We have taken the current government advice and cancelled all Friends’ meetings and planning of events for the foreseeable future. The car park gates have been closed by Northampton Borough Council and Colin Ingle has had to close the Drovers Return café in accordance with government instructions. Check Colin’s Facebook page for the latest on the café.

The gates will have to remain closed until Northampton Borough Council allow us to open them, but the parks are still open for that essential once-a-day exercise subject, of course, to respecting social distancing, and the play equipment must not be used.

Activities which do not require physical interaction, such as our Northampton Lottery support page are still going. We have posted our Mothering Sunday Poems-in-the-Park in to our Gallery, and our Tree Trail will still be there when this is all over (and can be enjoyed now providing you do it as an exercise) .

Please continue to enjoy our beautiful parks as much as you can BUT PLEASE adhere to the government guidelines for social distancing whilst in the parks, for your safety and everyone else’s. So no hugging or handshakes and keep approximately 6 feet or 2 metres from others wherever possible.

It is also important that after visiting the parks, you wash your hands with soap and water at the first opportunity, even if you are lucky enough to have hand sanitiser available to you. This is particularly so for you and your children if they have been playing on the play equipment.

These are uncertain times for all of us, particularly as none of us can predict how long they will last but we hope that if we all adhere to government advice and guidelines we can minimise the risks whilst still getting out and about in the fresh air during this spring and the coming summer.

BEST WISHES and please stay safe from the Friends of West Hunsbury Parks.