Last Chance to Object to Council and Summer Events

ACTION REQUIRED: last chance to influence the Council over Pensford Field

Dear Friends,

We are very grateful to those who have already written to the Council objecting to their plans to change the status of Pensford Field so that it is no longer an open space protected by law. We are very keen that the Leader, Gareth Roberts is not able to stand up and say he had had only about 10 letters of objections (as he did at the Community Conversation on 24 September 2024). We have seen over 40 already and still 3 weeks to go with a lot of people indicating they plan to object. I know how much of a faff it is to do this and how easy it is to forget! But please, please, spare the time to do this as it could make a real difference to the future of Pensford Field. The Council is considering objections at the Finance, Policy and Resources meeting on 24 June 2025 so your letters are not just disappearing into the ether like previous letters written to the Leader, Gareth Roberts, many of which did not receive a reply.

If you have not already written, you need to submit your objections before Thursday 22 May by email to pensfordfield@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk or by post to the address in the notice . Please also copy us in at info@pensfordfield.co.uk so we know what the Council has received. There are some suggested points to raise in the draft letter in this link but please make your own points or omit ones where you are unsure or don’t agree. We have seen some truly touching emails from people who described how the field helped them or their children through some very difficult periods in their life.

If you have not already watched the film Part 3 of the Battle for Pensford Field by independent film maker Martin Baker, it is worth catching up with all the twists and tales of this sorry tale.

Turning to some of our events over the summer, please come and help at our next two Work Days on 10 May and 14 June from 10am to 12 noon. Both of these are followed by talks starting at 12.30 pm. You can just come to the talk although you are welcome to both. The talks are free but you still need to reserve a place.

Join us on Saturday, May 10 2025 at 12.30pm for a walk and talk exploring the world of Native Amphibians and Reptiles. The walk/talk will be led by John Salisbury, To reserve a free place, book on Eventbrite .

Join us on Saturday 14 June at 12.30pm for a talk on Weeds or Wildflowers by Katrina Roche, Trustee, local gardener and freelance garden writer with a blog, weedsrootsleaves.com To reserve a free place, book on Eventbrite.

We very much hope you will be able to join us for our Summer Party on the afternoon of Saturday 19 July at 1.30pm. If the weather forecast is terrible we may cancel but we will send an email to our Friends and put a notice on our website. This is a free event.

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine - Pensford Field and local gardens could all do with a drop of rain but sadly no sign or it for days.

All best,

Sarah

Sarah Atkins

Chair of Pensford Field Environmental Trust