Volunteer Activities
FoRP runs regular volunteer activities to help maintain and improve our beautiful park. These sessions are completely voluntary and offer a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, meet new people, and make a difference.
Our Activities include:
- Picking up and disposing of litter
- Removing debris from the lakes
- Clearing the paths from weeds, fallen leaves etc
- Planting bulbs and flowers
- Working closely with the Parks Department staff
- Drinking coffee and eating lots of biscuits
Working PArties
Our Working Party volunteers take on some of the heavier tasks involved in maintaining Roundhay Park’s landscapes, including planting, general upkeep, and conservation work across parkland, gardens, woodlands, streams, and footpaths.
They meet on Thursdays and Saturdays, but there’s no commitment to attend both—just come along when you can and help make a difference.
Friends Garden
Tucked away at the western end of Canal Gardens (near Old Park Road) is The Friends Garden—a peaceful little woodland garden designed and built by Friends of Roundhay Park.
In 2001, the Park authorities provided a site that had fallen into disuse, and work on the design began. With grant funding, FoRP volunteers—alongside support from The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers—carried out all construction work, with no commercial builders involved. The garden was officially opened in July 2005.
In September 2018, it was awarded a Platinum Certificate in the Yorkshire in Bloom competition—the highest award in its category (C6 Parks).
Sensory Garden
Tucked away in a corner of the walled garden in Canal Gardens, the Sensory Garden is a peaceful space de- signed to stimulate the senses with fragrant plants, textured foliage, and colourful flowers.
Our volunteers meet at 1:30 pm every Wednesday af- ternoon (weather permitting) throughout spring, summer, and autumn to help with weeding, planting, pruning, and maintaining key features like the willow tunnel, den, and the Roundhay Adder—whose pebbles need regular cleaning, repainting, and varnishing
Litter Picking
We hold a regular litter picking session on the first Monday of every month, starting at 10:00am sharp. After a productive morning, we return for tea, coffee, and biscuits at around 11:30am.
We meet at the Carriage House car park, directly behind The Roundhay Fox pub. Volunteers are advised to wear sturdy shoes, and all litter-picking equipment is provided. A safety sheet is also sent to all registered volunteers.
While we aim to stick to the first Monday of the month, occasional changes may occur. Many of our dedicated volunteers also collect litter in their own time, making a huge difference across the park.
Everyone is welcome—come along and help keep Roundhay Park beautiful.
Duck Food
We provide proper duck food at the Lakeside Café for a small honesty-based donation. Unlike bread, which can be harmful, our food is nutritious for ducks, swans, and other waterfowl while also helping to keep the lake clean.
Our volunteers restock the racks up to four times per week during busy seasons, supplying over 25,000 bags of food each year to keep the park’s feathered residents well-fed.