Appealing for new volunteers in Bush Hill Park

Bush Hill Park Residents’ Association secretary Andrew Lack is looking for new volunteers to come forward to help run the group

BHPRA volunteers about to clean up around Bush Hill Park Station — BHPRA volunteers clean up around Bush Hill Park Station

Bush Hill Park Residents’ Association (BHPRA) is looking for more committee members.

The association, formed in December 1935 to represent those living in the district of Bush Hill Park, continues to keep an eye on the neighbourhood — roughly within a half-mile radius of Bush Hill Park Station, including the conservation area.

However, after ten years service, four of our committee have announced they are standing down at the next AGM in September 2027, leaving the future of the organisation in doubt. Positions becoming vacant include the chair, secretary (currently myself) and newsletter editor.

As an association we look out for planning applications in the area, as well as performing more practical tasks such as organising two litter-picks each year — the last of which attracted around 35 local people, including children.

The committee currently meet six times a year, inviting the local councillors: three from each of Bush Hill Park and Southbury wards. We are also connected to the local police and help advertise local meetings through a website, also producing three newsletters a year.

BHPRA is lucky to have a healthy bank-balance and regularly gives grants to local good causes. During the Covid-19 pandemic the association gave a substantial amount to local organisations, including North Enfield Foodbank. More recently, we donated to Raglan School for books, the Friends of Bury Lodge Park to help after gardening tools were stolen, and to the Friends of Bush Hill Park Recreation Ground for setting up their tree trail.

Our most recent donation was £200 to the local ‘Men in Sheds’ group, who also came and spoke at the recent AGM. One BHPRA member even keeps the horse trough in Park Avenue looking good, and the association pays for the plants!

The connection with local councillors works well for both sides; councillors get to hear what the concerns are in the community and the association can help local councillors get their message out to residents. Topics raised with councillors in the past two years have included the state of our pavements and roads, parking on the pavement, the proliferation of waste bins in Queen Anne’s Place at the station, and the yellow lines in the controlled parking zone.

But there are still numerous issues affecting the area which the group continues to work on: houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), planning pressures on the conservation area, parking, speeding traffic and litter — all of which feature regularly in conversations with local councillors.

Despite the pressures on the area from a more transient community, the association still has over 400 members. So, if you are interested in finding out how you can help our 91 year-old group keep going, please contact me by email at [email protected].

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