The focus of The Friends of Finsbury Park

Since 1984, we have sought to improve Finsbury Park.

Friend of Finsbury Park Mission

(1) To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of Finsbury Park, London; and

(2) to promote, for the benefit of those persons living near to or using Finsbury Park, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political religious or other opinions, by associating together with the said persons and local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide or assist in the provision of facilities for recreation and leisure-time occupation of such persons who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement poverty and social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.

 

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Jeremy Corbyn MP, Friends of Finsbury Park Patron, with Co-Chair in Sep 2020

Activities

Recent achievements

  • Focus from Haringey Council

  • Transparency around park funds (High Court victory)

  • Focus on investment in the park - new playgrounds, benches, park spaces

  • Mitigations to large events -e.g. sound limits, monitoring

Current Focus

  • Assuring funding for 2021+ that is not tied to increased commercialisation, and maintaining staffing levels

  • Improving safety in the park - deploying CCTV, greater police presence to address anti-social behaviour

  • Improving park facilities - more toilets, refreshing the entrances, signage, playgrounds, and facilities to support other park users (e.g. sports clubs)

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Friends of Finsbury Park Committee members engage Hackney, Islington and Haringey police on safety in the park.

Sep 2020

Research

We’ve worked with Andrew Smith (University of Westminster) who has published research on how parks are used. Through 2018-2020,, he spent time in Finsbury Park and is in the process of publishing papers around its evolving use. He tweets regularly here.

Registration Details

COMPANY REGISTRATION NO. 4343874

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1104450

The Friends in the news

The Friends has sought to use the media to highlight bring focus to issues affecting the park.

That might be investment, safety/crime, the impact of major events, or simply its fantastic history.

 

  • Friends of Finsbury Park call for change following the Tough Mudder event in 2023. The event was banned directly following this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65309908

  • https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/18/tough-mudder-banned-london-finsbury-park-somme/

  • Our Co-chair Tom Graham commented wrote an opinion piece on why we need a new funding model for parks. .https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/19/tough-mudder-finsbury-park-damage-green-spaces

  • “Charity calls for Finsbury Park to be ‘decommercialised’ after Wireless Festival cancellation“ 2020 (Islington Gazette)

  • “Stunning archive pictures unearthed to mark Finsbury Park’s 150th anniversary“ 2019 (Evening Standard)

  • “Finsbury Park’s life: 150 years, from duels to Dylan“ 2019 (Islington Tribune)

  • “Revealed: creeping privatisation of London parks in summer” 2019 (The Guardian)

  • “Punters spent £38million at Finsbury Park festivals last year – but Haringey Council only saw £1.4m“ 2019 (Islington Gazette)

  • “Rangers to be employed at Finsbury Park in response to police concerns over crime“ 2019 (Islington Gazette)

  • “Wireless festival to return to Finsbury Park – if it bans swearing“ 2018 (The Guardian)

  • “London's parks accused of 'creeping privatisation' of public spaces“ 2018 (The Guardian)

  • “Police call for host of safety improvements at Finsbury Park after killing of barmaid Iuliana Tudos“ 2018 (Islington Gazette)

  • “Friends of Finsbury Park campaigners could restrict private events in parks across London“ 2017 (Islington Gazette)