Our Annual General Meeting is in February each year.

Daffodil Labyrinth in Selly Park Rec
Over 10 separate workparties we painstakingly planted 5000 daffodil bulbs in a square 15m labyrinth during the autumn of 2016. We are expecting them to start flowering in late February or early March in the old bowling green next to St Mary's Hospice.

In February 2008 we received a grant from BOSF hold a series of work parties in both Muntz Park and Selly Park Rec. We purchased hand tools, shrubs, bedding flowers, meadow plants and seed.

We held a series of work parties. The first work party was to plant some perennial herbs and flowers around each of new fruit trees that were planted by nursery children from Raddlebarn School. The new plants chosen echo the colours and planting style an existing scheme nearby.

The other work parties were both held in Muntz Park to plant two areas of wild flower meadow from plug plants. One for woodland plants and one in full sun. The main meadow in Muntz Park runs along the Gristhorpe Road side where the crocus grow.

We planted: Ragged Robin, Self Heal, Red Campion, Primrose, Oxeye Daisy, Musk Mallow, Greater Knapweed, Fox Glove, Field Scabious, Betony and White Campion. We also created posters to be displayed on the closest park notice board to help park users identify them as they come into flower.

Community Garden and Orchard
Over the last year we have been planning and raising money for our community garden and orchard in Selly Park Rec. We expect that when completed we will have spent �2000 on the various stages.

In January we began planning the first stage of this project and started to look for funding sources.

In March after receiving �1000 from a grant through the Bournbrook Community Safety Project we planted four new three mitre square shrub beds. We were particularly interested in tough, low maintenance, drought tollerent plants, with scent and year round interest. We then mulched the beds with bark to retain moisture and reduce weeds.

Over the summer the plants grew well and the area was used much more than previous years. The majority of the maintenance needed was cutting back the grass rather than weeding the whole bed.

For the second part of the project we decided to edge the beds with new railway sleepers to stop the grass creaping in and to improve the overall look. We then received a second grant to help pay for the railway sleepers. This time is was �500 from the Selly Oak Ward Community Chest. The sleepers were so heavy that when they were delivered to us in December 2007 we needed some help from Service Team to get them to the park. We screwed the sleepers together in squares then staked them to the ground.



The railway sleepers are also for the third part of the project which is to plant a small orchard. We have eight smaller areas edged with sleepers which are waiting for a small fruit tree to be planted in the centre of each in January. We are looking at planting flowers around the edge of these while the trees are small and planting spring bulbs into the grass around them.

Get in touch if you have time to help us maintain this community garden.

Picnic Benches and Bins
5 new picnic benches and bins were installed in Selly Park Rec during February 2007. They are being very well used by families and other park users. The bins are also being used and we have already had requests for more bins in both parks.

Community notice boards
In November 2006 we recieved a small grant from Birmingham Open Spaces Forum (BOSF) and b:cen to pay for four notice boards in Selly Park Rec. They were in place in January 2007 to advertise our AGM. The rest of the money was used to buy native spring bulbs: English Bluebells, Eranthis, Single snowdrops and Narcissi pseudonarcissi (native Lent daffodil).

We took part in the 'Real' Christmas Tree Recycling scheme again this year. A compound was put up in Muntz Park for local residents to bring their old Christmas trees. Then the trees were shredded on site and chippings are being used in another local park.

We managed to recycle a fantastic 180 trees this year. We are very pleased with the quantity of trees brought to be recycled and hope to increase the number next year.

Tarmac Paths
In December 2006 we had a tarmac path re-laid in Muntz park, (the muddy stretch behind the dell) and a new section of path to connect the loop path to Gristhorpe Road footpath near the substation. The work only took around three weeks and has made the park more accessible especially during the winter months when the ground is water logged.

We celebrated the park's anniversary again this year with a Birthday Picnic on Friday 19th May 2006. We will also be opened the new play area on this day with a visit from the Deputy Lord Mayor of Birmingham and live music.

It had been raining all day but as the band arrived to set up it the sky began to brighten and the rain held off all afternoon.

The children came out of their centenary gates into the park waving flags. The Deputy Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Michael Nangle cut the ribbon on the play area gate and the children sang Happy Birthday to their park. Joanna Randle unveiled the history board and received some flowers.

The Head Teacher of Raddlebarn Primary School, Mrs Chamberlin, thanked the Friends of Muntz Park Committee, Simon Cooper (Parks Manager) and Nigel Cartwright (Playground Services Manager) for all their hard work.

As we had hoped many families and local resident stayed for a picnic and to use the brand new play area. Two bands played live music from the bandstand in the school playground.

The event was attended by around 500 people: Raddlebarn children, teachers and parents, local residents, councillors, council officers and friends of Muntz Park.

The play area in Muntz Park was well used but very run down and was much too small for the amount of children trying to play there. In May 2006 it was refurbished and extended with a rubberised surface. �110 thousand pounds was obtained from Central Bids by Simon Cooper the Parks Manager for Selly Oak and Hall Green Districts. A consultation meeting was held in November 2005 to look at the prospective suppliers and product ranges. The school council at Raddlebarn Primary School have also been consulted. We have been included in every stage of the decision making process.

We are the first council owned park in Birmingham to have a petal roundabout, windpipes, talk tubes or a basket swing.

We have been researching the history of Muntz Park and now have a historical interpretation panel on display in the park.

Biffaward small grants scheme awarded us almost �5000 for benches and bins in Muntz Park.

At a public meeting we chose cast iron benches with metal slats in black and green with the dates 1905 and 2005 to mark the parks centenary. Some picnic benches in green to go near the play area and black and gold litter bins.

They have now been installed and are being well used.

An article in the Birmingham Post about the Raddlebarn Centenary Gates opening in January 2006.

Community notice boards
We made two notice boards in October 2005 using part of the b:cen grant. We purchased the materials from Selco in Stirchley who gave us a very generous discount. Then Service Team installed them for us within 24 hours of asking them!

Here's an article from Birmingham City Council's Forward Newspaper on 5th October 2005, about the ranger that works with our group.

Let us know if you are interested in being involved in any of our work parties or come along to our next meeting.