Friends of St Elphins Park are bringing community back

The group began around 2015, and was initially created to give the residents of the area a say in how the park was to be used when one-third of it was given for use by a local school.

Since then, the residents have been involved in everything from the upkeep of the park to organising community events for residents, and even opening a community tea shop.

The community group has dedicated many hours to preserving the dignity of the park (Image: Friends of St Elphins Park)

Throughout the school summer holidays, the Friends group organised activities to keep youngsters - and their families - busy.

This all culminated with a summer fun day, which was held on Thursday, August 31, to mark the end of the summer holidays before school starts again.

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian about the work that the Friends group does throughout the year, which includes the running of the tea shop, Cllr Jean Flaherty said: "Myself and another lady were in the park and thought that it would be lovely if there was somewhere to stop and have a cup of tea in the park.

"From there it just grew - but it's now a community hub that we didn't have in Fairfield and Howley before."

The group has benefited from a number of grants from the council and other groups, but is responsible for the maintenance of buildings such as the tea shop.

It is entirely run by volunteers, and its activities are non-profit.

Cllr Flaherty explained that many of the Friends are from a generation where children had space to play in the streets in Warrington, but now there are too many cars for this to be safe.

She said: "The park is everybody's garden, now."

Over the summer, four children who did not previously have access to bicycles have learned to ride a bike without stabilisers, and around 20 children have been referred to under-11s football teams in the town.

When asked about being called 'unsung heroes,' Cllr Flaherty said: "We don't want to be sung about, we do it because we enjoy it and because we are able to say children learn to ride their bikes - that's enough.

"We don't do it for praise.

"We do it for the community, and because we missed that sense of community - but we don't miss it anymore."

The group carefully maintains the park (Image: Friends of St Elphins Park)

Cllr Flaherty highlighted that Fairfield and Howley is one of the most deprived areas of the country.

She added: "Just because we are labelled like that doesn't mean we have to act like it.

"We can have nice things, and behave properly."

The Friends group member concluded that the support from the community makes the hard work worthwhile, finishing: "It makes us feel loved and wanted, and that we have made a difference."