The Friends are people with diverse backgrounds, skills and interests who all have a shared passion to make the park a place that everyone can enjoy. We work closely with the council, our partners and the community to organise activities and maintain and improve the park for all those that use it.

Current FoHMP Committee

Name

Meghan Zinkewich-Peotti Harrison

Role with the FoHMP

Secretary

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Meghan works in local government and volunteers with a number of different groups and charities.

Park passions

Meghan is a local resident and first became involved in the group as a parent who wanted to improve the playground facilities. Meghan’s park passion is community events.

Day to day role and what it involves

As the Secretary my role is to schedule committee meetings and take the minutes. I also manage the group’s social media accounts.

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

I actually know very little about wildlife and rely on the expertise of the other committee members!

Name

Janet Mote

Role with the FoHMP

Committee member

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Janet is a long standing local resident, and has held various Teaching roles in Harrow including Head Teacher at a Junior school. Janet is now a Councillor for Headstone North a position she has held for the last 16 years and currently holds the position of shadow portfolio holder for children, schools and families.

Paul Workman

Member

Tim Wilkinson

Member

Name

Sandra Matthews

Role with the FoHMP

Committee member

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Volunteer gardener at the museum, museum warden, senior midwife at the local hospital.

Park passions

Keeping the park clean, with lovely native wild flowers for the use of the local community.

Day to day role and what it involves

I support and work closely with other members of the committee in the smooth running of any events to engage the local community in the park. I provide first aid at these events.

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

I have recently taken up running and have successfully done my first 5k run.

Name

Stephen Mills

Role with the FoHMP

Chair of FoHMP

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Vice Chair Harrow Parks Forum, Crane Valley Partnership Smart Water Catchment steering committee member, Director Association of Waterloo Groups, Trustee Friends of Harrow Museum & Heritage Centre

Park passions

Preserving our Park, by advocating the necessity of biodiversity and planting of more naïve species, and pollinators

Day to day role and what it involves

As Chair it is my responsibility to ensure that policies and procedures are in place, provide an annual report for the AGM, and maintain the 5 year action plan and issue to the Councils Head of Community Engagement.

To represent the FoHMP in discussions with the Council and other agencies and groups, to be the main link between the FoHMP and the Community Champion Scheme.

To make grant applications in liaison with the Treasurer as required to Harrow Council or other organisations from which funding may be available.

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

Member of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM)

Name

Saba Syed

Role with the FoHMP

Treasurer of FoHMP

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Head of Business Development, School Governor, Operations Director of UK Asian Film Festival

Park passions

Preserving our green spaces, enjoying nature in the wetlands, woods and our parks. As a mum, I’m passionate about providing opportunities for families and children to be outdoors in the park. And I like meeting people!

Day to day role and what it involves

As the Treasurer, it’s my job to keep track of budgets and spending for activities the Friends group organise, to ensure we are maximising the resource we have to meet our strategic objective which is to improve the use of the Park through events, advocacy and environment improvement.

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

I’m really interested in family history, genealogy and am involved in archiving and exhibition projects.

Name

Margaret Davies

Role with the FoHMP

Committee member

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

As a retired maths teacher I enjoy doing A level maths tutoring. I am Concert Manager of Harrow Choral Society and also a Street Pastor.

Park passions

As a resident of Headstone Lane I visit the park almost daily and am very keen to help maintain and develop the recent improvements in the park. It should be a place for everyone – young, old and in-between – to enjoy as well as being an environment in which wildlife can flourish.

Day to day role and what it involves

I volunteer to help out as often as I can with the various events in the park and am now an expert seed bomb maker!

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

……… umm ….. I expect there are lots of things people don’t know about me but none of it is especially interesting! So can I leave this bit blank?!

Name

Margaret Huitson

Role with the FoHMP

Committee member

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Trustee of Harrow Heritage Trust, Assistant Voluntary Warden for Stanmore Country Park and member of Harrow Nature Conservation Forum.

Park passions

Ensuring nature is allowed to thrive.

Day to day role and what it involves

Gardening for wildlife; participating in nature walks and recording wildlife in the park. Clearing litter.

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

Headstone Manor Park has been important to my family since we came to Harrow in 1987.

Name

Flora Halvey

Role with the FoHMP

Committee member - canine representative, organising dog meets, making events more dog inclusive, addressing issues & improving communications between park users.

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Assistant dog to my owner, teacher, spreading awareness of assistant dogs UK at various events and businesses. Volunteer for many charities. There are 10 types of assistant dogs, check out assistantdogs.org.uk for more information, or chat to me when you see me at the park.

Park passions

I particularly enjoy visiting the Moat Café for tasty dog biscuits and refreshments they provide. I help my owner with keeping the park clean for all humans and animals to enjoy. I love outdoor learning, exercise classes and all the fun activities, which help bring the community together. Playing with dogs, meeting their owners and park users. Enjoying and preserving the nature and wildlife that visit our park.

Day to day role and what it involves

Co-ordinating with dog owners on our WhatsApp group on how we can jointly improve the park and improve communications between park users, addressing any concerns. Raising awareness about dogs by arranging dog meets to use the dog agility kindly donated. Everyone is welcome to join, even if you don’t have a dog, more details are on our website or on the café notice board – Holding more events for dogs, informing people how to approach animals and the care for our shared environment.

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

I once found a young Goldcrest bird on the grass and let my owner know so it could be rescued. I have also been on Television a few times.

Name

Jonathan Barker

Role with the FoHMP

Warden of the Copse Woodland Area with Stephen Mills.

Role(s) outside of FoHMP

Worked in literature departments of Arts Council England and the British Council. Also as a Trustee of the Stephen Spender Trust and North Harrow Community Library.

Park passions

Encouraging community involvement and defending our need for green spaces for trees, plants, wildlife.

Day to day role and what it involves

John Hollingdale taught me by example to be the eyes and ears to help protect wild spaces.

Something people may not know about you, or that’s interesting

Published bibliographies on contemporary poetry; and editions of the work of W H Davies, Norman Cameron and Edward Thomas.