Friends of Rowntree Park

Friends of Rowntree Park The Friends of Rowntree Park are a charity that help maintain and improve the park. We also run events for the community. Membership is just £5.
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The council manage the park 01904 551550/ 01904 625751. The park opening & closing times change through the year. 'The Friends of Rowntree Park' are volunteers who help maintain and improve Rowntree Park. The council 'manages' the park and is responsible for the park overall (including health and safety, toilets, locking up), though there is no longer a park keeper or C*C staff based on site. Council cuts over the years have meant that any new planting in the park or new features is down to volunteers. The Friends run a range of events in the park for the community. The Friends are consulted by the council on developments and changes within the park, and we share the views and concerns of our members with C*C. We would love more people to join us in helping look after the park we all love. www.rowntreepark.org.uk/volunteer

We also run our own activities, which currently include a range of children's groups such as Forest Schools, the Very Young Friends of Rowntree Park (for under 5s and their parents/carers), and lots of one-off events,. we also run some adult sessions like nature walks and bushcraft sessions. We have volunteers who garden, litter pick, help with wildlife, events and more! Help us in our work to keep Rowntree Park beautiful and thriving, by joining the Friends of Rowntree Park. As well as helping our work, you get 10% off in the cafe, monthly newsletters, and discount/priority booking to our events. www.rowntreepark.org.uk/membership

Please note that the tennis courts and cafe are run by external groups and questions regarding these should go to them directly.

Family Forest School- Rowntree ParkSaturday 10 October, 10am-12pmAges 2-11Our Family Forest School sessions are all abou...
06/10/2026

Family Forest School- Rowntree Park
Saturday 10 October, 10am-12pm
Ages 2-11

Our Family Forest School sessions are all about giving families time to enjoy being outdoors together. They are designed for a mix of ages, so younger and older children can all find something to do, alongside parents/carers.

Come and spend a Saturday morning going wild in the woods and enjoying time together in nature.

Booking - https://www.rowntreepark.org.uk/events/booking

Join us for our Very Young Friends monthly meet up on Tuesday 6th October 10-11am in Rowntree Park.A gentle, welcoming s...
05/10/2026

Join us for our Very Young Friends monthly meet up on Tuesday 6th October 10-11am in Rowntree Park.

A gentle, welcoming space for little ones (around 1–5 years) and their parents/carers to come together, explore nature, enjoy stories and get creative. These sessions are all about slowing down, connecting and having fun outdoors.

It’s a lovely, friendly group with a relaxed feel, and we always enjoy welcoming new faces. Come along, meet others, and enjoy a little time in nature together.

Book places now - £3

https://www.rowntreepark.org.uk/events/booking

Rowntree Park and Make Space York features in a new national Safer Parks training course just launched.Safer Parks: Impr...
05/10/2026

Rowntree Park and Make Space York features in a new national Safer Parks training course just launched.

Safer Parks: Improving Access for Women and Girls is a new free online course helping people who design, manage and care for parks understand how green spaces can be made safer and more welcoming for women and girls. The course builds on research led by Dr Anna Barker and Professor George Holmes at the University of Leeds into women’s and girls’ experiences of safety and inclusion in public parks.

The training has been developed by the University of Leeds, Police Crime Prevention Academy, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, Keep Britain Tidy Green Flag Award and other partners.

And we’re particularly proud that Rowntree Park was used for the filming of the course and the Make Space York project is one of the real-world case studies featured in the course, sharing some of the work Make Space York has undertaken here over the past five years with teenage girls.

The 90-minute course is completely free and is relevant not only to park professionals and local authorities, but also to Friends groups, environmental charities and others involved in caring for community green spaces.

It’s lovely to see experiences and learning from our park contributing to something that could help improve parks and green spaces much further afield.
https://onlinecourses.leeds.ac.uk/safer-parks/

Girls’ skateboarding sessions in Rowntree Park!We ran our first Make Space York skateboarding session for teenage girls ...
04/10/2026

Girls’ skateboarding sessions in Rowntree Park!

We ran our first Make Space York skateboarding session for teenage girls in Rowntree Park this weekend - and after it booked up so quickly, we’re really pleased to be offering more sessions during October half term, this time for girls aged 8-12 and 12-18.

Over the last five years of talking to teenage girls about their experiences of parks, the skatepark has regularly come up as a space many don’t use. Some simply aren’t interested in skating, but others tell us they used wheeled spaces when they were younger and stopped as they got older. Reasons vary – from not feeling the space is for them or feeling intimidated or self-conscious, to simply not having the confidence or skills to go in and have a go.

These sessions are about providing another way in. They take place in small groups in the Rowntree Park amphitheatre, away from the main skatepark, giving girls a relaxed space to learn some basic skills, build confidence and see whether skateboarding might be for them.

Monday 26 - Thursday 29 October
Morning sessions: ages 8-12 (max 6 per session)
Afternoon sessions: ages 12-18 (max 8 per session)

Aimed at beginners, but those with basic skills welcome too. We have skateboards and protective equipment to borrow, or you can bring your own, and girls are welcome to book more than one session if they want to build on what they learn.

The sessions are part of our wider Make Space York work to help create parks and public spaces where teenage girls feel welcome, included and that they belong.

A huge thank you to the Movement, Activity and Sports Fund, supported by David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, and to Micklegate Ward for combined funding that has enabled us to buy equipment, train our coach and provide these sessions.

Places are limited - book:
https://www.rowntreepark.org.uk/events/booking

North Yorkshire Sport

04/10/2026

Our first girls’ skateboarding session!

Today we ran our first ever Make Space York beginner skateboarding session for teenage girls in Rowntree Park.

Over the last five years of talking to teenage girls about their experiences of parks, the skatepark gets mentioned as a space many don’t use. Some girls simply aren’t interested in skating, but others tell us they used the space when they were younger and stopped as they got older. We’ve heard lots of different reasons - not feeling the space is for them, feeling intimidated or self-conscious, or simply not having the confidence or skills to go in and have a go.

So these sessions are about creating another way in: a small group, a relaxed space away from the main skatepark, and a chance to learn some basic skills, build confidence and see whether skateboarding might be for you.

And we’re doing more!
During October half term we’re running small group sessions for both ages 8-12 and 12-18. Complete beginners are very welcome, and we can provide skateboards and protective equipment - or you can bring your own.

The sessions are part of our wider Make Space York work to create parks and public spaces where teenage girls feel welcome and that they belong.

A huge thank you to the Movement, Activity and Sports Fund, supported by David Skaith, Mayor of York and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, and to Micklegate Ward for grant funding which has enabled us to buy equipment, train our coach and run these sessions targeted at girls.

Places for half term are limited. Booking link below:
Https://www.rowntreepark.org.uk/events/booking

North Yorkshire Sport

04/10/2026

Phone found in Rowntree Park - must likely to belong to a youth between 10-16 (based on screen saver!) Get in touch if info needed.

Autumn Art in Rowntree Park What a brilliant autumn morning in the park! The sun was shining, the leaves were crisp and ...
03/10/2026

Autumn Art in Rowntree Park
What a brilliant autumn morning in the park! The sun was shining, the leaves were crisp and there were plenty of autumn treasures to turn into creations.

We had leaf crowns, woodland creatures, suncatchers, mobiles and all sorts of wonderful creations taking shape, with lots of collecting, making and experimenting along the way.

Our Autumn Art sessions are really just about giving children the chance to get creative, spend time outdoors and connect with nature and the park. And today was pretty much perfect weather for it!

A huge thank you to all our volunteer helpers who gave their time this morning to set everything up, keep the crafting chaos under control, help our young artists and clear everything away afterwards. These events simply wouldn't happen without you.

And thank you to all the families who came along. We hope you had as much fun as we did!

Some major workplace volunteering happened in Rowntree Park recently. In partnership with City of York Council Eco Team,...
01/10/2026

Some major workplace volunteering happened in Rowntree Park recently. In partnership with City of York Council Eco Team, a team of 54 people from Murphy’s Group spent the day working on two major projects as well as general help.

The day was organised with Transpenine Route Upgrade partnership who also supported the Make Space project with funds towards equipment.

The volunteers transformed the beck area by repairing the circular path - replacing the previously damaged culvert. They replaced it with two new clay pipes and two tonnes of aggregate. Additionally work at the beck saw some of the understory layer of trees cut back to allow more light into the beck area to enable a greater variety of flora and fauna. This adds to earlier work in the year by St Nicks to add some deflectors and leaky dams in the beck itself.

The other main piece of work the team carried out was the installation of a long plantation of Pendula Sedge that we hope will form a barrier between the field grazed by the geese and the lake side path. This is part of a trial to see if landscaping can make a difference to where the geese gather and poo (the lakeside path between the play areas). Once established the barrier breaks up a ‘landing zone’. We love wildlife, poo less so - the aim is to hopefully help improve the path a little.

Murphy donated 100 sedge plants, construction materials, clay drain pipesa nd 2 tonnes of hardcore. A huge thank you from us all!

Murphy Group
The Transpennine Route Upgrade
City of York Council

Christmas Wreath Making for Teenss!Join us on Friday 4th December, 6.30-8pm for a relaxed evening of winter wreath makin...
30/09/2026

Christmas Wreath Making for Teenss!

Join us on Friday 4th December, 6.30-8pm for a relaxed evening of winter wreath making indoors.

We'll have willow wreath frames ready to decorate, plus lots of natural materials foraged from York's parks and green spaces. Come with friends, come on your own, or bring a parent/carer along for moral support. This isn't a formal workshop, it's a chance to experiment, create, chat and make something brilliant to take home.

Ages 10-18 - £15 per wreath
(really want to come but can't pay - get in touch as we can help)

Part of Make Space York, our project working to make parks more welcoming for older girls.

Full details and booking via the link
https://www.rowntreepark.org.uk/events/booking

Tonight is the Shine Walk Cancer Research UK in Rowntree Park. Just for info!
26/09/2026

Tonight is the Shine Walk Cancer Research UK in Rowntree Park. Just for info!

Address

Rowntree Park
York
YO231JQ

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 7am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 7am - 5:30pm
Thursday 7am - 5:30pm
Friday 7am - 5:30pm
Saturday 8am - 5:30pm
Sunday 8am - 5:30pm

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