Activities, events and volunteering opportunities at Boston Manor Park
September and October 2024 events in 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
Major upcoming events in the park
Ealing BEAT art trail, Sat 15/Sun 16 and Sat 21/ Sun 22 September, 11-6pm (more information below)
September
Monthly Bird Walk and Survey, Saturday 7 September, 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.
Fitness Fun with Jenny, EVERY Tuesday 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.
Trinjan Indian Dancing Tuesdays (3rd, 10th,17th and 24th September), Hub, 2-3pm: Trinjan is a Women’s social and community group based in Hounslow. It was founded in 2004 to empower women. They provide health, fitness and wellbeing activities. Weekly activities will include keep fit dance including Bhangra, Dandiya and chair dance. FREE and for female adults only.
Laughter Sessions with Jess Pickering, Wed 4th and 11th September, Hub, 10.30-11.30: Come along to try out Laughter Yoga and experience the benefits of laughter for body and mind. FREE and for adults only.
Iyengar Yoga with Kasia, Wednesdays (4th,11th,18th and 25th September), Hub, 2-3pm: come and enjoy yoga in the Hub every Wednesday afternoon in September. £5 per class. Bring a mat. Booking via Eventbrite.
Big River Watch Survey, Thurs 12 Sept, 12-12.30, meet outside Hub. Join Vanessa on a short walk down to and along the river to survey river health and species as part of the Big River Watch run by The Rivers Trust.
Ealing BEAT art trail, Sat 15/Sun 16 and Sat 21/ Sun 22 September, 11-6pm, workshop/service yard: come and see local art exhibited in our areas that are normally ‘off limits’!
Evening Bat Walk, Saturday 21 Sep, 7pm: come and spot our resident bats using bat detectors after a brief introduction to bats! Meet by picnic tables by lake. FREE.
Feral Voices singing experience workshop with Elena Harris, Sunday 22 September, 10-2pm: exclusive and one-off opportunity to harmonise and have a mindful, sonic experience through the power of unified voices. Expect simple songs with 3 or 4 part harmonies and rounds, with a nature-based theme. All songs will be taught acapella and there is no sheet music. No singing experience or skill necessary. Adults and older teenagers welcome. Booking via Eventbrite. £20 per person.
October
BMP Veteran Tree Talk by Vanessa Hampton, Thurs 3 October, 6.30-8pm at Boston Manor House: book here and to find out more. £10 per ticket.
Monthly Bird Walk and Survey, Saturday 5 October, 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.
Fitness Fun with Jenny, EVERY Tuesday 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.
Dog walkers event with Dog Trainer Charlotte Kasner from R+Dog Training Sat 5 October, 1-3.30pm: Experienced trainer and behaviourist Charlotte will be running this event including a 1.5hr workshop (Rock your Recall) exclusively for BMP dog walkers. See www.DogsNet.org/Events for information. Places for Recall training (£10 per dog with one accompanying adult) are limited and cost is heavily subsidised. Booking via Eventbrite. Additionally, official veterinarian for DEFRA, Dr Peter Higgins will be on hand to offer free medical advice to ANY dog owners in the park on the day 1-3pm, no pre booking necessary: just drop by and chat to Peter outside walled garden.
Toddler Woodland Adventure Club, Wednesdays 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd October 10.30am-11.45am: Bring your pre-schooler to explore the Park habitats and wildlife with Tash. Sheltered/indoor spaces available and activities will take place both inside and outside. Meet by Hub. £5 per child over 2yrs (accompanying younger siblings are free) for each of 4 sessions. Limited numbers. Booking via Eventbrite ).
FREE Forest Bathing sessions with Elizabeth Howard, Thursdays 24 Oct, 21 Nov, 19 Dec, 23 Jan and 27 Feb 10:00 to 12:00pm: A trainee Forest Bathing practitioner will be offering 5 x 2hr monthly sessions from October 2024 in BMP. Places limited. If you are interested in attending one or two sessions please see Facebook event for details and email Elizabeth directly for joining instructions before attending a session elahoward@hotmail.co.uk
Help Hounslow Hedgehogs with Ealing Hedgehog Friends Sat 19th October, 2-3.30pm: Come and find out about our BMP hedgehogs, how they are being cared for, and what we’re doing to help them thrive. Local hedgehog rescue group EHF will take you to see a hedgehog nest, hibernaculum and purpose-built enclosures to provide sanctuaries for hedgehogs. Information, park exploration and related crafts available. All ages welcome. FREE. (Meet promptly by Hub at 2pm).
NEW BMP Nature Trails launch Tuesday 29th Oct, 2-3pm: we have created two NEW trails for BMP visitors to enjoy- one is an audio trail and the other a paper based Wildlife Trail: come on a guided tour or pick up copies to do it with your families! Meet by Hub. FREE.
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.
Public Gardening and Conservation session, Saturdays 5th and 19th October, 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- help us plant bulbs and make hedgehog hibernacula. Call Vanessa if running late and we have left the yard, 07816 067883.
Youth Volunteering (14 yrs up), Saturday 21 September 2-4pm, Saturdays 5th and 19th October 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. Activities include conservation, gardening and helping run family events/holiday clubs (at other times). Email Tash in advance if you are interested: bostonmanorpark@hounslow.gov.uk
Self-guided BMP Trails:
Go Orienteering Trails
an 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 at https://www.goorienteering.org.uk/course/boston_manor_park
Strava Running Club
Boston Manor Park’s own running club and running routes (co-created with WE RUN EALING, community based running organisation). See https://www.strava.com/clubs/1196851 (BMP2023 is Club on Strava).
BMP Activity Trails 1 (Nature and Wellbeing) and 2 (Get to know the park!)
Pick up a free hard copy of our two trails from outside the Hub, the Potting Shed café or Boston Manor House. Download free copies in English and Polish from https://www.ealingparks.foundation/nature-trails
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: bostonmanorpark@hounslow.gov.uk
Park Hub Cafe:
Our new café The Potting Shed thepottingshed.london is now open 7 days a week, 9-5pm. Food 9-3pm. Watch out for their events too. Earthical stock, selling refills of eco-friendly laundry and cleaning supplies now also available from the café!
Boston Manor House events:
- Community Walks every Friday, 11:00-12:00 and Boston Manor House to Osterley walk on Saturday 7th September and Saturday 5th October, 11:00-12:30. Meet at the BMH entrance stone portico. More info and booking here: What's on - Boston Manor House
- Open House Festival from 14th – 22nd September. Special free festival tours on Saturday 14th September. More info here: https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/10142
- Study Day: Jacobean Embroidery on 27th September, 10:00-4:00. More info and tickets here
- Frankenstein performances in our historic State Drawing Room from Wednesday 9th October – Sunday 27th October. More info and tickets here: Hounslow Arts Centre Ltd event tickets from TicketSource.
- Comedy Ghost Stories with Will Seaward on Wednesday 30th and Thursday 31st October, 7:00-8:00pm. More info and tickets here: Boston Manor House event tickets from TicketSource.
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 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