What a wonderful start to the festive season - our Christmas Concert at
West Bromwich Central Bowling Club

Saturday 30 November and the start of the Friends' Christmas Celebrations. What a perfect programme of entertainment was provided by the Wolverhampton Ukulele Band and The Gap Choir.

The Ukulele Band played and sang our favourite Christmas songs and then some old rock and roll numbers which brought back lots of memories and got our feet tapping.

The Gap gave us beautiful renditions of traditional carols and did a very clever Twelve Days of Christmas, which our members tried to copy and didn't do too badly as you can see from the photograph on the left.

We had tea, coffee and mince pies in the interval and collected £95 in donations for the Ukulele Bands' chosen charity, Cancer Research.

By special request the Ukulele Band will be entertaining us next year on the bandstand in the Park.

A large crowd attended the Remembrance Service in Dartmouth Park. Here are a few photographs of the event.

Evie, whose mother was helping in the Snack Bar, read the beautiful poem "Lest we Forget".

A big thank you to Councilor Steve Melia for his hard work in making this event so special and the crowds seem to get bigger and bigger each year. Also thank you to those who attended and were so generous in their donations. The British Legion collection boxes were full.

The students are helping the volunteer gardeners tidy up the Park and giving us some insight into what teenagers would like to see in the Park that relates to them.

On the 1 November they were given a presentation on the Park's history, how it had gone into decline in the 70s and how a grant from the Heritage Lottery had brought it back to life for the people of West Bromwich.

They started their challenge on 2 November by tidying one of the beds on the main avenue. They worked very hard as you can see from the photographs below. There are more challenges for them to take part in later in the month.

On Tuesday 10 September we welcomed 22 people to take a ride around Sandwell Valley in Sandwell Park Farm's Passenger Trailer. This was a trial ride to find out if people who couldn't normally access Sandwell Valley would enjoy seeing the wonderful countryside we are so lucky to have in West Bromwich. You will see from the photographs below that everyone had a great afternoon out. Two of Park Farm's Farmers,Wayne and Rob, met us in Dartmouth Park's Car Park and we started the ride with Rob giving us a little history about the Park. Then it was onto the Valley with Wayne driving the tractor that pulled the trailer. Rob gave us a very interesting commentary as we passed through the countryside. When we reached one of the fields where cattle were grazing Rob explained that the Farm was involved in saving rare breeds, and the cattle, sheep, goats and pigs in the Valley were all rare breeds.

We were shown where Jubilee Pit was located, and told about the railway line that once took the coal in trucks to the canal in Smethwick where it went down shoots into the waiting barges. The pit's baths building still exists and is used by the Boating Club that uses Swan Pool.The ride took us past the Priory Ruins and the site of Sandwell Hall, where the well that gave Sandwell its name has recently been restored. Then on through Priory Woods to Sandwell Park Farm Tea Rooms where afternoon tea was served.

Everyone said they had very much enjoyed their afternoon out in the countryside and a big thank you to Rob and Wayne
for looking after us so well.

See photographs below:

Cllr. Maria Crompton very kindly came along to our event to present a cheque for £22,560 which the Friends of Dartmouth Park have been granted from the National Lottery Community Fund. The money is to provide activities and entertainment in the Park over a two year period for all age groups, and in particular to encourage people who are isolated to join us and make new friends. Also in the photograph are Cllr. Richard McVittie and Cllr. Steve Melia, who have Council responsibility for West Bromwich town. Our Chair, Jenny Francis, who was manning the Tombola Stall, joined us, together with volunteers Chris Burgess and Joan Burns. There is also young volunteer, Tilly, Park's Gardener, Alan, and Friends' members Chris and Graham Saunders.

We have been hosting a group of students from Sandwell who are involed in a project called 'The Challenge' which involves helping in the Park. They joined us for the event and some of them engaged the visitors in a survey to find out their views and what they thought could be improved. The students had a chance to meet with Cllr. Crompton and put some of their findings to her. When the event ended they helped the volunteers to clear the events area. They will be in the Park again the last week in August to work on clearing a bed and to plant a tree which they will be donating to the Park.

A big thank you to everyone who helped to set up and man the stalls. Also to Antony, our compere for the event, Black Rabbit who played great music, and Funtime Theatre who entertained the children in their colourful costumes. Not forgetting June McAlpine and her Keep Fit Class for their exercise demonstration to music. The Craft Tent and Bouncy Castle were as popular as always, and there was a great variety of stalls. The Cafe was open in the 'Fort' and very popular. A very enjoyable time was had by all who attended.

The Friends of Dartmouth Park have been awarded a grant from EPIC to provide a Bouncy Castle during the school holidays free of charge. It will be available from 11am until 2pm on the following dates: 14, 16, 21, 23 and 28 August.

There is a person supervising the Bouncy Castle at all times whilst it is in the Park.

The final stage of this Heritage Lottery Funded Project was the book launch held on Tuesday 23 July at the Heritage Brewery Centre in Burton. We have already saved, restored and re-sited the Darby’s Ale Ghost Sign from a demolition site. We have had a Blue Plaque put on what was The Bush Inn where Darby’s first started brewing, and on the 23rd July we launched a book telling the story of Darby’s brewing heritage, together with the story of the rise and decline of the brewing industry in West Bromwich. The Friends of Dartmouth Park hope that this book can stand alongside Terry Price’s and Robin Pearson’s wonderful books on West Bromwich.

We chose the Heritage Brewery Centre for the launch as it is the perfect place to celebrate the brewing industry. It evokes memories of the glorious days of brewing and the brewery companies whose brands were known and enjoyed all over the world.

We were met by National Brewery Heritage Trustees - Harry White, Chair of the Trustees, Terry Crichley, Bob Heaver and Valerie Burton, who made us very welcome. A special guest was Louise Darby, whose father Richard had once worked in the family business, but had decided to become a farmer when the business was bought by M&B.

The book has 114 pages and covers:

The History of the growth of
West Bromwich during the Industrial Revolution

Brewing becomes an industry

Darby's Brewery Limited

The Saving of the
Darby's Ale Sign

West Bromwich -
The Chicago of the Midlands

Charles Darby received a copy of the book and said be was honoured that the history of his family's connection with brewing had been put on record.

He also said when Darby's Brewery was at its height West Bromwich was a thriving town with a famous High Street, known as the Golden Mile, and many famous companies producing goods that were known around the world.

Louise Darby, was about to start her speech, when Charles had obviously said something that made us laugh. She recovered and said she was delighted to be with us and that her father, Richard, Charles' cousin, would be waiting for her at home to hear all about the day. She had taken lots of photographs to bring the event to life for him.

Chairman of the Trustees, Harry White, gave a speech which included reference to Charles's successful career with Bass, Mitchells & Butlers.

He also spoke about the Heritage Trust's Crowd Funding initiative to raise funds to enable them to have a website which would give access to the many items relating to the brewing industry which they didn't have room to display in the Centre.

Following lunch Mr White gave some of us a personal tour of the Centre. Other members of the group went on a tour led ny a guide.

Charles signs some of the books watched by trustees Harry White and Terry Critchley.

Looking on amused is Robin Pearson, who is an author of many books about West Bromwich, including one which makes reference to Darby's Pubs.

On Saturday 29 June, The Mayor of Sandwell, Cllr. Ann Jaron and the Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Gurpeet Bhatia, attended the Armed Forces Day celebrations in Dartmouth Park.

Following the ceremonials there was entertainment on the bandstand and much needed refreshments were available as it was a very hot day. The Friends of Dartmouth Park opened the Cafe in the Pavilion, which was greatly appreciated by the visitors to the Park. A big thank you to Yvonne and Margaret for manning the Cafe and Selwyn, John and Mark (pictures on the right) for their help in setting up the Friends of Dartmouth Park stall.