Monthly Update - June 2026

Be a Friend & Volunteer

In this Issue

June 2026

1. The Big Lunch
2. Free Bandstand Concerts
3. What's on in June - Friend's Events
4. Secret Garden
5. Volunteer with The Friends
6. Royal Parks Updates

The 4 ^th Annual Big Lunch - 17 Places Left!

Sunday 28 June, 2026 12- 4pm

Now the fun begins. The theme this year is Flower Power and Sounds of the 60s . The event kicks off at 12 noon. Just head to the box office  of the Open Air Theatre  where you will see Rambling Rosie .  If by chance there are any seats left, or any no shows, you can purchase them there.

There will be live music, 2-4pm, the ever-popular face painting for the kids, camaraderie and picnicking in the gorgeous grounds of the Open Air Theatre. There are various seating areas, covered and uncovered, hard surfaces, the grassy picnic lawn too.

Toilets are close by and there is a place for those who arrive by bike to park them within the grounds. There is a long bar where you can top up with refreshments, food and ice cream.  No cash, cards only.

Big Lunch Checklist:
•  Plan your picnic and tableware to reflect the theme
•  Plan your swinging 60s wardrobe
•  Dust off your 60s dance moves
•  NB If you have booked a full table and are not arriving together, please issue your booking confirmation to your guests so they can show it at Check In. TIP: Your ticket will have come from no-reply@frp-ph-members.org
•  Prepare to have an amazing day of community, camaraderie and fun for all the family.
Sorry, no dogs allowed other than guide dogs.  These are Theatre rules.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Bandstand Season is Here Again!

Enjoy the FREE bandstand concerts which run every weekend and bank holiday from 21 June to 20 September. There are five ‘Swing Sundays’ when you can dance along with the band – or enjoy watching others!

Friends Updates

What’s on in June

By the time you read this bulletin those people who elected to receive by post the printed Non-Music Events Programme for 2026 booklet should have received their copies.  For those Friends who did not want to receive this posted programme, it is now available on the Friends of Regent’s Park website.  To book any event, visit the Events page on our website. https://www.frp-ph-members.org/pages/events

Events for the year are filling up fast, so if you want a place on any event, we advise you to book quickly to avoid disappointment.
 
Remember that before you try and book a place on any event you must log in .  Only add your name to a waitlist if, when you try and book a place, it says either “Full” or “Unavailable”.

Viv Ward
Events Manager

Rose Garden Slow Walk - NEW

Wednesday 3 June, 11am

This walk in the Rose Garden is specifically designed for those people who are less mobile.  The pace will be s l o w   and volunteers will be on hand to assist anyone with mobility problems.  We will visit that part of the Rose Garden that is on the level.  Each participant will be given an audio guide which has a range of 100 metres, so they will be able to hear the commentary without the pressure of trying to keep up with the person leading the walk.  There are benches scattered throughout the Rose Garden should anyone need to rest.
If you booked you should already have been contacted to ascertain your personal mobility needs.

20 places – Friends Only   PLACES AVAILABLE

MEET:  10:45am at the gates to Queen Mary’s Garden on the Inner Circle, opposite Chester
Road, NW1 4NR.
 
COST:  £5 Friends Only

Book Now

Bee Walk

Wednesday 10 June, 11am

There are 270 species of bee in the UK.  Some bees will be foraging and nesting in Regent’s Park, however only one species is a honeybee, which makes honey and lives in a colony with a queen, workers and drones in manmade hives.  The rest are wild bees, including large, plump hairy social bumblebees and small black shiny solitary bees which nest alone. 

On this two-hour bee walk, we will see and learn about a variety of bee species visiting flowers in the dry, Mediterranean garden; the herbaceous perennial borders; and in the allotment where they will be pollinating fruits and vegetables and nesting in bee hotels.

The walk will be led by Alison Benjamin, Director of Urban Bees and bestselling author of The Good Bee: A Celebration of Bees and How to Save Them .  Each participant will be given a ‘Bees to See in Regent’s Park’ guide, shown some easy tips for identifying different bees, and will learn the best ways to help bees in their own garden or balcony.
25 Places - 23 Friends, 2 Public 2 PLACES AVAILABLE
 
MEET:  10:45am outside the Bar and Kitchen Café, Inner Circle, NW1 4NU

COST:  £5 for Friends, £25 Public

Check your emails before leaving home . The bees do not come out if it is very windy, very cold or pouring with rain, so we may need to postpone this walk at short notice.  We will notify you by email  if walk is cancelled.
Book Now

A Celebration Of John Constable – Walk - NEW

Thursday 11th June, 11:00 am

John Constable was arguably the greatest English landscape artist, best known for his paintings of the Suffolk countryside.  He spent his summers in Hampstead before permanently moving there in 1819, where he painted the Hay Wain and landscapes around Hampstead Heath.

Constable was familiar with The Regent’s Park, as he attended the London premier of the Diorama exhibition in 1823 and one of his principal patrons lived in Cumberland Terrace.  Constable’s 250th birthday is on 11 June 2026, so join us on a celebratory walk, led by Estelle Lovatt FRSA, following Constable’s footsteps around Hampstead.  Estelle will show images of Constable’s work at the sites where they were painted, illustrating how he painted nature, clouds, rays of sunlight and double rainbows.

10 places – Friends only    No children     FULL – WAIT LIST ONLY

MEET: 10:45 am at Whitestone Pond, Heath Street, NW3 1EA. The walk ends at Constable’s tomb in Hampstead Village.
 
COST:  £20
 
Once you have signed up and paid for this event no money can be refunded if you cannot attend for any reason.  You can, however, transfer your place to somebody else.
Waitlist
The first of two tours exploring Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill in literature and the lives of writers.  We start in Chalcot Square at the home of two of the best-known poets of the post-War era.  After some freedom fighting and revolutionary authors, we cross (but do not climb) the Hill to discover the connections with William Blake and the rebirth of Welsh literature, before pausing to reflect on the once Bohemian reputation of St John’s Wood.

Passing over Regent’s Canal into the Park proper we see how London Zoo has played a pivotal part in works of fiction, before concluding with, arguably, the 19th century’s greatest novelist and, indisputably, the 20th Century’s greatest book collector.

25 places – 23 Friends, 2 Public – No Children -   7 PLACES LEFT

MEET:  1:45pm at Chalcot Square Gardens, NW1 8YA. The tour ends at The Broadwalk, Regent’s Park
 
COST:  £20 for Friends, £35 Public

Once you have signed up and paid for this event no money can be refunded if you cannot attend for any reason.  You can, however, transfer your place to somebody else.
Book Now  
Join Estelle Lovatt FRSA in The Regent’s Park’s Secret Garden, St John’s Lodge for a hands-on practical workshop to learn how to replicate Constable’s technique of painting clouds, sunshine and double rainbows. All welcome, no matter how sophisticated or good are your artistic skills.

Bring your own materials, watercolours, pencils or pastels and a chair if required. This will be a highly enjoyable artistic session in the open air.
10 places - Friends only   No Children, 1 PLACE LEFT

MEET:  10:45am at the Park Office at the junction of Chester Road and the Inner Circle, NW1 4NR

COST:  £20
 
Once you have signed up and paid for this event no money can be refunded if you cannot attend for any reason.  You can, however, transfer your place to somebody else.
Book Now
There is nothing better on a summer evening than ‘messing about on the river’.  In Regent’s Park we do not have a river but we do have two boating lakes, one of which is for small children.

The Royal Parks have generously offered to Friends and their families a free half-hour session on each lake on this evening.  Come and pedal or row.  Food and drink will be available to purchase from the Boat House Café.

LOCATION:  The Waterside Cafe, The Boat House, Hanover Gate, NW1 4NU any time after 4:30pm, first come first served. Last boats at 7:30pm.

COST:  Free to Friends and their family.  No public.
 
1.     Friends who wish to come, with or without families, must register in advance.  Registration is necessary to enable the operators to have sufficient boats available to avoid queueing.   Registration will close on 11th June. 
2.     Please remember to bring with you proof of Friends membership. 1 per family.

This is a free event for Friends and numbers are virtually unlimited but registration is essential.  Head to the booking page to register.  NUMBERS ARE UNLIMITED BUT REGISTRATION ON THE BOOKING PAGE OF THE FRIENDS WEBSITE IS NECESSARY.
Book Now

Photography Using Smart Phones Walk

Saturday 27 June, 11am – 1pm

By popular demand Vincent Ong will again lead a walk instructing people in how to improve their smart phone photography.  The feedback after these walks in the past was exceptional. 

Join Vincent again in a springtime walk to learn how to take great pictures with your smart phone, improve not only what you are already doing but also improve your editing skills.  No experience necessary, just bring your smart phone and get snapping.
12 places – Friends only,   FULL, WAIT LIST ONLY

MEET:  10:45am at The Garden Offices, 13 Park Square West, NW1 4LL
 
COST:  £5 for Friends

Waitlist

Crown Estates Paving Commission & Nursemaids’ Tunnel Walk

Tuesday 30  June, 11am

This tour of Park Square and Park Crescent Gardens will explain who are the CEPC, their historic role as guardians of the Crown Estate since 1824 and their role in managing and maintaining John Nash’s unique Regency exercise in urban planning which surrounds the Regent’s Park.

The tour will be led by Matt Higham, the CEPC Head of Landscape. It will take you around two of the grandest and largest private communal garden squares in London and we will walk beneath the Marylebone Road between the gardens through the Nursemaids’ Tunnel which links them.  The grade II listed tunnel is a unique feature in London, built in the 1820’s and recently refurbished. 25 places – 23 Friends, 2 Public   FULL, WAIT LIST ONLY

MEET:  10:45am at The Garden Offices, 13 Park Square West, NW1 4LL
 
COST:  £5 for Friends, £25 Public.

Waitlist

Friends 20% Discount 10-12 July for Music in the Secret Garden

You can benefit from a 20% discount on musical theatre, opera, classical music and family events presented in the St John’s Lodge Secret Garden in the Regent’s Park Music Festival’s 10th season.  Thanks to generous sponsors, the festival has been able to make tickets more affordable this year - £15 general admission – and since seats are reserved you will want to go to www.regentsparkmusicfestival.org.uk quickly to get yours.

Use the code Friends20 and the discount will be automatically applied (there is a small booking fee to cover the charity’s costs).  The concerts this year include several for families during the day and Musical Theatre, Opera and our usual Magical Musical Evening.   This year you will be treated to a special event when our Patron Sir Karl Jenkins conducts his much-loved Palladio.  

Secret Garden Tickets

Volunteering Booking Now Open

This month we will be launching our Visitor Information Van AKA Rambling Rosie on Saturday 20 June.  She will be stationed in two places this summer which is a departure from past years.  On Saturdays she will be on the Broad Walk, somewhere in between the new Queen Elizabeth 2 Garden and the Broad Walk Café.  

You do a short shift from either 10:30- 1:30 or 1:30 – 4:30. There are two people on each shift and a Van Manager at the end of the phone to assist should you need them. The new placement of Rosie on the Broad Walk may encourage more of you who live either in Primrose Hill or east of the park and you will be near a café, toilets and our gorgeous new garden. If this appeals, you can learn more and sign up here. https://www.friendsofregentspark.org/volunteering-visitor-van-2026

On Sundays Rosie will be in her usual place near Clarence Gate and the hours are the same. If you have any problems booking, drop me a line.

Volunteer
Litter Picking Volunteers - C ontact  mikebakermunton@gmail.com  if you'd like to help keep Regent's Park clean.

Volunteering at the Bandstand

Would you like to become a Bandstand Manager?  

Our amazing Music Festival kicks off on Sunday 21 June with the West End Musical Choir playing on the Bandstand on Holme Green. All our 44 bandstand concerts need a trained person to set up the bandstand, supervise the bands and help the audience. To do this once or twice a year, you need to be trained.  Come to our training session at the Bandstand on this Thursday 4 June at 6pm. 

If you would like to volunteer to help at the Bandstand but ‘with a lighter touch’, become a Bandstand Assistant by signing up on the Friends website at https://www.friendsofregentspark.org/volunteering-bandstand-2026
Volunteer at the Bandstand

Secret Garden Series

If you love music and want to spend time helping in the Secret Garden festival on July 10 11,12, visit https://www.regentsparkmusicfestival.org.uk/volunteers/  

The festival promises fun and friendship in the audience or behind the scenes.

Royal Parks Updates

Every year, a few members voice their concern about spraying on the sports pitches. Understandably we want to know, why, what is being used, is it harmful etc. There is a lot of misinformation about this practise, so we thought it might be useful to read the reality behind this programme which will hopefully put some minds at ease and explain why spraying is necessary.

We are, the number one Royal Park for sports diversity and activity so our pitches are paramount to that.
Pawel Szynkarczuk, PhD is Assistant Park Manager and he wrote the following when asked why spraying is necessary…
 
‘For Football, Rugby, Cricket, Rounders and Softball pitches weed management is essential for maintaining healthy, professional-looking grounds. Weeds can quickly turn well-kept grounds into patchy, unplayable surfaces, affecting not just aesthetics, but also the safety and usability of pitches. For sports clubs, the condition of your playing surface can affect player performance and your reputation with visiting teams and spectators. We as a team take great pride in providing a quality playing surfaces.

Therefore, we apply an integrated weed management system. When applying selective herbicide – which we use as a last measure - we use only MAPP (ministerially approved pesticide products) with the lowest toxicity and highest safety of invertebrates and mammals, applied by a specialised company. '
 
'We manage our meadows according to consistent management plan in order provide thriving ecosystem for invertebrates, birds and mammals. In appreciation of this we further enriched 27.100 sq. m of meadows by overseeing them last autumn with flower rich mixes. ZSL, who are our partners, have confirmed that we have established and continue to provide a well-managed habitat for many invertebrates and mammals. So, it shows that it is possible to manage the space in a balanced way for diverse purposes.'
 

Tennis Courts Come Back to TRP

Bookings for racquet sports  within the park are now being run by The Royal Parks. Court bookings open 7 days in advance at 7am through the Royal Parks' Sports and Leisure website:  Bookings | Home

It is free to make an account and book, please be mindful that time slots are taken swiftly and are on a first come, first served basis. There are games to be booked (tennis, padel, table tennis and netball. You can book a game, a class or and mini (4-7 years) or Junior  (7-16 years) training camps delivered by qualified coaches.

Unfortunately with the change of management Friends no longer receive a discount.  The newly refurbished Courts Café is up and running and there, Friends do receive their 25% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages.