Events

Just a reminder that the Friends of CHaT Parks Open Meeting is tomorrow evening – Thursday 12th February in the meeting room at the Holmfield at 7pm. Our chairman Ian Deighton will talk about the progress of projects and events in the Park and there will be the opportunity to discuss future work etc. This meeting is open for everyone so come along and see what’s happening in our Park.

The Friends of CHaT Parks are holding a meeting in public at Holmfield House on Thursday 12 February at 7pm to give an update on projects in Thornes, Clarence and Holmfield Parks and also have a discussion on the final draft of the forthcoming Management Plan. If you wish to know where we are with some of the key areas such as the Conservatory or the Rose Garden or if you wish to know more about the Parks Management Plan, come along on Thursday evening, everyone welcome.

Cancer Research UK Race for Life
Cancer Research UK Race for Life will be held in Thornes Park on Saturday June 13 and is open to all ages and abilities. More information about the event at:
https://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/

Wakefield Hospice 10k

The annual Wakefield Hospice 10k, 5k and 1k Fun Run will be held in Thornes Park on March 22nd.

More information about this event at:
https://www.wakefieldhospice.org/support-us/events/wakefield10k/

The Wakefield French Bulldogs and Friends group will be holding their annual Halloween Walk in Thornes Park on Sunday 26th October starting at 11am from the car park at the children’s playground in Thornes Park. Here is the group photo taken by Major Barker’s fountain in Clarence Park.

The Fireworks display will be in Thornes Park on Saturday 1st November from 4.30 – 8pm. There will be a low impact display at 6pm and the main display at 7.30pm. With
funfair rides,live music and lots of food vendors it’s going to be a great event for all the family:
https://experiencewakefield.co.uk/event/thornes-park-fireworks/

The Flower Garden in Thornes Park is looking lovely but we do need some more hands on Weeding Wednesday this week (27th August) in the Rose Garden.
The Friends of CHaT Parks volunteers will be in the flower garden and the rose garden every Wednesday from 1-3pm to help keep our park beautiful. Please bring a trowel and gardening gloves.

Come along and join our friendly group with whatever time you can spare.

* This walk on Sunday 21st September is going ahead as planned. Please meet up at the car park at the athletic stadium in Thornes Park for a 2.30pm start. *

As part of the Heritage Open Days 2025, the Friends of CHaT Parks will be holding the second of two walks with a stroll through Thornes Park unwrapping the history of some of the well-known and lesser well known features of this park.

A stroll through Thornes Park taking in the Secret Garden, Nursery, Rose Garden, Aviary, Lake and Pet Cemetery with Chris Welch from the Friends of CHaT Parks at 2.30pm, Sunday 21 September. Meet in the car park opposite the Athletics Stadium in Thornes Park. The walk will be on paths and is suitable for mobility scooters.

The walk will take approximately one hour thirty minutes:
https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/history-in-plain-sight-thornes-park.html

* CANCELLED. Apologies but this walk is cancelled due to the bad weather*

As part of the Heritage Open Days 2025, the Friends of CHaT Parks will be holding two walks in Wakefield Park.

On Saturday 20th September, there will be a stroll through time in Thornes, Clarence and Holmfield Parks with Ian Deighton from the Friends of CHaT Parks. This walk will explain the history of three parks in one – Clarence, Holmfield and Thornes – and the people who made the history of the parks. Meet at 2.30pm in the car park opposite the Athletics Stadium in Thornes Park, Horbury Road, Wakefield, WF2 8TY.

The walk will last about one and a half hours. Pre-booking is not necessary.

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/a-walk-through-history-wakefield-park.html

The Noisy Cow Theatre Group will be performing Twelfth Night in Clarence Park on Saturday 16th August at 2pm. Bring a picnic blanket and refreshments and pay what you can when you arrive.
https://noisycowtheatreco.co.uk/

The Wakefield School of Tennis holiday Tennis Camp sessions will be running run midweek this summer. There are various morning and/or afternoon sessions attendance options available. All sessions have key elements of Tennis coaching with multi sport elements added.

Children will need to bring a drink and make sure they have plenty of sun (& rain) protection.

To book places go to:
https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/ThornesPark/Coaching/Camps

And for more information on the Saturday coaching sessions in Thornes Park:
https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/ThornesPark/Coaching/Junior