News Archive
Thornes Park pay and play activities 2021 now open
The pay and play activities in the park are now open! As well as the tennis, the pitch and putt, putting green and bowls are ready for you to enjoy. The ticket office will be open this week until Wednesday , 10.30 – 5pm, staffed by the Friends of CHaT Parks volunteers. It will reopen on Saturday. Have fun and enjoy the sunshine!
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Fireworks Display in Thornes Park
The poster for the fireworks display in the Park will provide all the information about the event.
Photos of the Friends of CHaT Parks Community Fair 20th July 2019
Photos of the Community Fair 20th July 2019
The Opening of the Community Fair by the Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District and Mayoress
The Mayor and Mayoress of Wakefield with the Penny Appeal charity
Ian Deighton Chairman of the Friends of CHaT Parks, Deputy Leader Denise Jeffery, Cllr Michael Graham and the staff of the Penny Appeal
The Mayor and Mayoress of Wakefield with David, a volunteer with the Nordic Walking Group
The Mayor and Mayoress of Wakefield with Jason and Sarah the volunteers who work at the Aviary in Thornes Park
The volunteers of the Fleur de Lys Classic Vehicle Society who hold the annual Classic Vehicle show in Thornes Park
The Mayor of Wakefield greeting the volunteers from the Wakefield S.M.E.E.Society who run the miniature railway in Thornes Park
The Mayor of Wakefield with Steve Haigh, the engineer of the sound system at the Fair
The Mayor and Mayoress of Wakefield with the Thornes Park Sharks Rounders players and supporters
The Mayor and Mayoress of Wakefield with Rachel and Kate of the Wakefield Music Collective who run the Clarence Music Festival
Historian Dave Weldrake with visitors to the Lowe Hill guided walk
Wakefield School of Tennis with the Mayor and Mayoress of Wakefield
Activities and events cancelled in the Park
Update: 24.03.20
The Friends Group have now had to close the Tennis Courts in Thornes Park, following new Government guidelines. The courts will be locked today until further notice. We look forward to seeing you all when normal life returns and the Games of Thornes will be open again.
New advice is to exercise for one hour a day so if you are walking within the Park please maintain a two metre distance between others and observe all the health and hygiene requirements.
Parks Week July 20-28, 2019
NEWS
PARK INVESTIGATOR QUIZ
Our Park Investigator quiz will be running all summer and is now available either from the Ticket Office or you can download it from the links below. Families can solve the clues as they follow the map round the Park and then claim a prize back at the ticket office. The quiz sheet and plan can also be found on these links:
Park Investigator quiz sheet:
New Park Investigator Quiz
Park Investigator map:
Park Investigator Map
Saturday 27-Sunday 28 July
Our final weekend sees the Wakefield Music Collective presenting their 28th Clarence Park Festival Celebration on Saturday and Sunday with bands and djs at the Bandstand from 12.00 – 9pm.
On Sunday the Clarence festival continues and in the afternoon there will be music and dance in the main field at Thornes Park presented by the African United Society & Japanteh Women’s Community, between 3-6pm.
Thursday 25th July:
We have two special free events today as part of CHaT Parks Week. At 1pm historian David Weldrake will be giving a talk about the history of Lowe Hill and Wakefield’s other castle. Following the talk there will be a walk to Lowe Hill itself. This is a great opportunity to hear about our history from an expert and will be a fascinating afternoon. Please meet in the reception of Thornes College at 1pm. Our 2nd special event at 1pm is a chance to meet the Park gardener and hear about the work in the Park. Please meet at the Conservatory. Come along and meet the experts!
CHaT Parks Week
The Friends of CHaT Parks are celebrating their 10th anniversary from July 20-28th 2019.
Our opening event will be a Community Fair on Saturday 20th July in Thornes Park by the children’s play area, from 12 noon to 3pm. Community groups who use the Park will be there to share their activities. There will be displays by the Junior Gym Club and the Stanley Starlight Majorettes and a guided walk to Lowe Hill by historian David Weldrake.
More information about the week of events can be found on the programme. The list of events has been updated and here is the latest programme:
COMMUNITY FAIR PHOTOS
Our Community Fair on Saturday 20th July was enjoyed by all our visitors including the Lupset and Thornes councillors Hilary Mitchell, Kevin Swift and Michael Graham. The Fair was attended by the Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District and Mayoress, Councillor Charles Keith and Mrs Grace Keith. The Mayor formally opened the Fair after an introduction by Chairman Ian Deighton who explained it is the 10th anniversary of the Friends of CHaT Parks and exactly 100 years since the Holmfield Park was opened on Peace Day, after World War I. Here are a selection of photos taken on the day:
Tennis courts opening at Thornes Park
Classic Vehicle Show comes to Thornes Park 2018
Thornes Park was filled with classic vehicles on Friday when the Fleur de Lys Classic Vehicle Show came to town. From 4pm to 9pm the playing fields by the children’s play area side of the park wete filled with vintage vehicles – cars, buses, vans, tractors, etc. The Friends of CHaT Parks assisted at the event and had a Friend’s stall selling plants. The prizes for each category were awarded by MP Mary Creagh and the Best of Show went to Jeff Bailey with his Morgan Plus 4.
Fun in Thornes Park
Thornes Park sees plenty of fun and events this weekend. On Saturday The Penny Appeal are hosting the Eid Extravaganza from 12-6pm on the playing fields by the children’s playground. Entry by the Horbury Road.
https://www.facebook.com/events/233349424106728
Then on Sunday the RSPCA Leeds and Wakefield branch are holding a Paws ‘4’ a Walk around the Park. Meeting from 9.30am for a 10am start. On Sunday morning the RSPCA Leeds and Wakefield branch are organising a dog walk in the Park. Meeting from 9.30am for a 10am start. Please park in the college car park. To get to this car park, please use the athletic stadium/college entrance on the Horbury Road. There will be signs directing you to the car park once you go through the entrance.
https://www.facebook.com/events/410149432731848
The pay and play activities will be open at the weekend and of course the whole of the Park is blooming in the lovely weather. Come along and enjoy everything the Park has to offer!
Race for Life comes to Thornes Park
Thornes Park sees the Race for Life events in aid of Cancer Research UK, coming to Thornes Park this weekend. The Pretty Muddy Kids and Pretty Muddy 5k will be taking place on Saturday 16th June. Pretty Muddy Kids starts at 9.45am and 10am. Then the Pretty Muddy 5k will start from 10.30am. Both events will start by the side of the athletic stadium in Thornes Park, on the Horbury road. Please note that the Park Run is cancelled for this date.
On Sunday 17th June, the Race for Life 5k and 10k events are taking place in Thornes Park. The event starts at 11.00am from by the athletic stadium in Thornes Park. Please note that the junior park run is cancelled for this date.
