Friends of Yeading Walk: Crane Valley Partnership Projects

Yeading Walk’s colourful ‘Rainbow Garden’ was created with plants entirely donated by the local community during the first 2020 Covid lockdown, transforming a neglected riverside space and spurring the formation of The Friends group.  This a peaceful, wooded park hugs the contours of Yeading Brook and was frequently used as a walk-through route, rather than a destination. Six years later, supported by sponsors, volunteers have transformed the park into an inviting space for people and wildlife, with a balance of untouched wild areas and managed parkland with biodiverse planting and a range of new trees to maintain the shaded character of this SINC.

Over the years, the Crane Valley Partnership Community Fund has supported a range of enhancements to the park, as well as helping the group to promote their activities to local residents and recruit new volunteers.

1^st Crane Valley grant – Trees – 2022

The first Community Fund award was used for planting and care of three new native trees – a field maple, bird cherry and hornbeam – following severe storm damage that brought down several mature trees. With no new trees having been planted in the park for over 40 years, this was a significant step to maintaining Yeading Walk’s shaded character. The grant was also used to start a ‘Bat & Bee Patch’ for pollinators, later expanded with support from Harrow’s Green Grid Fund.  This section of the riverside walk is alive with colour and insect life in a dark area previously avoided by visitors.

2^nd Crane Valley grant – Tools – 2024

A second Crane Valley grant provided tools and equipment so that volunteers do not have to bring their own personal tools, making activities safer, more efficient and attracting new helpers – particularly those without equipment of their own. With additional support from Harrow Council, the group now also has a secure storage space in the park for tools and equipment.

3^rd Crane Valley grant – Marketing – 2024

Another CVP grant was used to develop a new marketing and outreach plan. With a small core group of around eight volunteers, the aim was to raise local awareness of Friends’ activities and encourage more people to get involved, helping to share the workload and secure the group’s future. New banners and posters now promote volunteering opportunities at park entrances and on noticeboards.  Flexible volunteering sessions under the theme “What a difference an hour makes!” enable people to sweep leaves for compost, prune back bramble along paths and get involved without requiring long-term commitment.

4^th Crane Valley grant – Construction of Flowerbeds – 2025

Recently the Friends of Yeading Walk installed two raised beds in the park to create resilient, aesthetic, and wildlife-friendly planting schemes supported by a further Crane Valley Community Fund. In conjunction with a grant from Harrow Council, the beds have been planted with climate resilient species adapted to the increasing heat as well as periodic flooding. These projects provided a valuable opportunity for volunteers to come together at every stage, from clearing the ground, constructing the metal edging, shovelling the soil, and planting and mulching.

As of 2026, the Friends have around 12 to 15 active volunteers and approximately 200 people on their membership list. Current focus will be to implement recommendations under the ‘Yeading Brook Unbound’ project for improving the river water quality and environment, conservation and wildlife protection activities, and ongoing care and maintenance work. Regular activities such as ‘Clean-the-Stream’ with the Scouts, Community Orchard Day and Bat and Tree Walks continue. A special David Attenborough Birthday party in the park raised £170 in donations for the Worldwide Fund for Nature and a good time was had by all.

If you would like to find out more or get involved with the Friends of Yeading Walk, please email foywgroup@gmail.com.