This small park is a delightful find across from the Fleetwood Library. Through the contributions of many, this is a quiet open space with fascinating artwork for the area schools. The following description is given by
Vist Fleetwood:
In the middle of a busy high street, you'll find this little patch of green.
This corner, along North Albert Street, was part of the original Fleetwood which grew up in the 1880's - originally it was a hardware shop, then a TSB bank and then a temporary police station before it was demolished.
Mr Michael Reaper, of the nearby Home Bakery, gave permission for the land to be used for a public open space in 1998, and it quickly became known as Pocket Park.
Fleetwood Rotary Club and the local community planted up beds and localk school children made painted boards, and from the outset it was a popular spot with everyone who lived here or visited.
The Fielden Fleetwood Charity Trust purchased the land, with support from Wyre Council, when in 2008 Mr Reaper very generously decided to sell the land at a hugely reduced rate.
Mrs Doreen Lofthouse of the famous Fisherman's Friends, made a donation to carry out the refurbishment which you see today. Brick planters are named after the seven Fleetwood primary schools and pupils plant flowers in them each year.
The nine ceramic panels were designed by all of the Fleetwood schools with help from a ceramic artist.
Fleetwood Pocket Park is a lovely spot to sit on a bench for two quiet minutes in a busy day - next time you are passing, stop a while and read the sign which stands at the front and find out more about this little treasure.
A sign at the entrance to the park gives a more detailed history:
Samuel Fielden - Doreen Lofthouse OBE - Michael Reaper
Pocket Park History
Fleetwood was created from a green field in Victorian times by local landowner Sir Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood. Work started in 1835 and the first shops were in the area around Albert Square.
A hardware shop was built on this land and later replaced by the Trustee Savings Bank, after which it was used as a temporary police station before being demolished.
In 1998 the owner of the land, Mr. Michael Reaper of the nearby Home Bakery, gave permission to Wyre Council to create open space which quickly became known as Pocket Park.
Fleetwood Rotary and the community carried out the landscaping and materials were provided by local businesses and Wyre Borough Council, who continued to maintain the park. The flower beds were
planted by local school children and others designed painted board. The Pocket Park was immediately popular with both local people and tourist.
In 2008 Mr. Reaper generously agreed to sell the site at a greatly discounted price. It was purchased by the
Fielden Fleetwood Charity Trust with support from Wyre Borough Council and will always be an open space for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors. It was refurbished in 2008 thanks to
a donation from Mrs. Doreen Lofthouse OBE and design and project managed by Groundwork Lancashire West & Wigan with landscaping being carried out by Barton Grange. Solar lighting
was provided by Lancashire County Council. Brick planters are named after the seven Fleetwood Primary schools and the pupils plant flowers in them each year. There are ten ceramic panels,
designed and produced by all the nine Primary and Senior schools in Fleetwood working with Fleetwood artist and ceramic expert Norma Tait.
The refurbished park was officially opened on the 10th July 2008 by the Mayor of Wyre Borough Council councillor Gordon McCann, Mrs. Doreen Lofthouse OBE,
Michael Reaper (Home Bakery) and John Fielden FRSA, a great nephew of Samuel Fielden.
Fielden Family
In Victorian times, the Fielden family of Todmordon who owned textile factories and were friends of Sir Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood,
proved generous benefactors of Fleetwood. They financed a public library and a welfare centre for deep sea fishermen and other mariners using the port. They donated to Fleetwood hospital which then depended on charity and also funded
a Fleetwood Gymnasium. The Fielden Charity Trust was a legacy to Fleetwood.
Lofthouse Family
In modern time, the Lofhouse Family of Fleetwood and makers of Fisherman's Friend, have been generous benefactors of the local community. They have financed facilities at Fleetwood hospital,
created the Lofthouse Foundation Centre, paid for major street scene projects like Fisherman's Walk, decorative seafront pavements and of course the refurbishing of this park, to name but a few.
Above the ten murals is the following sign giving some of the same history with a few more details:
This refurbished park was officially opened on the 10th July 2008
by the Mayor of Wyre Borough Council, Councilor Gordon McCann, Mrs. Doreen Lofthouse OBE,
Michael Repear (Home Bakery) and Samuel Fielden's great nephew John Fielden FRSA.
These ten ceramic panels were designed and produced by all the schools in Fleetwood working with
the Fleetwood based artist and ceramic expert Norma Tait.
The redeveloped park and panels were supported by a great community partnership:
Mrs.Doreen Lofthouse OBE, Michael Reaper Home Bakery, Fielden Fleetwood Charity,
Margaret Lund Head Teacher at Shakespeare School, Awards for all, Norma Tait, Alan Redford, Roger Eaves,
Addison Engineering, Precision Plastics Blackpool Ltd, Blackburn & Co. Solicitors, Lancashire Tiles Ltd.
Exhibition Signs, Rotary Club of Fleetwood, Wyre Stategic Partnership, Wyre Borough Council,
Lancashire County Council, Fleetwood Civic Society.
Designed and Project managed by Groundwork Lancashire West and Wigan.
Landscaped by Barton Grange.
These murals represent well-known sites around Fleetwood.
The name above each mural identifies the school responsible for it.