Jimmy Burns - Editor Mike Bates - Production - Battersea Park

Running for Life
the Ups and Downs
OVER 5,000 women of all
shapes, sizes, ages, and backround
converged on the Park on May 3
to raise more than £850,000 for Cancer
Research UK’s Race for Life. While
such events now take place around the
UK, it is in the Park that the first ‘race’
was held back in 1994, when some
600 women came together and raised
£36,000 in sponsorship.
Less than four weeks later, the men and
the boys joined in for another fun fundraising
physical, for the palliative and
neurological care provider, Sue Ryder
Care. The weather, on this very British
bank holiday weekend, was awful but
the runners-some 800 odd-ran the Beat
the Baton dressed in bright yellow ponchos
and with generous spirits. Billed as
the UK’s first 5km race set to live music
from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
the event was judged a success by the
organisers, and was certainly enjoyed by
those taking part.
“We witnessed true Dunkirk spirit,”
enthused Anthony Inglis, Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra conductor, “There
was fabulous atmosphere on stage and
the runners certainly seemed to enjoy
themselves.” It was, he told us, the most
unusual even he had ever done –and one
of the most worthwhile.
But when does a fun run become an
open air concert? asks Friends of Bat-
PARKWATCH
tersea Park chairman Philip Wright. The
runners ran their race against the aural
backdrop of a medley of popular classical
hits which were amplified around the
park. A large sound stage, TV pantechnicon
and screen, three generators and
four mobile catering outlets were driven
on to and parked on the grassed area adjacent
to West Carriage Drive. A metal
fencing enclosure and a lunch marquee
were erected.
Due to the downpour that weekend and
sheer weight of the vehicles the grass
was compacted with deep muddy tracks
across it. In 2005 an assurance was given
in Wandsworth Council’s Battersea Park
Events Strategy paper that “Most events
are confined to the British Genius Site. A
few sporting events, fun runs and charity
bike rides are centred on the genius site
but participants then leave the Park or
run round the carriage drives.”
We hope that the justifiable desire to
raise funds for worthy causes in future
does not permit the sort of large scale
open air concerts on the grass that have
done so much damage to the green space
in Hyde Park.
New York City has banned all commercial
events from Central Park. A member
of the Friends of Central Park is quoted
as saying: “We love our Park it’s a glo-
8
bal tourist attraction and a much
needed refuge for New Yorkers.
It was not worth it for the few
bucks the city was making.”
Wandsworth Council please take note.
Above: All is not so peaceful for
the Monk, see page 7.
Below: Getting the winning
ticket at the BBQ draw