Good morning. Thank you for everyone contacting the Friends of CHaT Parks complaining about the arrival of caravans in Thornes Park over the Bank Holiday Weekend. We all appreciate that this can adversely impact on people’s enjoyment of the Park. The relevant authorities have been notified and procedures are in motion to have the caravans removed as quickly as the law allows. In the meantime it would assist the Friends Group, and possibly speed up the process, if complaints regarding the caravans or the travellers were made directly to the police.
Bank Holiday weekend pay and play
It’s Bank Holiday and the sun is shining! Our pay and play games are open all weekend – Saturday to Monday – so come along to the ticket office between 10.30am and 5pm for bowls, pitch and putt, the putting green and tennis. There’s also some equipment to hire if you need it.
Car Boot Sale on Sunday May 17th
This Sunday – May 17th – is the first car boot sale of 2026 for the Friends of CHaT Parks. Sellers can arrive from 7am and buyers from 8am to 12 noon. The entrance to the car boot sale is on the Denby Dale Road, on the same side as the Bandstand and there’s a banner at the entrance. The postcode is WF2 8DY. Exit onto Park Avenue. There will be stewards to guide sellers and buyers to parking spaces. Only second hand goods are allowed. No knives or weapons.
See you there!
Tennis Camp at Thornes Park, May 2026
Wakefield School of Tennis with the Friends of CHaT Parks will be holding a subsidised tennis camp on Thursday morning , 28th May, between 09:30 – 12:00 at the tennis courts in Thornes Park. This is aimed at beginners and improvers and only costs £1.00. This is a fantastic chance for children to come along, learn a new sport, make friends and have fun!
More details on:
Tennis Camp
Games of Thornes are up and running!
Another busy Bank Holiday Weekend in Thornes Park even though we had wet weather all day on Sunday. The Games areas are now open every weekend until the end of September for you to enjoy.
Prices have been pegged by the Friends of the Park for yet another year and represent safe, low cost family entertainment for all ages:
The ever popular 18 hole putting green costs only £2 for adults and only £1 for juniors.
Tennis courts are £4 per hour per court if there are adults playing and only £2 per court if only juniors are playing.
The 18 hole pitch and put golf course costs £4 for adults and £2 for juniors.
Crown green bowling is £2 for adults and £1 for supervised juniors.
With all equipment provided this is low cost entertainment for the whole family. Get down there in the sunshine this weekend!
Tennis Courts News April 2026
Update, 20 April
From Saturday April 25th the tennis courts in Thornes Park will reopen.
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From Monday 20th April the tennis courts in Thornes Park will be closed for essential repairs. We will try to keep one or two courts open at all times but that may not always be possible. Every effort will be made to complete the works as soon as we are able and we will announce as soon as we can the date from which the courts will be fully open again. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
Games of Thornes opens for 2026
NewsThe pay and play games will be open every weekend, weather permitting, on Saturdays and Sundays from April 11th until end September.
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The Friends of CHaT Parks will be opening the pay and play games in Thornes Park on Easter weekend. The games will be open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th April (weather permitting) and bookings and equipment can be obtained from the ticket office by the tennis courts. Come along and try out tennis, bowls, putting and the pitch and putt course.
And on Tuesday 7th April, Wakefield School of Tennis will be holding a tennis camp in Thornes Park from 9.30-12.30. The cost is £12 and the camp is suitable for beginners, improvers and intermediates. More information at:
Car Boot Sale Dates 2026
The Friends of CHaT Parks will be holding a car boot sale on Sunday May 17th, Sunday June 14th, July 19 and September 6th, weather permitting.
The car boot sales run from 7am for sellers and 8am – 12 noon in Clarence Park. Sellers can arrive from 7 am to 12 noon, with buyers from 8am. The cost per vehicle is £10 car; £2 for a trailer and £15 for a van/car sideways. Entry point is off the Denby Dale Road (on the same side as the Bandstand – banners and stewards will be on the roadside to assist) and the postcode is WF2 8DY. Exit onto Park Avenue. Items for sale should be second-hand. No knives or weapons. See you there!
Volunteers to help setting up the pitches, helping with parking and general assistance.
Clocks “spring forward” this weekend
Don’t forget that the clocks go forward this weekend. The clock change happens at 01:00 GMT on 29 March 2026, when we will change to British Summer Time (BST), which is also known as Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Springtime in the Secret Garden
Even when the sky is overcast the cheerful daffodils in the Secret Garden are such a pleasure to see. Thanks to the hard work of the volunteers the garden and the pond are looking great.
