space.
Explore this website to learn more about what we want to do and how you can help us.
Our main aims
We have a full constitution but the key points are;
to preserve, maintain and enhance Rickman Hill Park and promote its use and enjoyment by the local community and members of the public.
to ensure any enhancements are made in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial or social circumstance with the object of improving their condition of life and in keeping with the area and feel of the environment.
to carry out programmes of practical work directed towards the development of play, leisure and health facilities, conservation and the promotion of biodiversity within the parameters of health and safety regulations.
to promote social inclusion, good health and wellbeing within the local community.
The Friends of Rickman Hill Park at a glance
A highly motivated team of passionate tea drinkers... (and we like cake too!)
When it comes down to it, we’re just a group of passionate local park users who find fun in trying to look after and protect something we care about.
We realised that by working together as a community and liaising with local volunteers and charities we could overcome the park’s challenges much more effectively. That is why we ultimately decided to launch the Non-Profit Organisation that is The Friends of Rickman Hill Park.
We’re a team. We all bring different skills to the group, but we’re all committed to ensuring the park remains a valuable and valued community resource for everyone, both now and for the future.
Support us, and get involved?
Aspirations for change
Everybody has an idea about what might make the Park better.
Here are just a few of the projects suggested by people we have met so far on our journey;
(Note; these are hopes and dreams, not set in stone plans! To see the full list, just check our Projects page)
Notice board
A great community park needs a communication hub everyone can use - good old-fashioned posters and notices... Lost a cat? Looking for a football team? Crossfit? Walking football?! If it’s in the park it should be on the notice board!
Litter Bins
We have bins but they could be better positioned a with more near the most popular locations - Let’s make it easy to be clean, tidy and safe.
Perimeter footpath
Improving access to all parts of the park, an all-weather surface for use by push chairs, wheelchairs, the runner looking for the perfect lap or the parent/guardian going for a winter walk with the kids would be great.
This idea has come from lots of people!
Playground
This area of the park is one of the most well-used but improvements are needed on every level.
New equipment and an area for older children would be ideal great - but even improved safety flooring and an all-weather surface under the existing zip line would be a start – children and parents/guardians agree, nobody wants a muddy splash!
Trim trail
Many people already see the park as a great space to train or improve fitness. And nearly two thirds of our Facebook group said they would like to see better adult fitness options! A Trim trail could be laid around the perimeter, working with a new footpath, with stations for all ages and abilities to challenge themselves.
Outdoor gym
Opinion is divided over Outdoor gym equipment.
Regular gym-users seem to think equipment is inadequate, while non-users and beginners are reluctant or daunted by their complexity or even embarrassed to use them. In some parks they are well-used and busy, in others they’re definitely not.
What are your thoughts?
"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together"
Vincent van Gogh
Park or Rec?
The "official" name is Rickman Hill Recreation Ground
The "official" name is the ‘Rickman Hill Recreation Ground’, but it’s also called - The Park, the Rec., Rickman Hill Park, up the Park, Ricky Hill Park – it turns out everyone has a fond name for the same place!
When we set out on this project most local people seem to call it "Rickman Hill Park" so we went with that for our name... we hope you understand.
Contact the Friends of Rickman Hill Park
Get in touch with the Friends of Rickman Hill Park to learn more about our work, share ideas or find out and how you can get involved!
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Don't forget we are volunteers so might take a day or two to respond - a Facebook message might be quicker!