News

Latest & Recent News

  • Public History Talks - Autumn 2012

    Added: 29th January

    We're delighted to announce that the Shirley Heritage Project is organising another series of public talks for Autumn 2012.

    This will be the fourth such series; as in previous years, all talks will be in Shirley Parish Hall, on the first Sunday afternoon in each month from October to December, 3.00pm - 5.00pm.

    Keep an eye on our History Events page for more information as it becomes available.

  • FoSJP History Research Group

    Added: 29th January

    The FoSJP History Research Group met on Saturday 28th January, and will be meeting again in the ParkLife Community Room on Saturday 3rd March.
    For more information about the FoSJP History Research Group, visit our Shirley Heritage Project page, or contact our History Coordinator at history@fosjp.org.uk.

  • FoSJP Gardening Club

    Added: 4th January; updated: 29th January

    The FoSJP Gardening Club met for the first time on Thursday 12th January, with seven enthusiastic volunteers coming along to meet with Stuart Davies, Southampton City Council's Area Coordinator for Open Spaces.

    The aim of the Gardening Club is to help Southampton City Council to maintain and further develop the planting in St.James' Park, particularly with a view to using interesting and colourful plants that will attract wildlife and provide community involvement in the Park.

    photo of volunteers

    FoSJP Gardening Club's first meeting

    (photo by Michaela Lawler‑Levene)

    The first task, on Wednesday 25th January, was to dig over and improve the soil, ready for planting it up, on the west side of the zipwire wall below the heritage frieze.

    The second task, on Friday 27th January, was to rake over and clear the ground on the bank below Winchester Road, in preparation for restoring the Local Floral Nature Reserve.

    We plan to meet in the Park on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month, with additional opportunities to be arranged as the need arises for people to get involved. You don't need to be a gardening expert to join us: just to be enthusiastic, keen to learn, and able to commit to a few hours in the Park every now and then.

    Scheduled dates so far (all weather permitting) are as follows; all times 1.00pm to 3.00pm:

    • Wednesday 8th February
    • Wednesday 22nd February
    • Wednesday 8th March

    When available, details for the latter sessions will be published here on the website and on the FoSJP Facebook page; also keep an eye on the noticeboards in the Park.

    For more information about the FoSJP Gardening Club, please email us on environment@fosjp.org.uk or call Tania Emery on 07842 231318.

  • Make Do and Mend - Craft and Sewing Classes

    Added: 9th October; updated 15th January

    The Spring term of our weekly "Make Do and Mend" craft and sewing classes started on Monday 9th January. This term's theme is "Mending & Darning Clothes": a very relevant topic in these straitened times.

    The classes are held in the ParkLife Community Room on Monday afternoons. Don't worry if you missed the first class: there's still room for a few more!

    Please see our History Events page for more information.

    On our History Events page you can see a short report from the first lesson in the Spring Term, and photographs of some of the work completed in the Autumn Term.

    This is an intergenerational project, part of the Shirley Heritage Project, and part‑funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

  • Public History Talks - Autumn 2011

    Added: 11th September; updated: 10th December

    The third and final presentation in our Autumn 2011 series of public history talks, entitled "Always a Tram in Sight", took place on Sunday 4th December.

    UPDATE - There is now an illustrated report on this talk on our History Events page.

    Thank you to everyone who supported this series: the speakers; the volunteers who helped to set up and put away equipment for each talk, or provided and served refreshments; and of course to our audiences for making it all worthwhile.

    See our History Events page for more information.

  • Upper Shirley Learning Community - Christmas Event & Trust Launch - Friday 2nd December

    Added: 10th December

    USLC logo On the evening of Friday 2nd December, St.James' Park hosted the Upper Shirley Learning Community's Christmas event and launch of its Trust. There were musical performances - choirs and orchestra - from each of the USLC schools, and Taunton College's community band; entertainment was provided by a juggler, a princess, and a suspiciously large reindeer; fairy lights lit up the park; and free hot food, courtesy of the Trust's sponsors, was served from the ParkLife Café.
    The Upper Shirley Learning Community brings together 7 local schools - Shirley Infants, Shirley Juniors, Upper Shirley High, Wordsworth Infants, Hollybrook Infants, Hollybrook Juniors, and Great Oaks. You can find out more at its website uslct.net.

Recent Website Updates

Site location: Home > News