Easter Fun at Bedfords park

There's a great chance this Easter Sunday 12 April to get involved in some fantastic fun activities at Bedfords Park, north Romford between 10am and 4pm. You can also find out more about Havering's plans to declare Bedford's Park a Local Nature Reserve.

You'll be able to try out the trails and guided wildflower walks, find out about Easter crafts, indulge yourself in preserves & pickle tasting, and treat the children to face painting. Most activities are free apart from a £3 per child donation for the trail and Easter crafts.

During the day you'll also be able to find out more about the exciting plans to declare the park a Local Nature Reserve. These are places that are of special interest locally and where people of all ages can enjoy coming into contact with nature. With the Local Nature Reserve designation comes better protection and potentially more opportunities for external funding.

Havering Council's Countryside Team are organising the day in conjunction with Essex Wildlife Trust and the Friends of Bedfords Park.

As part of the Easter Sunday event we'll be asking people what they think about the proposed Local Nature Reserve declaration. Bedfords Park is already a popular site with local residents and school groups who visit regularly for walking, informal recreation and events put on by Essex Wildlife Trust who manage the visitor centre. It's a great place to see wildlife, with important habitats such as woodlands and wildflower meadows and animals including bats, great crested newts and a huge variety of dragonflies and damselflies in summer.

In Havering we already have five Local Nature Reserves - The Manor at Harold Hill covering Dagnam Park and Duck Wood; The Chase at Rush Green; The Ingrebourne Valley covering Hornchurch Country Park and the adjacent marshes; and most recently, Cranham Marsh and Cranham Brickfields in Upminster.

For further information contact:Benjamin SandersonCountryside Projects OfficerEnvironmental StrategyMercury HouseMercury Gardens RM1 3RXTel: 01708 432873e-mail: benjamin.sanderson@havering.gov.uk