Activities, events and volunteering opportunities at Boston Manor Park
Please note more events may be added and to receive an updated monthly newsletter please join our mailing list by emailing bostonmanorpark@hounslow.gov.uk
Our final year of funded activities!
Hard though it is to believe, the 3 year activity programme for our activities ends in September 2025. Independent consultants (ERS) have been appointed to report comprehensively to the funders about the impact of the Boston Manor Park restoration project. ERS would appreciate everyone who has been to the park (for any reason) to complete a survey. You will find the (Visitor and Volunteer) surveys here. Thank you.
Vanessa and I will be doing what we can to secure additional funds to enable us to continue to care for, maintain and run events/ workshops in the park after September 2025. If you know of any sources of funding, corporate donors or organisations that can help us, please do let us know. And in the meantime, be sure to keep coming and make the most of all the activities!
Major upcoming events in the park: save the date!
- New Oliver Smart art exhibition for the Boston Manor Park community in Spring/Summer 2025. His community engagement projects are all about the natural environment. See his work on Instagram or his website.
- Workshop and concert by National Choir Shakti Sings: Sat 15 March 12-4.30PM in Hub/park
- 3rd BMP Nature Festival: Sat 24 May, 12-4pm
January
Monthly Bird Walk and Survey, Sat 25 Jan, 08.30-10am, meet on the lake platform. To coincide with the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, this month we meet on the last weekend in Jan and there is no bird walk in Feb. Take a leisurely walk around the park to record numbers and species of birds in the park. No experience necessary but bring binoculars if you have them. Facebook has details. FREE.
Fitness Fun with Jenny, Tuesdays from 7 Jan, 11-11.45am: low impact outdoors exercise class for adults of all ages and fitness levels. The class is generally in the walled garden, with an indoor option available if necessary. Meet near Hub. £3 per participant in cash.
Toddler Woodland Adventure Club, Mondays 13, 20, 27 Jan, 10.30-11.45am: Bring your pre-schooler to explore the Park habitats and wildlife with Tash. Sheltered/indoor spacesavailable and activities will take place both inside and outside. Meet by Hub. £5 per child over 2yrs (accompanying younger siblings are free) per session. Limited places. Booking via Eventbrite.
Peppermint candy crochet coaster making with Justina, Sunday 19 Jan, 11-1pm, workshop by service yard (secondary aged children and adults): learn how to crochet and make a coaster to take home. Limited places. Book via Eventbrite (£3).
Nature drawing workshops with Hazel from Ealing Wildlife Group, Sunday 19 Jan, 2-4pm and Sat 1 Feb, 11-1pm, workshop by service yard: indoor drawing group sessions practising observation of nature and experimenting with art materials in a relaxed group. Guided by Hazel Atashroo, artist and historian (@CrypticPlumage). Art materials and objects to draw provided, but you can bring your own if you wish. No experience necessary. This session is aimed at 15yrs up (including adults of all ages). Limited places. Book via Eventbrite (£3).
Forest Bathing session with Elizabeth Howard, Thurs 23 Jan, 10-12pm: A trainee Forest Bathing practitioner will be guiding this 2hr session in BMP woodland. See Facebook event for details and email Elizabeth directlyfor joining instructions before attending a session. Limited places. FREE.
February
Silent disco litter pick Sat 1 Feb, 2pm, meet promptly by Hub: come and pick whilst you party! Make litter picking more fun by listening to some groovy tunes. All ages welcome and all equipment provided (children must be with adults). Facebook event has details. FREE.
Fitness Fun with Jenny, Tuesdays, 11-11.45am: low impact outdoors exercise class for adults of all ages and fitness levels. The class is generally in the walled garden, with an indoor option available if necessary. Meet outside Hub. £3 per participant in cash.
Nature drawing workshop with Hazel from Ealing Wildlife Group, Sat 1 Feb, 11-1pm, workshop by service yard: indoor drawing group session practising observation of nature and experimenting with art materials in a relaxed group. Guided by Hazel Atashroo, artist and historian (@CrypticPlumage). Art materials and objects to draw provided, but you can bring your own if you wish. No experience necessary. This session is aimed at 15 yrs up (including adults of all ages). Limited places. Book via Eventbrite (£3).
Forest Bathing session (final free session) with Elizabeth Howard, Thurs 27 Feb, 10-12pm: A trainee Forest Bathing practitioner will be guiding this 2hr session in BMP woodland. See Facebook event for details and email Elizabeth directly for joining instructions before attending a session. Limited places. FREE.
February Half Term camps: Tues 18/Wed 19/Thurs 20
10.30-11.30 Basketball with SUPA: 6-12 yr olds, meet on courts, guided by coach Mario and friends for an hour. Drop in, £3 cash per participant per day. See Facebook for up to date information.
12.30-2pm Art workshops with Bonnie Gibbons: 6-12yr olds, in Hub, £5 per participant per day. Three nature themed creative sessions (with our professional artist ‘in residence’ Bonnie) aimed at building artistic confidence in primary aged children. Places limited. Adults asked to remain in Hub (café) during session. Booking via Eventbrite. See Bonnie’s work online www.bonnie-gibbons.com/learn and on instagram.
March
Monthly Bird Walk and Survey, Sat 1 Mar, 08.30-10am: meet on the lake platform. Take a leisurely walk around the park to record numbers and species of birds in the park. No experience necessary but bring binoculars if you have them. Facebook has details. FREE.
Fitness Fun with Jenny, Tuesdays, 11-11.45am: low impact outdoors exercise class for adults of all ages and fitness levels. The class is generally in the walled garden, with an indoor option available if necessary. Meet outside Hub. £3 per participant in cash.
Super Swifts information session with Wild Chiswick and Ealing Wild Group, Sat 1 Mar, 2pm, meet by Hub: come and learn about these incredible birds and the Ealing/Hounslow projects that help them, see some fantastic photos, enjoy swifty storytelling- and make a swift mobile to take home! Keep up to date with this event on Facebook. FREE.
Shakti Sings singing workshop in Hub, Sat 15 Mar, 12-4pm (with a performance in park at 4-4.30pm- meet outside Boston Manor House at 4pm if you want to attend FREE concert): an exclusive, one off opportunity to join this incredible national choir and harmonise together to pay homage to the natural world! £5 each to a limited number of local residents. Booking via Eventbrite.
Gardening and Conservation activities
Weekly Gardening and Conservation Sessions, every Tuesday, 10-12.30pm: meet outside the Service yard/ walled garden. Join Vanessa and carry out a variety of gardening and conservation tasks around the park. Facebook has details.
Public Gardening and Conservation session, Sat 25 Jan, Sat 22 Feb, Sat 1 Mar 10.30-12.30pm: meet outside the Service yard/ walled garden. Join Vanessa and carry out a variety of gardening and conservation tasks around the park such as helping to plant treesand make hedgehog hibernacula. Call Vanessa if running late and we have left the yard, 07816 067883. See Facebook for details.
Youth Volunteering (14 yrs up), Sat 11 Jan & Sun 19 Jan 2-4pm, Sat 25 Jan 10.30-12.30pm, Sat 1 Feb 2-4pm, Sat 22 Feb 10.30-12.30pm, Sat 1 Mar 10.30-12.30pm: Volunteering specifically for young people (14–18-year-olds) with regular sessions for teenagers looking to meet the D of E award 'Volunteering' requirement and all teenagers wanting to volunteer. Meet promptly by Hub (or Service Yard). Activities include conservation, gardening and helping run family events/holiday clubs (at other times). See Facebook for details. Email Tash in advance if you are interested.
Park Hub Cafe
Our café The Potting Shed is open 7 days a week, 9-4pm. Food 9-3pm. Watch out for their events too.
Boston Manor House events
A range of events are on at the House. See What's on by visiting the Boston Manor House website.
Self-guided BMP Trails
Go Orienteering Trails
Can you find all the markers (‘controls’) hidden around the park? Learn how to navigate and then find and follow three different (easy, medium and hard) orienteering routes around the park. Download the free orienteering maps.
Strava Running Club
Boston Manor Park’s own running club and running routes (co-created with WE RUN EALING, community based running organisation). See BMP2023 is Club on Strava.
BMP Activity Trails (self guided, all available to download or pick up in paper form (Trails 2&3 only) outside Hub:
• Trail 1 (Nature and Wellbeing)
• Trail 2 (Get to know the park!)
• Trail 3 (Wonderful Wildlife)
Download free copies in English and Polish from Let's Talk Hounslow (side bar, scroll down the page) and on the Ealing Parks website.
Secret Bird Mosaic Trail
Can you spot our 6 bird mosaics hanging in the woodland (top woodland path, starting near the lake and ending by oak tree by M4 flyover)? You will see a jay, a woodpecker, a sparrow, a robin, a starling and a chaffinch. Mosaics were made by the community and Susie John, a local artist.
BMP Audio Trail
Download the Echoes app (free download), search for the trail on the app (starts near car park) and plug into a mindful walk through the park, listening to poetry,
music and the sounds of nature. You might recognise some familiar voices and will finish feeling calm and relaxed in the walled garden. QR code in noticeboard for even quicker access.
Corporate volunteering: we’d love to host your team!
We offer bespoke opportunities for teams to spend a day (or a few hours) in the park, working on fun conservation and gardening projects. The day can also include a range of activities such as guided foraging/wildlife walks around the park. Lunch options available from our café and indoor spaces accessible to store personal items and take a break. A donation may be required towards purchasing park resources. Email us to discuss options.
Do you work in a school or know any teachers?
Please let us know and we can email you our School Workshops programme and give you information about our specific SEND school workshops/work experience programme.
Join our BMP outdoor events and volunteering mailing list: Contact us via email: BostonManorPark@hounslow.gov.uk to receive regular updates on all our outdoor events and activities, including lots of family events in school holidays. Follow and Like our Facebook page @BMPoutdoorevents
