Clissold Park User Group works on behalf of people who use and care about Clissold Park. Our work ranges from representing park users and raising issues with Hackney Council to organising activities, supporting volunteering, raising funds and contributing to projects in the park.

Some of our work is highly visible, such as events, wildlife projects and improvements we help fund. Other work happens over months or years through meetings, consultation and continuing discussions with Hackney Council and other organisations.

CPUG does not manage Clissold Park. Hackney Council owns and manages the park and is responsible for its maintenance and services. Our role is to provide a voice for park users and opportunities for people to contribute to the life and future of the park.

Some of our work over the years

CPUG has been involved in many different aspects of Clissold Park. Here are some examples of what that has meant in practice.

• Campaigning for the restoration of Clissold Park and House — we were involved over many years as restoration plans developed, representing park users, contributing to consultation and scrutinising proposals. During the restoration works, CPUG representatives participated in the Stakeholder Forum alongside other local organisations.
• Funding a defibrillator for the park — in 2025 we organised a fundraising quiz and auction towards a public-access defibrillator for Clissold Park. The September meeting reported that the event had raised £1,280, with local businesses and volunteers supporting the fundraiser. We continued the project after the event, and the defibrillator was installed on the Splash Pad building in 2026.
• Helping keep the paddling pool available — during restoration planning in 2010, we raised concerns about plans to close the paddling pool for the summer. The planned closure was changed in response to concerns raised by CPUG.
• Restoring the memorial fountain — in 2014 we helped restore the Beck and Runtz Memorial Fountain as part of Clissold Park’s 125th anniversary celebrations.
• Bringing the park’s history to life — our heritage work has included talks, tours, historical displays, postcards and anniversary activities. We also raised funds for the Joseph Beck plaque unveiled on Albion Road in 2018.
• Creating maps and guides to the park — we have produced a pocket map, park timeline and tree guide, and in 2017 commissioned artist Anna Hymas to create the illustrated Clissold Park map.
• Supporting trees and biodiversity — our involvement ranges from helping bring together a review of tree care with park staff and specialists in 2004 to more recent wildlife surveys, bat walks, habitat work, nesting boxes and wildlife ramps.
• Funding practical projects and activities — in 2022 we funded new hedging along the Church Street boundary and contributed £650 towards the Healthy Minds Healthy Bods community walks programme. More recent funding has included lavender planting, nesting boxes and wildlife ramps.
• Organising activities and bringing people together — over the years we have organised children’s activities, guided walks, talks, community celebrations, biodiversity activities and cycling events, as well as taking part in World Cleanup Day and other park clean-ups.
• Representing park users — throughout our history we have raised issues with Hackney Council about accessibility, facilities, cycling, animals, trees, events, buildings and many other aspects of the park.

These examples include projects organised or funded directly by CPUG as well as work carried out with Hackney Council, local organisations and volunteers.

Explore our work by topic

Many of the issues CPUG works on have been part of the group’s work for years. The ten topics below cover some of the main areas of our work, rather than everything we have done. Explore how we have represented park users, raised concerns, organised activities and contributed to changes across Clissold Park.

Our work over the years

Our recent work is covered year by year. Earlier activities are grouped into periods, making it easier to explore how CPUG’s work and the issues facing Clissold Park have developed over time.

These summaries have been compiled from CPUG’s surviving records, including meeting minutes, newsletters, annual and Chair’s reports, accounts, correspondence and other documents. We have used these records to build a year-by-year account of the group’s activities and then bring the main themes and developments together in the period pages below. Some years are better documented than others, so the summaries reflect the evidence that has survived.

CPUG was established in the late 1980s. We are currently working through the group’s archive from the 1990s to document this earlier period of its history. As that work progresses, material covering CPUG’s first years will be added to this section.

2026 so far

During 2026, CPUG has continued to represent park users and discuss issues affecting Clissold Park, including cycling and pedestrian safety, accessibility, biodiversity, the park’s animals, the playground, the former paddling pool site and splash pad, and park facilities.

Our work has also included improvements to the CPUG noticeboard, continuing work relating to the community-funded defibrillator, and taking part in World Cleanup Day for the third consecutive year.

2025

During 2025, our work included volunteering and biodiversity activities, cycling and pedestrian safety, accessibility and fundraising.

Regular litter picks restarted, bird surveys and bat walks took place, and volunteers took part in habitat activities. We also held a cycling event with Dr Bike and the Metropolitan Police, funded wildlife ramps and raised money towards a defibrillator for the park.

Our accessibility representative also raised concerns about an unsuitable playground swing, which was subsequently replaced following discussions with Hackney Council.

2024

During 2024, biodiversity and volunteering were important areas of our work. Nature Recovery discussions led to volunteer activity, while CPUG funded lavender planting and nesting boxes and hosted bat walks and a clean-up.

We also continued to represent park users on issues including cycling, accessibility, Clissold House and the café, toilets, drainage, the splash pad, gates and the park’s animals.

At the FreeWheelin Feastival, 329 people responded to our survey and 20 new members joined CPUG.

2023

During 2023, we organised guided tree and ecology walks and a Bioblitz at the Dipping Pond, as well as providing a historical display for Open House.

We continued to raise and discuss issues including accessibility to Clissold House, cycling, the splash pad and former paddling pool site, toilets, the playground, dogs and the use of the park for events and other activities.

2022

During 2022, we funded new hedging along the Church Street boundary of the park and contributed £650 towards the Healthy Minds Healthy Bods community walks programme.

We also represented park users as major changes were discussed or delivered in the park, including the new splash pad, the future of the former paddling pool site, drainage works, Clissold House and the café, planting and other park facilities.

The year also saw CPUG introduce online participation in a public meeting for the first time.

Earlier years

Our work did not begin in 2022. CPUG was already an established organisation when the surviving records we have researched begin in 2002, with public meetings, officers and active involvement in issues affecting Clissold Park. We are grouping these earlier years into periods rather than producing an individual page for every year.

2017–2021

These years included the launch of the illustrated Clissold Park map, heritage projects including the Joseph Beck plaque, volunteering at the Butterfly Dome and a community event celebrating the park’s 130th birthday.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, public meetings were suspended, but CPUG continued to publish updates and maintain contact with park management. Formal public meetings resumed in 2021.

2012–2016

Following the reopening of Clissold House in 2012, CPUG continued to raise issues about access, the café and other facilities.

These years also included the New River’s 400th anniversary, Clissold Park’s 125th anniversary, restoration of the Beck and Runtz Memorial Fountain, heritage activities, events, fundraising and work relating to biodiversity, dogs and cycling.

2007–2011

These were important years in the development of the major restoration of Clissold Park and House.

CPUG organised public discussion of the proposals, contributed to consultation, scrutinised plans and represented park users on issues including the playground, paddling pool, access, wildlife and management. Following the successful restoration bid, CPUG participated in the Stakeholder Forum during the delivery stage.

2002–2006

At the beginning of this period, CPUG was already holding public meetings and campaigning on issues affecting Clissold Park.

Our work included raising concerns about funding and facilities, contributing to plans for the café, organising activities for children, working with park staff and specialists on tree care and contributing to discussions about plans to restore Clissold Park and House.

By 2005, CPUG was represented on the Project Reference Group established as restoration planning developed.