The Friends of Goodwood Park and Hodshrove Woods was set up in the winter of 2004, and the group won £60,000 to improve the woods. Well over half the money was spent on removing all the rubbish that had been dumped over the years. We also got a post and rail fence erected around the perimeter of the wood and planted a native hedgerow. A path was put in from Widdicombe Way and trees that were overgrown or dead were cut back.

Once the woods had been cleaned up we turned our attention to the children’s park. The park was run down and neglected and in danger of being shut down. We managed to save it, and in 2006 Goodwood Park got a face lift with new swings, resurfacing and a new five-a-side football pitch.

We have put on numerous events, from a Party in the Park Celebration to a Halloween Party and in July our first woodland fair when over 300 attended. Since then the group has become dormant but Huw Morgan from Sussex Wildlife Trust and Pat Beach the local environmental youth worker have been organising litter clearances and work days,  planting trees, coppicing others and clearing scrub. The park will also be upgraded thanks to the Playbuilder Scheme