Pitzhanger Manor - Help Future Development

New group forming to support Walpole Park

A group of local people met in Pitzhanger Manor this week to discuss how they could actively help in supporting Ealing Council take forward development ideas for Pitzhanger Manor and its surrounding parks.

Ealing Council has pledged £2.8 million pounds towards their vision of restoration, renewal and improvement of the house, gardens and park and restoring and interpreting historic links and features.

Pitzhanger Manor is Ealing’s only Grade 1 Listed building and Ealing are making a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to provide match funding.
Ealing is a priority borough for HLF funding and the lottery distributor is supportive in principle but the wider community will need to be involved to get the project off the ground.

Better known in the Boston Manor area for her involvement in various Friends Groups and the Organiser behind the Brentford Festival, Linda Massey addressed the group about her experiences working with both Ealing and Hounslow Councils, successful environmental projects and fundraising and community events which gave the group inspiration.

Patrick Chapman (Chair of Walpole RA) who facilitated the evening hoped that the outcome of the meeting would be the start of an active Friends Group working positively with the council.
The search is now on for a Committee to be formed, Patrick explained that a Chair is needed along with a Secretary in line with charitable law.

Committee members with varying skills and interests are also needed and the group would particularly like representation from residents living around Lammas Park, Walpole Park and Pitzhanger Manor, including existing users of the house to show their hands. Local Ealing resident John Sears has already offered his voluntary services as Treasurer and Patrick has agreed to act as interim Chair.

Would you like to consider being involved in this fledgling group on the committee or as a member? Express your interest by sending an email to walpolefriends@yahoo.co.uk so that you can be kept in the loop. It is early days but you too could be involved in this exciting project for
the benefit of future generations.

December 6th, 2009