After a fabulous summer, we now move into Autumn with the Frieze London soon to be installed in the park.
The 2025 Frieze Sculpture Park in the English garden is already in place and will be available to view, FREE until 2 November.
After 46 concerts the music will pause until next June. It was a wonderful season with many warm days and almost no rain. Our Swing Dance Sundays were particularly popular. Regent’s Park is one of the most popular venues for bands to play. We have a list of over 100 bands that want to play so, sadly, some will be disappointed!
After 15 Saturdays and Sundays at Clarence Gate, our Citroën truck Visitor centre, affectionately called ‘Rambling Rosie’ has been retired for the winter. We are buying a cover for her so she will be comfortable in the cold weather and to protect her artwork.
We would like to thank all the enthusiastic Friends’ volunteers who supported our efforts on the Visitor Van and at the music festival locations over the summer. We couldn’t do it without you.
Later this month you will be receiving your copy of the Autumn/Winter newsletter with a wide range of articles about news, activities and events throughout the park. If you have opted out of receiving a paper copy, yours will be delivered electronically.
Discover the choice of artists and works of Frieze Sculpture 2025. Will there be a link with some of the works chosen for Sculpture in the City and will there be more works by female artists? Join this annually anticipated tour guided by the knowledgeable and inspirational Anne-Marie Craven to find out. 25 places – 23 Friends, 2 Friends’ guests.
Prof. Kennedy Cruickshank, a committee member, has kindly agreed to lead two bird walks for the Friends. He stresses that he does not regard himself as an ornithologist but is an enthusiastic amateur who has a good understanding of bird ecology and the wonderful birds that live in The Regent’s Park. The walk is suitable for all, including those new to bird watching. Bring your own binoculars. 25 places – 23 Friends, 2 Friends’ guests.
COST: £5 for Friends, £25 for Friends’ guests.
A fungus is any member of the group of organisms that include yeast and moulds as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one of the traditional eukaryotic kingdoms. Do you know what this means? I don’t, but Ian Rodger, who is the Arboricultural Manager of the Royal Parks and a fungi enthusiast, does. Ian has kindly agreed again to lead walks in Regent’s Park looking at and talking about the fungi that may be seen. Join us on this walk and find out how trees, plants and fungi interact.
Many of you will have enjoyed Matt Steinmann’s tree walks in the spring and summer. During the winter, without their cloaks of distinctive leaves, you could be forgiven for thinking that deciduous trees can all look the same, bare and twiggy. Look a little closer, and you will find that there are key characteristics that can help you single out each species even when they have lost their leaves which give a tree its distinctive shape.
Commonly found trees like beech, oak, and birch, have distinct characteristics visible even without leaves. Join Matt, the Arboricultural Officer of The Royal Parks, in this walk when he will share his experience and show us what to look for in winter. 25 places – 23 Friends, 2 guests.
This is the time of year we undertake bulb planting. The Friends also make a sizeable contribution to the park to help them purchase a range of bulbs.
We have three planting sessions planned this month on the 16th, 22nd and 30th of October, at locations in Regent’s Park including the new Queen Elizabeth 2 garden. We will be under the direction of Fiona Packe, the new head gardener.
Planting has been typically a four- or five-hour shift, with all gardening equipment and instruction provided. There’s quite a lot of crouching, making it quite a physical activity. All participants are asked to bring sturdy shoes or wellies on the day and to dress weather appropriately. This is a great way to give back to the park, get outdoors and meet other Friends.
Capel Manor College is proud to be London’s environmental college. They boast unique outdoor learning environments that reflect the diverse subjects they teach and the communities they serve.
Perfectly placed, the Regent’s Park Campus delivers courses in horticulture, garden design and floristry exclusively to adults. Students benefit from access to The Royal Park Gardens and other high profile green spaces, in partnership with Regent’s Park.
If you think you might want to learn something new, make a career change or just set yourself a rewarding challenge, you can join in when they hold their next Open Day on Saturday 10 October from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. You can register here.
Discover the hidden worlds of fungi with our fun-gal Gemma from the Help Nature Thrive team. There are lots of choices on Saturday 4, Wednesday 15 and Thursday 23 October at either 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. or 2:30-4:30 p.m. on each of those days.
This is beginner’s walk lasting two hours and participants will discuss fungi identification, citizen science recording, woodland ecology and climate resilience. This introductory session is aimed at adults with an interest in learning more about the natural world.
The walks start at the Waterside Café. Arrive 10 minutes early and wear weather appropriate clothing on the day. This opportunity and the Help Nature Thrive project are possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
October Half Term Nature Roadshows
28 & 30 October, 11:00 am. – 3:00 p.m.
These FREE drop-in activities are perfect for families, nature-lovers and budding environmentalists. The Help Nature Thrive Team have lots of activities planned.
• Solve clues on a spooky Hallowe’en -inspired nature detective train.
• Take a closer look at nature specimens at a mini museum.
• Get creative with our wild crafts and have fun with our interactive, nature-inspired games.
There are three dates, all on a Friday – 10,17 and 24 October from 12:30p.m. -3:30p.m. They invite you to slow down, observe the natural world, and connect with it through art. Each session focuses on a different theme, offering a fresh way to connect with wildlife, plant and the changing seasons.
Whether you come to one workshop or join many, each experience offers a new way to engage with the beauty and biodiversity of the Park. No artistic experience needed, jus curiosity and a love for nature. All materials provided.
The Royal Park’s Police force will be disbanded on 1 November and will be replaced by police from Westminster.
The Friends are concerned about the impact this could have on the crime level in the park. We are waiting for further news from the Royal Parks and will keep members advised as the change takes place.
The Royal College of Physicians Museum has opened a major new exhibition, ‘A body of knowledge:
Discover 500 years of book collecting at the Royal College of Physicians’. The exhibition is now open to the public at the RCP Museum and will run until 23 July 2026.
Each year Primrose Hill closes on Bonfire Night at 10:00 p.m. to limit anti-social behaviour each night from 31 October to 9 November.
Visitors are reminded that organising large gatherings without permission and setting off fireworks or lanterns is in breach of The Royal Parks’ regulations, which are enforced by the Metropolitan Police.
Thank you to our sponsors
©2025 Friends of Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill
Friends of Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill is a registered charity in England and Wales (no 1201666)
