Volunteer guardians of Chipping Barnet’s open spaces, countryside and community initiatives praised by MP Dan Tomlinson

Volunteers who look after the countryside and manage outdoor activities met their MP Dan Tomlinson at a reception at the House of Commons where he congratulated them for all they did to preserve the greenery which he said was such an attractive feature of the Chipping Barnet constituency.

What linked his guests was that they were all nature lovers determined to help others enjoy the natural world – whether it was growing fruit and vegetables, caring for the natural environment or protecting the green belt.

Seven allotment sites in the constituency had representatives at the reception as well volunteers from Barnet Environment Centre in Byng Road and the campaign to keep Dollis Brook clear of litter.

Another guest was award-winning Wendy Alcock, founder of Incredible Edible Barnet, a community group which encourages home cultivation in gardens and on un-used land.

“What people love about Barnet are our green spaces and all of you are the corner stone in protecting them,” said Mr Tomlinson.

A team of supporters from GROW, the school farm at The Totteridge Academy, were delighted to hear the MP’s praise for a project which produces fruit and vegetables for the school kitchen as well for sale to the community.

Team Grow – above, from left to right, Sam (trustee), Dan Tomlinson, Tara (communications lead), Marta (senior grower) and Lynn, volunteer – were keen to use their meeting with their MP to help promote a series of events at the farm in Barnet Lane: Open Day on June 27; Pick Your Own Flowers on 25 July, 8 August and 5 September; and Pumpkin Time on 24 October.

Mr Tomlinson reminded his guests that after his recent launch of a community action network for his constituency he was hoping to help promote initiatives where local people could get together to assist with non-partisan campaigns and projects.

His search for a project met an immediate response from leading members of Friends of Tudor Park and Pavilion who have launched a bid to rescue and renovate the abandoned former cricket pavilion in Barnet Vale.

He told their deputation – above, from left to right, Simon Kaufman, Alexander Cohen, Dan Tomlinson, Hannah Lawrence and Simon Cohen – that he was very supportive of their campaign to save the pavilion.

“I will be looking to see what more I can do as their MP to help get the project off the ground.”

Currently the abandoned pavilion is considered unsafe and is cordoned off but what concerns the activists is that the building is deteriorating quite rapidly – a crack in the western elevation has expanded to two inches in width within a year.

“A structural engineer has told us that this crack needs to be repointed to stabilise the building otherwise it could become a risk to public safety,” said Mr Kaufman.

“We are frustrated by the length of time it is taking Barnet Council to finalise the paperwork for the Friends to sign an agreement to lease the building, so any help from our MP would be much appreciated.”

Robin Bishop, who leads for the Barnet Society on planning and the environment, (above right with Banet Society member| Kim Ambridge) used the reception as a chance to impress on Mr Tomlinson the need for action over the long-standing proposal to create a regional park to the west of Barnet.

A large swathe of green belt and metropolitan open land stretching west from Arkley and south to Mill Hill was earmarked as a possible regional park in the Barnet strategy plan for 2019-2030.

Given all the pressure for new housing – and the likelihood that more grey belt land in the green belt – could be designated for residential development, Mr Bishop said a regional park designation could do more to safeguard farmland and open spaces and open them up to the public.

“A regional park designation would become a significant planning consideration, and any planning inspector would have to give it due weight, but so far nothing has been about it,” said Mr Bishop.

“A greater safeguard for this open land is the only way we can preserve a green gap between Barnet and Borehamwood.”