‘Shade Sails’ in the Park

Regular visitors to Rushcliffe Country Park here in Ruddington may already have noticed two rather ‘striking’ new additions between the children’s play area and outdoor gym/new skatepark. Officially called ‘Shade Sails’ (pictured top), they have been erected among the picnic benches to provide welcome shelter from the sun during the summer months, and protection from rain during the wet, winter months. They were funded by a visitor who made a generous donation in her will to a favourite park she had visited many times over the years. It’s possible the new structures rather…

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Further Funding in Paradise

A group that runs a Ruddington allotment has secured more vital cash to support its gardening space which aids residents’ health and mental wellbeing. The Rushcliffe Social Prescribing Group co-ordinates a plot at the ‘Paradise Gardens’ allotments, off Wilford Road, and has received the grant from Rushcliffe Borough Council’s ‘Reach Rushcliffe Fund’. It builds on the group first getting funding in 2021 with the money helping to purchase essentials and making the site accessible. It’s provided an additional pathway for patients of social prescribing to access this space, leading to excellent attendance over the…

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Green Flags Galore for Ruddington!

It’s been revealed that TWO local green spaces popular with village visitors and Ruddington walkers are in receipt of prestigious Green Flag Awards this year. Firstly, Rushcliffe Country Park has received its 17th consecutive Green Flag Award, once again acknowledging it as one of the country’s best parks. Ruddington’s popular green space is among 2,216 places in the UK receiving the 2023/24 award. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Transformation, Leisure and Wellbeing, Cllr Jonathan Wheeler, joined the Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park volunteer group and Council representatives (pictured top) in…

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New Ruddington Café Shelter Opens

Visitors to Rushcliffe Country Park can now enjoy an extra place to take refuge from the rain – or the sun! – thanks to a brand new natural wood shelter constructed near the Visitor Centre. It also aims to provide a sociable space with additional all-weather seating where park-goers can enjoy refreshments from the adjacent ‘Coffee and Cake by the Lake’ café, which opened in October last year. The structure will also be used as an outdoor education centre to teach children the important part wildlife has to play in…

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Country Park Path Closures

A major programme of works has been announced, taking place throughout this summer, to maintain and repair the network of pathways which criss-cross Rushcliffe Country Park. The popular Ruddington leisure facility welcomes hundreds of thousands of people each year – from our village and further afield. Its miles of paths will now be brought back up to standard from the resultant wear and tear ahead of the busy summer season. Rushcliffe Borough Council says its £45k capital investment will begin on Monday June 5th 2023 to improve the visitor experience and accessibility to…

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Country Park Transformation in Full Swing with Help from Artex

Artex colleagues dusted off their wellies earlier this month to plant 400 hedges and trees donated by the Ruddington based business to Rushcliffe Country Park. The hedgerows were planted in the park’s new outdoor seating area which has been developed into a large, open and shaded area with views of the lake and easy access to the car park, visitor centre, toilets and café. The hedgerows will act as a screen from the car park and road and will add shade in the summer as well as improving air quality…

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Another Celebration at Rushcliffe Country Park

Once again a Green Flag has been raised in Ruddington’s Country Park – acknowledging our local green space as one of the very best outdoor spaces in the UK. Rushcliffe Country Park has been named again among 2,208 UK parks and green spaces that have received the 2022/2023 Award, which sets the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the UK and around the world. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change, Cllr Abby Brennan, joined The Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park volunteer group…

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On The Verge of Paradise

Ruddingtonians who have a reason to walk via the private, gravel road between Clifton Road and Fairham Close will almost certainly have spotted a slightly odd L-shaped patch of previously overgrown land on the corner, just outside the western gates of ‘Paradise Gardens’ Allotments. Its custodians are Ruddington Parish Council, which also owns and manages the allotments but, due to a restrictive covenant, has found it quite difficult to know what to actually ‘do’ with this relatively small, extra ‘green’ area.  A fence erected recently was removed hastily when it…

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Ruddington’s Country Park Does it Again!

Rushcliffe Country Park has just received its 15th consecutive Green Flag Award – an acknowledgment that Ruddington’s much loved green space remains one of the very best parks in the UK. It’s one of 2,127 parks and green spaces around the country that have received the award – as the scheme celebrates 25 years as the international quality mark for parks. It’s a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for…

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COVID Safety Concerns at Country Park

As we enter the second week of the new national Coronavirus ‘lockdown’, concerns are being expressed by users of Rushcliffe Country Park that ‘social distancing’ and other COVID-safe guidelines are not being followed. It follows reports of crowds flocking there last weekend just as if it was ‘business as usual’. One park user, calling himself DT, tweeted: “Nobody is isolating. Went for a walk at Ruddington park yesterday. Must have been at least 300 people on the park. 2 burger vans and a ice cream truck in full operation. No chance…

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