Here are some photos from the switch-on event of our Christmas lights in the park. We estimate over 100 people turned out (so many we struggled to have enough treats for the children). It was a fantastic evening with refreshments, music from children from St Chrysostom's school, carol singing, a craft stall, and of course the big switch on, proceeded by a very loud countdown. Big thanks to the Council for providing the lights and other resources, and to Elizabeth Gaskell's House, Moss Care St Vincent Housing, Grove Village and Longsight Church of the Nazarene for their help and support. Maybe we'll do it again next year...

Our free park Christmas lights switch-on event is just a week away on Wednesday November 24, from 4:30 to 5:30pm and we've just put banners up on the park to remind everyone. 

For the festive season this year, with help from the Council, we are having lights put on one of our trees in the park, making it a Christmas Tree! It has been another year of lockdowns and restrictions and, even though things are a lot freer now, the pandemic is far from over. So, as a reminder that hope and good news are still possible, and we have much still to be grateful for, Christmas lights will be shining in the park.

There will be a switch-on event in the park on Wednesday November 24, from 4:30 to 5:30pm. This will be for all the family, with refreshments, a children's party hat competition (and prizes), and traditional carol signing. Several local organisations are contributing, including Elizabeth Gaskell's House, which will also be open all day for free entry for M13 postcode residents. For more information download a poster here.

Here are some photos from our clean up day as part of the Great British Spring Clean. Thanks to everyone who helped and supported, including St Chrysostom's School and Grove Village.

After over a year of lockdowns, tiers and other restrictions, now that more and more people are getting vaccinated, we hope we have turned a corner with the Covid-19 pandemic. On Monday 17th May more restrictions were lifted, and we took another step closer to what used to be normal life. However, there is still some risk from the spread of variants of the virus and we are advised to keep taking precautions. HANDS, FACE, SPACE, FRESH AIR. Get some of your fresh air in Swinton Grove Park!

It's been a long year. The Coronavirus pandemic has meant 12 months of lockdowns, various tiers of restrictions, and instructions to maintain social distance, wash hands and generally Keep Safe. Here in Manchester we only had 25 days free of any restriction as the first lockdown was quickly followed by a 'Tier 3' local one. All about saving lives: nothing is more precious.

Now as we come into Spring and the vaccine roll-out continues, there is fresh hope of emerging from this dark time, and being able to mix again and do those things we used to take for granted. Meantime we can all of course continue to make use of the park for exercise and our well-being.

But it has to be slow and cautious as no-one wants to have to go back to tiers or lockdowns again. For this reason summer 2021 will be too soon to re-start the Swinton Grove Park Fun Day as it takes several months to organise. But keep watching this space.

As of Wednesday 6th January we are back in lockdown due to the very high infection rate of Covid-19. One piece of good news is that daily exercise is being encouraged, so the park will remain open. Just remember to keep 2 metres distance from everyone else.

It is important that we all play our part in protecting each other and getting the infection rate down again – hands - face - space. Even if you are one of the minority who think they don't need to take precautions, please respect others who are doing so.

Manchester Councillor Luthfur Rahman has written a letter to Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to remind him of the importance of parks during the Covid-19 pandemic. "...the value of parks became more clearly evident than ever before and the Government regularly called for people across the nation to make use of parks, to boost their physical and mental wellbeing."

He mentions the more than 100 voluntary groups (including FOSGP) that partner with the Council's Parks team who have "worked tirelessly to provide safe access to the green lungs of the city." Park use has risen by over 30% in Manchester, which has resulted in an extra 78,487 bags of litter!

Councillor Rahman goes on to remind Mr Sunak that little support has been given to keeping our parks open and safe., and asks that he commits extra resources. How about us who use the parks? Perhaps the best way we can thank the hard-working Parks team is by NOT DROPPING LITTER!!

Read the full letter here.

No sooner were we in 'Tier 3' but along comes another lockdown! One of several important differences is that parks remain open, this time including the playgrounds. So we can still enjoy Swinton Grove Park and the children can go on the swings etc.with, of course, social distancing. As before, it's up to all of us to do our part to protect each other.