FRIENDS OF PRIORY PARK, WARWICK
2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – TUESDAY 24th MARCH
Attendees
Dave Skinner (Chair), Andy Stewart (Secretary), Trevor Day (Treasurer), Becca Woodbine, Ewan Davies, Cheryl Thompson, Dulcie Mullis, Mary Ann Baynes, Paul Gerrard, Jo Birkbeck, Johnathan Branson, Lesley Hall, Rob Shuttleworth, Sara Lever, Angela Day, Trevor Jenkins, Jane Sault, Lucie Cox, Nic Ruch, Julie Davies, Nicole Owen.
Apologies
Helen Reid Jackson, Gayle Harris, Diane James, Judith Christopherson, Robin Christopherson, Linda Bromley, Peter Clemens, Richard Bainbridge.
Welcomes
Dave welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending.
2025 AGM Minutes
The minutes of the AGM held on the 25th March 2025 were accepted as a true record.
Chair’s Report
Dave had met again with Deb Merrick from the Warwick District Council (WDC) Green Spaces team to discuss maintenance in the park.
Lots of self-set oak saplings had been seen in the area near the railway and St. John’s Brook, but regular maintenance has removed almost all of these with only one remaining. Deb intends to obtain a protective guard for this one, but will likely need to get permission from English Heritage for this to be installed. Deb said that she had requested a change to the maintenance contract so that this area will be left to rewild. She will also try to obtain some suitable whips to introduce into this area. The WDC Green Spaces team will be continuing with the phased maintenance of the tall herbaceous areas in the park as well as other planned maintenance.
Dave and Deb also discussed the fallen pear tree by one of the Priory Road entrances. It has been suggested that a Cedar of Lebanon would be a suitable replacement for this and Deb and her colleagues are happy with this choice as long as the tree is planted far enough away from properties and roads. A meeting with Deb, Dave and Lesley will need to be organised to progress this. Permission is also available for a second new tree to replace the fallen beech.
The lack of drainage near the nursery and the issue this causes in accessing the park during wet weather was also discussed. Deb has reported this issue to the WDC Assets team who will look at options to resolve this issue. However there is always the issues of obtaining funding for any improvements as well as obtaining any permissions required to make substantial changes in the park. The poor state at times of the lower path that runs from the Coventry Road entrance to the railway underpass was also discussed but any improvements to this would require substantial funding.
Dave and Deb also discussed the state of two other paths in the park. The first of these is the very steep path that leads from Priory Pools Path to the top of the park and it has been previously noted that this could do with a handrail in order to make it safer to use. Deb suggested that a heritage style handrail would be most suitable for this, but again permission to install it would be required. It would also have to be designed to allow vehicular access for the Green Spaces team via. this entrance. The second path that was discussed was the entrance to the park opposite the Priory Road car park. Deb said that because of its steepness, she didn’t think it was a good idea to consider resurfacing it, but that it may be possible to modify it to include a handrail and cut steps. However this approach would not allow access for wheel chairs or push chairs. Jo said that it had previously been suggested to turn this entrance into a zig-zag shaped path which would lessen the gradient and improve accessibility into the park. It was noted though that once this path enters the path it doesn’t meet up with a tarmac path.
Ewan asked why, although FOPP make sensible maintenance suggestions to the Green Spaces team, that this team don’t always act on these suggestions. Dave answered that the team use their technical and professional opinions on whether to proceed and that as usual, available funding is a key element in whether or not they can proceed.
Lesley commented about the ‘phantom’ gate that leads from Yeomanry Close. However this is on private land. Dave suggested that we should concentrate on improving the existing entrances.
It was noted that the nursery entrance had become clogged with lots of wet leaves but that these would be cleared. Paul commented that what really needs to happen to this area is that the tarmac needs raising and remodeling to incorporate a small cut that would lead to St. John’s Brook to provide drainage. It was also mentioned that the signs by the Country Record Office had been cleaned.
Dave and Deb also discussed the fallen beech and the beech that is still standing but that due to fungal infection is in very poor health and may need to be felled. Bat and bird checks have already been completed for this tree but an issue with felling it is being able to safely locate the heavy plant equipment that will be required to complete the work. Because of this issue and the fact that the tree is located in a conservation area which is also a scheduled monument, letting the tree fall naturally may be the better option. In the meantime, to safeguard the public, Deb is organising the use of existing fallen timber on site to create an exclusion zone by blocking paths in this area.
Treasurer’s Report
Due to the legacy bequest of £14,501.93 that FOPP received from the late Andrew Philip Griffin, the balance of FOPP’s bank account is currently £14,786.87. It was queried whether any of this is generating interest and Trevor said that he would look into having a deposit account for some or all of this money. He also said that he was looking to move the account to on-line banking which would include two person authentication for any transactions. This may possibly be with a different bank if any banks offer groups such as FOPP more beneficial terms.
Election of Officers
Dave was re-elected as Chair. Andy was re-elected as Secretary. Trevor was re-elected as Treasurer.
Anti-social Behaviour and Safety in and around Priory Park
Following a request from Lucie to add this topic to the agenda, Dave had invited Julie Davies to address the meeting. Julie is a Police Community Support Office (PCSO) for the Warwick Central area and was accompanied by her colleague Nicole Owen, who is a PCSO for the Warwick Rural East area. Julie has been in this role for approximately one year and noted that she had seen an increase in anti-social during the summer months of 2025. One of the main issues was the presence of one gang of youths who were intent on anti-social behaviour which escalated over the last nine months. This included issues such as riding motorbikes in the park and even though action had been taken , including seizing motorbike, the problem is that the perpetrators of such behaviour will just obtain another motorbike and carry on their anti-social behaviour. However due to ongoing issues, the family of the ringleader of the gang, including the ringleader, have been evicted from their home with conditions of not to be in Warwick. Julie said that she hoped that the removal of the gang ringleader will lead to splintering of the gang.
Julie mentioned the Warwickshire Police Dob ‘Em In’ campaign which allows the police to take focused action based on intelligence submitted by local residents. Julie also mentioned the Warwickshire Police Antisocial Behaviour Integrated Teams Initiative which will see an enhanced enforcement presence on summer Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in all parks in Leamington, Kenilworth and Warwick.
Julie emphasized that enforcement is only possible if people report incidents as soon as possible and if by phone this should done by calling 999 for emergencies and 101 for non-emergencies. Notifications can also be made using email or the online form on the Warwickshire Police web site. She also stated that PCSOs do not directly respond to incidents that are called in, but if they hear on their radios of anything occurring and they are in the area, then they will respond accordingly.
Ewan spoke about how he had been harassed in the park, including having mud sprayed at him, by youths with a motorbike and that this had been reported. He also mentioned finding a nitrous oxide container in the park but said when he reported this he was just told to put the container in the recycling.
Julie also mentioned the relatively recent robbery involving a knife in the park but emphasized that such incidents don’t happen that often. The response to this incident involved a sergeant and an armed officer. Following this, a young person was arrested and bailed.
Lucy said about the knife that she had found in the Packmore Community garden and that she had reported this using the 101 number and then taken it into the Police station.
It was queried whether any further progress had been made in investigating the high net worth domestic burglaries. Julie said that apart from the fact that she was aware that this investigation was ongoing, she didn’t have any further information concerning this.
Dave re-iterated the importance of reporting any incidents and also mentioned the recent burning of one of the trees in the park. He said that one of the local residents had found an empty petrol canister in a rabbit hole in the park. Julie queried whether the attending fire service had found any evidence of the involvement of an accelerant in the fire, but Dave said he didn’t have an answer concerning this.
Mention was also made of the incident of a car being driven round the Priory Pools area.
Thanks from the meeting was given to both Julie and Nicole for their work in making our local area a safer place to live in and enjoy.
Sara Lever of ‘Bee Friendly Warwick’
Sara formed Bee Friendly Warwick in June 2022 and activities that the group has completed so far led to Warwick being named as a Bee Friendly Town. There are approximately 270 species of bees in the UK but their numbers are in significant decline due to habitat loss, climate change and pesticide usage. Bee Friendly groups aim to reverse this decline.
Sara recently installed a Wild Bee House into Priory Park. The location of this is the carved woodpecker tree with the installation being approved by Historic England and WDC. The installation of this house is part of a larger bee trail in the area and as it was thought that this would be of interest to FOPP, Sara was invited to the meeting to provide some more information about this trail and bees in general. This bee trail is being made possible due to Councillor’s grants from Councillor John Holland, Councillor Nicki Scott and Councillor Sam Jones.
As well as Priory Park, bee houses have either been installed or will be installed in Chase Meadow Community Orchard, Hill Close Gardens, The Quaker House Garden and The Packmore Community Garden. It is hoped to also install a bee house in St. Nicholas Park, but so far the relevant permissions for this haven’t been obtained. If these permissions are not forthcoming, it is possible that a bee house will be installed in the garden of The New Bowling Green pub.
The bee houses are designed to provide female mason bees and leaf cutters bees with a safe location to lay their eggs in the summer. The females will also leave a deposit of pollen. The eggs then hatch into larvae which eat the pollen. They then pupate in cocoons before making a final transformation into a bee. The bee houses can be opened to see inside. Neither of the two types of bee that the bee houses are intended to attract are able to sting humans painfully.
Bee Friendly Warwick are also supporting Westgate School and Warwick Nursery with bee houses. However, these won’t be part of the trail.
Sara had brought with her a variety of design of bee houses that may or may not be suitable for bees and the meeting played a quick game trying to work out whether the types of design were suitable as habitats for the female bees to lay their eggs. What the results of this game showed is that the ideal bee house needs to be at least fifteen centimeters deep to allow the eggs to be laid and ideally would have a cover to prevent access by birds. They also need to be fixed securely, preferably with a slight overhand for weather shelter and also need to be able to be opened for an annual clean out of any parasites. Sara said that the funding for the bee trail covers two years worth of maintenance for the bee houses.
Sara also mentioned the Bee Wild Event which is being held at Hill Close Gardens on Sunday 14th June 226 between 11:00am and 4:00pm.
Andrew Philip Griffin – Legacy Bequest for FOPP
The legacy bequest of £14,501.93 had already been mentioned in the Treasurer’s report. The meeting was asked for suggestions as to what this windfall could be used for. These suggestions were:
- Ewan suggested a large new waste bin for any impromptu litter picks that people may organise. Johnathan noted that WDC already have a scheme whereby if a group litter pick is organised and they are notified in advance, that they will supply litter picking equipment and will remove and dispose of any litter that has been collected.
- A new bench in the park, possibly near the nursery entry. This could have a memorial plaque for our benefactor.
- One or more new trees for the park. Jane mentioned the possibility of having one example of every native British tree in the park. Becca queried whether the park could take more trees. Lesley said new trees would probably only be possible in the non-listed area of the park and also asked whether we want the park to be a wood or an open space with a mix of ecology.
- Diane James had previously suggested a contribution towards further investigations into the history of the Priory Park and Priory Pools landscapes, particularly their possible Iron Age connections.
- Lucie suggested enhanced signage or a map of the park. It was noted that the park has plenty of stories to tell, both natural and historical. For example, Dave said that he had only very recently found out that the Priory of the Holy Sepulchre which was located in the park many years ago, was the first of these institutions outside the Holy Land.
- An overall audit of the varying types of wildlife at different times of the year in the park
- Lesley said her preference was for the money to be used for a big project rather than a bit here and there and suggested money towards improving the drainage around the Coventry Road entrance. Johnathan said that he had investigated this and that the costs for any such improvement would be approximately £25,000. The meeting also queried whether the legacy money should be spent on work that WDC should be funding.
- Rob suggested funding heritage restoration and further planting in the park.
It was noted that whatever changes to the park that the money is used for will require the usual permissions, especially from Historic England.
It was agreed that Dave will organise a committee meeting to discuss these options in more detailed with the finding of this meeting being presented to the next open meeting.
Q. & A. Session
There were no outstanding questions.
A.O.B
Johnathan explained about the Sensory Stroll which will be installed into Priory Pools on Thursday 25th March with the official launch being at the Priory Pools Community Centre Open Day on Saturday 4th April. The Sensory Stroll was originally installed in Christchurch Gardens in Leamington Spa for a five month period. It comprises four special pieces of art, each one designed to help focus your mind and body on all the beauty surrounding you. Each art work includes a QR code which when scanned shows extra activities and information relating to that particular art work. Johnathan asked if anyone lived near Priory Pools and had a ladder that he could borrow to assist with the installation but unfortunately no offers were forthcoming.
As mentioned previously, the next meeting will be a committee meeting and the date for the next open meeting will be set during the committee meeting.
Dave again thanked everyone for their attendance and then closed the meeting.