Category Archives: Fund Raising

Fleet Half Marathon Supports Fleet Pond

Events, Fund Raising, People
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41Y1c8E-LRY&w=560&h=315]

YouTube Video of Fleet Half Marathon 2016 (from MikeSpectrum)

David Pottinger writes:

The famous Brooks Fleet Pre-London Half Marathon will take place on Sunday 19th March 2017, starting at 10:30.

Why not put watching this event into your diary, it’s very impressive and has a great atmosphere!

Full details can be found on their website here, which advertises Fleet Pond Society (FPS) as the nominated local charity for 2017:

New for 2017:
  • Revised course – faster, flatter final 2 miles
  • New local charity – Fleet Pond Society – helping to support the natural environment in Fleet. Run for them and make a difference.
  • Brooks event t-shirt available to buy when you enter the race.
  • Medal, re-useable kitbag and other gift for all finishers.
  • More toilets within the park following runner feedback.
  • New race partner ‘Everyone Active’ the management company of the new Hart Leisure Centre opening March 2017.

 Five runners have already volunteered to run for FPS:

  • Dan Franklin
  • Imogen Sutherland
  • Lauren Saxby
  • Shane England
  • James Wicks

and we all wish them well in their preparations for the demanding event next year.

We also have 5 free places left – why not run for Fleet Pond? If you are interested please drop a line to our Chairman, Colin Gray at chairman@fleetpond.org.uk or phone 01252 616183.

We will publish further details nearer the time, including relevant charity giving pages.

FPS will be providing several stewards for the race and will also have a gazebo at the finish at Calthorpe Park Race Village. Please call by on the day if you’d like some information on how FPS benefits the local community.

FPS have been involved with this event previously. In 2015, two runners from Mackenzie Smith Estate Agency, Roxanne Lewington and Tara Skinner, raised £559 for the Pond by participating in the Half Marathon, see here and picture below.

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From L to R: Colin Gray of FPS with Roxanne Lewington, Tara Skinner and Graham Tufnell of Mackenzie Smith

News and Activities at Fleet Pond (Update 1)

Conservation, Education, Events, Fund Raising, Photography, Volunteering

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A screenshot of the current home page of the FPS web site

David Pottinger writes:

Different people like getting their information in different ways. At Fleet Pond Society we have set up a variety of ways which hopefully cater for most tastes and which give a wide selection of snippets, photos and articles.

Here they are and as a comparison I also give the numbers (which can vary daily of course) from a similar post I wrote in April this year:

In addition, FPS regularly submits articles for publication in local newspapers, such as Surrey Hants Star Courier and Fleet News & Mail.

Happy reading 🙂

Screenshot-FPSNews-Border

Fleet Lions and Fleet Pond

Events, Fund Raising, Volunteering

2014-04-18_05 Lions View Opening

The impressive Lions’ View at Fleet Pond was opened in April 2014 (see here)

Jim Storey, Fleet Lion and also a Committee Member of FPS, writes:

“Fleet Lions have been involved with the Pond for many years. And let’s not forget the help that the ‘Pondies’ give to running the Lions Beer Festival and Fireworks Fiesta – it works both ways.

The ladies from Hart Lions have been involved too, as well as the younger members of the Leos Club. They installed the original benches at the picnic area and Sandy Bay as well as doing more basic jobs like stream bank maintenance, dog steps and scrub clearance. They love setting fire to things!

However they also built the Kenilworth Road viewpoint and have given a few donations over the years too. The biggest of which was to fund Lions View and was the biggest donation that Fleet Lions have ever given to anyone.

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The Lions’ View during construction

This year is a special one for Fleet Lions because they and all the other Lions around the world are celebrating the first Lions Club being set up in Chicago a hundred years ago. There are now nearly a million and a half Lions in the world. And there are 45,000 Clubs based in over 200 countries.

Fleet Lions provide help locally but they’re proud to be part of an international organisation that is helping to eliminate diseases and bring relief after disasters, like the recent ones in Haiti and Italy. So Fleet Pond Society has put a new plaque on Lions View to celebrate the achievement of Lions in Fleet and all around the world.

Just go to their website if you want to find out more or are thinking of joining : www.fleetlions.org.uk.”

Here are some additional photos:

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Jim Storey at Fleet Carnival 2014 – scary or what?

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Lions’ View mentioned in the spectacular artistic murals at Fleet Station

Melvyn Jones Award 2015

Colin Gray (far right), Chairman of FPS, awarded a Melvin Jones Fellowship by Fleet Lions

FPS, Rio and Fleet Carnival 2016

Events, Fund Raising

Carnival 2016 6

A good shot of the FPS Rio float travelling along Fleet Road (click to enlarge)

David Pottinger writes:

Fleet Pond Society (FPS) is well-known for the activities it carries out at the Pond and major projects include the Lions’ View platform and the new pond dipping jetty.

However FPS interacts with the local community in many other ways, including giving talks and presentations to increase awareness, and also participating in the famous Fleet Carnival.

Each year ideas are discussed by the FPS Committee and a team and approach are chosen. Then all the hard work starts in actually bringing the ideas to life!

From the Carnival web site:

This years Carnival theme is Rio.

The ideas for floats are endless, you can choose to base your entry on the Olympics as a whole, or one of the 42 sports that will be featured or the Rio Carnival.  The choice is yours!

Here are some photos from the FPS entry (special thanks to Terry Austin and Mandy Saxby for the float design and costumes respectively):

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Some of the FPS team at the start of the procession

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Introducing the very athletic Meercat members of the team…

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Michelle Salter, FPS Secretary, just about visible under the hat!

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Another shot of the colourful FPS float

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FPS Chairman, Colin Gray, in South American mode!

 

Wates Developments Supports Fleet Pond

Conservation, Fund Raising, Volunteering

Wates Community Day 2016 s

Members of the Wates Developments team plus Hart Rangers, together with the product of their efforts!

Emma Gruenbaum, Land & Planning Manager at Wates Developments, writes:

“As part of Wates Group’s annual community day, a 19 strong team from Wates Developments has spent the day clearing unwanted saplings and weeds from an area of heathland at Fleet Pond.

The 141 acre nature reserve is owned by Hart District Council and is managed in partnership between Hart Countryside Service and Fleet Pond Society, a registered charity. In addition to the full day of weeding, the charity will also benefit from a £500 donation made by Wates.

The community day is an integral part of Wates Groups annual charity work and a key fixture in the company’s diary since 2008. Wates Giving is a charitable programme run and funded by the Wates Family Enterprise Trust, set up by the family with the aim of strengthening the role business has to play in society, focused on making a real difference to the communities in which we live, work and build.

Since 2008, Wates Giving has invested over £8m in local initiatives through five themes: Education; Employment and Training; Social Enterprise; Sustainability; and Community Building. Wates Group has twice won the Queen’s Enterprise Award and remains the only construction company to have won.”

Fleet Pond Society is very grateful to Wates Developments for providing the large volunteer team as well as the very generous donation.