Events Flowing Through the Colne Valley
Events Flowing Through the Colne Valley sought to enable the running of events for the wider public as well as individual groups. A wide variety of events were organised over the three years (2019-2022) including talks and presentations, school holiday activities and challenges, and guided walks.
During the project we ran many different variety of events and had many different type of groups that enjoyed them such as; the Amigos, a visually impaired social group, enjoying a guided walk around Denham Country Park, river dipping and mini beast half term activities, presentations to the Winston Churchill Coffee Morning group, Hillingdon Natural History Society, and Chesham & District Natural History Society as well as attending such events as; the Rickmansworth Festival, Slough Canal Festival, the Great Barn of Harmondsworth Open Weekend, and Iver Heath Resident Association AGM to engage with the public about the Colne Valley Regional Park and all it has to offer.
Below you will find more project updates during the delivery stage.
The Colne Valley Park Festival Fortnight 2022 was a great success. Partnering with organisations and charities enabled us to showcase the Colne Valley Regional Park through guided walks around Staines Moor, Rickmansworth, Cowley and the canals, Woodoaks Farm and Harmondsworth Moor; family and children activities such riverdipping, mini beast hunting, leaf printing, crafts, Save Our Rivers Family Fun Eco Days, and Teatime at Iver Environment Centre; open days at Harmondsworth Barn, Maple Lodge Marsh, Hillingdon Narrowboat Association, visits on restored narrowboat ‘Rodger’ moored on the Grand Union Canal at Denham and so much more. Thank you for your participation and support for the Colne Valley Regional Park we hope you continue to enjoy the Park throughout the year.
Colne Valley Park Festival 2019
Project Updates during delivery stage
One of our objectives at the Colne Valley park is to encourage community participation, including volunteering and environmental education, alongside promoting the benefits of health and social well-being through access to our green spaces. Fiona is our events officer responsible for managing 150 community events over the three-year project, sponsored by the Heritage lottery.
Hello from the Colne Valley Park
The last two years have been a bit of a rollercoaster but despite the uncertainties we haven’t stop trying to provide ways for you to engage with the Colne Valley Park, whether it is a family activity sheet you can enjoy in your own time or a self-guided trail. Now that we are ‘getting back to normal’ we were pleased to be able to run some February half-term activities such as play with clay and a bug hunt trail. We also look forward to supporting events held by our partners such as the Rickmansworth Festival (May 21st – 22nd) organised the Rickmansworth Waterways Trust and Harmondsworth Great Barn Open days organised by Friends of Harmondsworth Great Barn.
Planning for this year’s Colne Valley Park Festival Fortnight is well underway, and we are looking forward to a festival packed with interesting, exciting, and enjoyable activities and events held throughout the Colne Valley Park.
This year the Colne Valley Park Festival Fortnight dates are Sunday July 24th – Saturday August 6th 2022. So put them in your diary.
Colne Valley Park Festival 2021
As we all know 2020 and 2021 were challenging times. The COVID pandemic stopped many of the activities and events we had planned. Sadly, the 2020 Colne Valley Park Festival was cancelled but for 2021 we took a different approach and held festival fortnight instead. The Colne Valley Park Festival Fortnight was held from July 24th – August 8th 2021. Events were held throughout the Colne Valley Park. Events included: guided walks on Staines Moor, along the Grand Union Canal and Harmondsworth Moor, river dipping sessions in the River Misbourne at Denham Country Park, Wildlife Art sessions at the Colne Valley Park Visitor Centre, a visit from the Rickmansworth Waterway Trust’s, restored narrowboat ‘Roger’, open air plays at the Chiltern Open Air Museum, guide tour of the Harmondsworth Great Barn and Village, provenance festival at Woodoaks Farm and so much more! You can see the photos here: Colne Valley Festival Feedback 2021.
Project Update Autumn 2021
After the uncertainties earlier in the year – the world started to open and we were able to start planning face-to-face sessions, but what to do first? The Colne Valley Park Festival, of course. Still not able to have a large crowd event at Denham Country Park due to COVID19 government guidance we decided to hold the annual July festival over two weeks and the Colne Valley Park Festival Fortnight was born!
Planning the Colne Valley Park Festival Fortnight in a short timescale was challenging but everyone pulled together to help create a great event for the Colne Valley Park and its visitors. Over the two weeks different events such as walks, talks, children sessions and partnership activities were held to encourage people to come and enjoy the Colne Valley Park and the wonderful experiences it has to offer – from Guided walks at Staines Moor, the Grand Union Canal and Thames Water’s Maple Lodge Marsh, Children’s river dipping, mini-beast hunts, and art sessions, to partnership events with Harmondsworth Great Barn, Woodoaks Farm, Bucks Country Park, COAM and Batchworth Lock Canal Centre.
Although, February half-term activities were cancelled due to COVID we were pleased that the October half-term events and Halloween Trail received the ‘green’ light. Families enjoyed activities such as dissecting owl pellets to discover what these magnificent creatures eat and planting spring bulbs so they have something to brighten their days after the cold winter months. They could also enjoy the fresh air and countryside while following the Halloween Trail and helping the Colne Valley Park heron find the stolen pumpkins!
Autumn is truly here, and we hope that you decide to visit one of our many parks and nature reserves to enjoy the red, orange, brown and gold colours this time of year brings to our landscape. Visit our Facebook page and webpage Colne Valley Indoors for ideas.
Fiona Brewer Events Officer
Fiona organising river dipping in the Festival Fortnight
Grand Union Canal Walk: one of the events held during the Festival Fortnight 2021
Covid-19 Project Update
Around the Home
After a long, wet winter, February half-term brought a variety of activities for families to enjoy at Denham Country Park and the Colne Valley Visitor Centre activities. Events such as playing with clay, planting flowers and building a pixie den were available for families to get creative and use their imagination. They could also enjoy the fresh air and countryside while completing the Eye Spy activity sheet.
All was going well for an egg-citing Easter with lots of activities scheduled to fill the two-week school holiday, from river dipping and mini beast hunting to arts and craft activities but sadly because of the coronavirus and the countrywide lockdown we had to cancel these events. The lockdown has put us all in an unusual situation where we are having to adapt to find some sort of normality. Although we may not be able to enjoy these activities with you at the moment, we hope you visit our Facebook page and webpage Colne Valley Indoors for ideas and well…just to stay in touch.
At that time we said “When this all passes and we are allowed to venture from our isolation we hope that you will come and visit us and enjoy the fresh country air, the sparkle of the Misbourne River in the sunshine, the chorus of birdsong and the rustle of the leaves as they dance in the breeze.” You can see how much we were look forward to seeing everyone once again.
Clay Unlocks Children’s Creativity
Children’s Amazing Clay Creations
‘Look what we planted!’
decorated and planted pots
What Was happening Until March 2020
Our biggest event is the Colne valley Festival, held at Denham Country Park. It was a huge success last summer, with more than 3,000 visitors enjoying some of the park’s delights. It was a wonderful day and we had many positive comments from people enjoying the free events, music and craft activities. They included ferret racing, birds of prey, river dipping, circus skills, willow weaving and clay modelling. Teresa from Ruislip said: ““This was the best local event I have been to, with so many lovely free activities for the children and a really lovely atmosphere. It was so nice to see the community all having a lovely time”. Thank you to Affinity water for its sponsorship of the event, and the Heritage Lottery.
Getting the community involved
Fiona has organised lots of events this year and last, with visits from youth groups and we have had very positive feedback from them all about how much the children learnt and enjoyed themselves outdoors. She has also visited many groups to provide information on how we can benefit local people, including Chiltern Photography Group, Denham Parish AGM and Hillingdon Carers’ Fair. Other successful events included the many trails and activities organised for families in the school holidays. We will have October half-term craft activities for children available at both Denham Country Park and Iver Nature centre. Please join us on Facebook and Twitter to see what’s on. You can also visit our website to see what is on offer.
Fiona and Hannah presenting the Landscape Partnership
Acorn Youth Group Walk organised by Fiona Brewer
Bug Hunting – Children’s Event in the Colne Valley
Colne Valley Festival
Colne Valley Festival 2019
Our annual Colne Valley Park Festival was held at Denham Country Park at the end of July and was a fantastic day out for all our visitors. With over 3,000 people there was live music from pop to rock and from folk to funk to entertain the festival crowd throughout the day.
See more here.
Check our photo gallery from the Festival 2019
