Reconnecting Boston Manor Park

November and December 2025

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

Park team in post for another year... but with strings attached!

As you may be aware, the three-year National Heritage Lottery funded activity programme comes to an end this August. From September 2025, we will continue to work with the London Borough of Hounslow, The Arts Centre and Boston Manor House, to secure and generate additional funds to enable us to continue to care for and maintain the park, provide volunteering opportunities and run events/ school and SEND workshops in the park for another year. Our focus needs to be on income generation and making activities cost neutral if we are to remain in post in the longer term. Please support us by attending events, and telling friends, schools, teachers, parents, corporate and scout groups about what we can offer!

BMP School Workshop Programme 2025/26 and SEND Work Experience and Workshop 2025/26 programmeon the BMP visit us page and new joint BMP/BMH workshop on the BMP schools page.

Know a scout group?

Night walks, bat detecting and evening exploration/orienteering sessions with Tash available (£3 per scout). Sessions can be run for Polish, French or English scouts from 6yrs up.

Evaluation of the HLF project

LBH will provide an end of project report to the funders about the impact of the Boston Manor Park restoration project – this document will be vital in supporting future funding bids to maintain activities delivery in the park. You will find the (Visitor and Volunteer) surveys on the BMP Let's Talk Hounslow page and QR codes around the park which take you to the survey page. Survey submissions close at the end of August. After 31 Aug 2025, no feedback will be taken on board.

New Stakeholder group and support for Boston Manor Park: could you be part of it?

The three-year National Heritage Lottery funded activity programme came to an end this August. We are working closely with our stakeholders, including the London Borough of Hounslow, The Arts Centre, Boston Manor House and Parks team to collaborate on the future of BMP and we are now looking for local residents to join a new Stakeholder group to help shape and support the future of the park. If you think that might be you, please get in touch, email bostonmanorpark@hounslow.gov.uk with ‘Stakeholder’ in the subject line. Please also support us by attending our park events (while we are still here to run them!) and telling friends, schools, teachers, parents, corporate and scout groups about what we can offer.

Know a teacher?

BMP School Outdoor Workshop Programme 2025/26 and SEND Work Experience and Workshop 2025/26 programme here and new joint BMP/BMH workshop here. Boston Manor House also offer a workshop programme here. All educational workshops can be found on the website www.bostonmanorhouse.org New ECO workshop launching in Jan 2026!

Know a Scout, Beaver or Cub group?

Night walks, bat detecting and evening exploration/orienteering sessions with Tash available (£3 per child). Sessions can be run in Polish, French or English, from 6yrs up.

Special Events

• Great Outdoor Escape Family challenge in Boston Manor Park, Sat 29 Nov: Bring your family (up to 5 people for £25) on a magical, outdoor escape game. Discover Boston Manor Park like never before as you lift the curse & solve puzzles! See below for more info, book via Eventbrite
• Christmas Crafting event with Boston Manor House, Sat 6 Dec, 1.30-3pm, near Service Yard and Workshop by Walled Garden: an afternoon filled with two fun crafting activities for the whole family (5yrs up)- wrapping paper printing with Boston Manor House (£4 per person for printing activity, mince pie/festive snack and drink included!) and natural Christmas crafting activities with Boston Manor Park team (donations welcome).
• Hounslow School teachers-Boston Manor Park is hosting a FREE LBH Schools Sustainability Summit on 12 Nov, to help teachers and pupils across the borough embed sustainable practices into schools. We are also launching a new ECO workshop from Jan 2026. Email Chloe.Knowler@hounslow.gov.uk for more information and to attend the event on 12 Nov.

Nature, Creativity and Wellbeing

• Monthly Bird Walk and Survey, Sat 1 Nov and 6 Dec, 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. FREE.
• Chess group meet-up, every Saturday, 12-4pm, meet in The Manor Kitchen Café within Boston Manor House: a drop-in event for anyone who wants to learn or play. All ages and levels welcome. Organised by Alex Smythe who runs a welcoming local social chess group that plays regularly in BMP. FREE. Contact Alex for any info alexander.brentford@gmail.com
• Adult Cycle Training (for adults who live, work or study in Hounslow), every Thursday 9.30am (beginners) and 10.30am (improvers), register here: meet by the green cycle hub container near lake. Helmets and bikes provided. FREE.
• Fitness Fun with Jenny, Tuesdays, 11-11.45am, meet near Hub (final 2025 class, 16 Dec): low impact outdoors exercise class for adults of all ages and fitness levels. The class is generally in the walled garden/park, with an indoor option available if necessary/possible. £3 per participant in cash to Jenny.
• National Childbirth Trust (NCT) Hounslow Infant Feeding Support Walk and Talk, every Weds, 10.30am: meet by Potting Shed café for an easy, buggy friendly walk around Boston Manor Park. No need to be an NCT member - all new and expectant parents are welcome! If the weather is bad we’ll hunker down in the House café – check our Facebook page on the day for the plan. FREE.
• ‘Surprisingly Spooky’ Bat walk, Wed 29 Oct, 4.30pm: It’s nearly Halloween – a perfect opportunity to get slightly spooked out and look for bats using our detectors! You’ll discover some fascinating bat facts, see a real dead bat and maybe spot some BMP ghouls along the way Meet by the picnic tables by the lake. Suggested donation of £2 per person, cash please on the night. See Facebook.
• Crepe Paper Mistletoe Workshop with Kristen Campbell, Sat 22 Nov, 10.15-12.45pm, workshop by Service Yard: you will learn to cut, shape, assemble beautiful crepe paper sprigs of Mistletoe, with pearly berries for a creation that you can bring out year after year. Kristen is a local paper flower artist- see her website to book and Facebook (www.campbellworkshop.co.uk).
• Forest Bathing Sessions with Elizabeth: Reconnect with nature and unwind in the surroundings of BMP woodland; Sat 25 Oct, Wed 5 Nov, Sat 8 Nov, Sat 22 Nov, Sat 6 Dec, Wed 10 Dec and Sat 20 Dec. Time: 11:00 – 13:30. £25 per person. Special Offer: Two-forone tickets available for limited time. Elizabeth is a certified Forest Bathing practitioner who gently guides these 2.5-hour sessions to help you slow down, connect with nature, and restore your wellbeing. Booking or further info via elahoward@hotmail.co.uk

Children and Families

• Great Outdoor Escape (room/game) Family challenge, Sat 29 Nov: This one-hour interactive escape adventure takes family teams (up to 5 people per team for £25) across the park’s diverse habitats from woodland paths to secret indoor spaces, blending storytelling, teamwork, puzzle-solving and exploration into one unforgettable experience. Created in collaboration with and thanks to support of local Escape Game experts at paperadventures.co.uk, this event is perfect for families and groups looking for something a little different. A fun mix of mystery, nature, and laughter is guaranteed. Book time slots (available all day) via Eventbrite- very limited spaces.
• Weekly Winter Toddler Woodland Adventure Club, Thursdays 27 Nov, 4, 11 and 18 Dec, 1- 2.30pm: 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. £8 per child over 2yrs (accompanying younger siblings are free) per session. Booking via Eventbrite. Limited places. Info also on Facebook.
• Guided festive nature and sensory trail for neurodivergent children with the Wildheart Foundation and Tash, Mon 22 Dec, 2pm-3.30pm, meet by Service Yard/Walled Garden: open to all families with children 5-14 who identify as neurodivergent. A relaxed trail with engaging sensory activities loosely themed around winter and Christmas throughout. Indoor/sheltered spaces available. Email rosalind@thewildways.org.uk to book your free place and see www.thewildways.org.uk
• National Childbirth Trust (NCT) Parents and Babies Christmas Party 3 December 10.30- 12pm, Hub. Festive activities for the little ones (up to 3 yrs max) and tea and biscuits for the adults! FREE and open to all new and expectant parents.
• Christmas Crafting event with Boston Manor House, Sat 6 Dec, 1.30-3pm, near Service Yard and Workshop by Walled Garden: an afternoon filled with two fun crafting activities for the whole family (5yrs up)- wrapping paper printing with Boston Manor House (£4 per person for printing activity, mince pie/festive snack and drink included!) and natural Christmas crafting activities with Boston Manor Park team (donations welcome). Facebook has details.

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 all around the park. These sessions are physically more active than our Thurs sessions.
• Every Thursday, 1.30-3.30pm: meet outside the Service yard/ walled garden. Join Vanessa for relaxed, general gardening and growing vegetables. These sessions take place in the walled garden, yard and nearby formal beds and are less physical than Tues sessions.

Public Volunteering (adults), Saturday 18 Oct & 15 Nov (10.30-12.30), meet by Service Yard. This autumn/winter: Help us plant lots of bulbs, mulch the fruit trees, maintain paths and coppice work in the woodland, building dead hedges and creating hedgehog homes.

Youth Volunteering (13 yrs up), Saturdays 18 Oct, 15 Nov (10:30-12.30), 22 Nov (13.30- 15:30), 6 Dec, 10.30-12.30: Volunteering specifically for young people (13–18-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) – start times can vary, check date and times above. 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

NEW SPACES TO RENT AT BMP: Classroom, Workshop and Woodland

As part of helping the park to become financially sustainable, we are hiring out the Education room, Workshop space (by the Service Yard) and the enclosed Woodland play area (by Boston Manor House) for very modest rates during Mondays-Thursdays 9am-4pm only – outside of these hours, bookings (and fees) are taken by the Potting Shed cafe. These spaces are perfect for exercise classes, holiday clubs, arts and crafts classes, birthday parties, group meet-ups. If you would like more information about costs/ availability or to book any spaces, please email bostonmanorpark@hounslow.gov.uk for the information pack putting ‘BMP space hire’ in the subject line.

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 other 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. Email Vanessa to discuss options: bostonmanorpark@hounslow.gov.uk

Do you work in a school or know any teachers?

Please let us know and we can email you our School Workshops programme (scroll down, right hand side of page) and give you information about our specific SEND school workshops/work experience programme.

Park Hub Cafe:

Our café The Potting Shed thepottingshed.london is open 7 days a week, 9-4pm (weekends 9-5). Food 9-3pm. Instagram @pottingshedlondon

The Arts Centre:

After an amazing Summer Walled Garden programme, watch out for spooky productions of Frankenstein and Dracula in Sept and Oct! Book via www.theartscentre.co.uk

Boston Manor House events:

A range of events are on at the House. My Country is my home (about the Polish community in UK) on until March 2026. See What's on - Boston Manor House.

Self-guided BMP Trails:

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 and Volunteering in Volunteering in Hounslow Parks | Let's Talk Hounslow (side bar, scroll down the page) and on Activities & Nature Trails | Ealing Parks

Secret Bird Mosaic Trail

Can you spot our 7 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 magpie, a robin, a starling and a chaffinch. Mosaics were made by the community and Susie John, a local artist. Pick up a leaflet with photos outside Hub to help you spot them!

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 Club on Strava.

See our School Workshop Programme 2025-26