#LoveParksWeek Fun East Herts

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collage of photographs taken at Southern Country Park and Pishiobury Park
Visitors who came to celebrate #LoveParksWeek at the East Herts Council run free family events in Southern Country Park, Bishop’s Stortford and Pishiobury Park, Sawbridgeworth this week enjoyed dog shows, tug of war, craft activities, face painting, meet ups with cows, bug hunts, and fitness trails, together with visits from Hertfordshire Fire Service and Hertfordshire Police Service.

Southern Country Park 26 July

Celebrations started on Tuesday at Southern Country Park where Dogability did a demonstration of dog training techniques and children lined up against staff from Glendales and Everyone Active to win the tug of war and made Loggaheads from hazel at the Friends of Southern Country Park stall. 

Over at the fun dog show the canine crowned Champion of Champions from the three categories was Buddy the Golden Retriever Cross.  East Herts Council Chairman, Ian Devonshire had the difficult job of judging the categories, but he was also joined by Vicki Youens from Animal Rescue Centre to judge the Best Rescue Dog category.  The dogs crowned winners of each category were:

  • Most handsome dog:                     Bear, an Australian labradoodle
  • Prettiest bitch:                                 Tilly, Cocker spaniel 
  • Best rescue:                                     Molly, a Jug (Jack Russell cross Pug)
  • Champion of Champions:             Buddy, Golden Retriever Cross

Pishiobury Park 28 July

At Pishiobury visitors got the chance to have a special meet up with the Longhorn Cattle that graze the park and find out more about them.  The Friends of Pishiobury Park had creative treats in store to entertain the little ones together with bug hunts and escorted walks to discover more about the nature around them. 

The park recently took delivery of a hand carved sculpture of a Longhorn Cow which visitors often ask, “what is it called?”.  A poll was run on social media and online to get name suggestions in and the shortlist put to the vote at the #LoveParksEvent.  The winning name chosen was Woody.

Speaking about the events, East Herts Council Chairman, Ian Devonshire said:

“It was wonderful to join residents at these family events this week and see the joy on children’s faces as they ran around enjoying the fitness trail, concentrated on their craft creations, interacted with nature in the bug hunts and took pride walking dogs around the dog show.

“Our Love Parks Week events haven’t taken place since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic so it was great to be part of the re-launch this year and help get these community focussed events back onto the annual calendar.

“Southern Country Park has just retained its Green Flag Award and so it was with great pride that I helped the Friends of Southern Country Park – who carry out a lot of conservation work – to raise the new flag onto its mast.”

To view photographs from both events, visit the East Herts Council Facebook page and look at the photo albums: https://www.facebook.com/EastHertsDC.

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