When the weather’s fine, what could be better than a visit to a park or garden centre? There are plenty to choose from in and around Wembley.
At Home Instead Wembley, we know that many of our older clients love to be taken out for a visit to a local park, garden centre or even a recreational site. These all just give them a chance to get out and about and see something interesting. So we’ve put our heads together and chosen five very different ones where we think you might like to take your favourite ageing adult.
Birchen Grove Garden Centre
A visit to a garden centre can be a real tonic for those who can no longer spend hours gardening. Birchen Grove Garden Centre lies just north of Brent Reservoir, and is a perfect place for a gentle wander around the huge variety of plants on sale. It’s the largest garden centre in Greater London, so there’s plenty to see and do. There’s even a café there, so you can stop for a relaxing break and a cuppa.
The centre is surrounded by woodland – but it’s only a five-minute drive from Wembley Stadium. It’s pet-friendly, so your older relative or friend can take along their canine companion if they’d like to. There’s lots of parking available at the site, with space for 250 cars (and it’s free!) Birchen Grove is open from 9:00am to 5:30pm, Mondays to Saturdays, and from 11:00am to 5:00pm on Sundays.
ASL Canons Park Playing Fields
Even though older people may no longer be able to participate in sports, some of them still love to see live sports being played out in the open air – even at a very amateur level. If this appeals to your older friend, take them on a short trip to ASL Canons Park Playing Fields in Stanmore. It’s a 20-acre site where students from ASL the American School in London) can go to play sports as diverse as rugby, football, softball and baseball. Some major international schools competitions also take place at the site.
The park is a short walk from Canons Park tube station. There isn’t a designated car park, but some parking is available in nearby streets.
Kenton Recreation Ground
Another, slightly different option, is Kenton Recreation Ground – one of six ‘Green Flag’ parks in Harrow. This has its own car park at the end of Alicia Avenue, right next to the ground. This entrance has a moderate ramp providing easier access for wheelchairs. There’s also parking at the Carlton Road entrance. Kenton railway and tube stations are just a short walk away. There’s pedestrian access from various avenues around the ground.
At this recreation ground, a range of sports take place, including cricket, football (it has five pitches) and tennis (including four public courts). It’s also a public park. The park is open from 8:00am until dusk, every day.
Roe Green Park
Roe Green Park in Kingsbury is the type of park where you might like to take your older visitor for a gentle walk. Originally, the land was owned by Roe Green House but much of it was subsequently taken up by Roe Green Village. This was built between 1918 and 1920 with help from prisoners of war. It became a garden village where Kingsbury’s aircraft workers lived.
In the late 1930s, the site was bought for the community by Brent Council. Wandering around the park, you might come across the walled garden, a favourite haunt of local residents. Other interesting features of the park are its resident pipistrelle bat population and its wildflower meadow. The park has three tennis courts, a football pitch and a multi-use games area, where basketball and 5-a-side football are played. There’s limited car parking at the site for up to ten cars.
Bush Farm Collective
And now for something completely different! The Bush Farm Collective is based on the outskirts of Fryent Country Park. It’s a public space that’s also used for projects on sustainability. The idea is to get the local community involved in learning about nature and rural life.
Three horses are currently kept at the farm. The Collective wants to develop the outdoor spaces and the barn as an important community resource that will start to deliver various activities in tandem with local organisations.
So, that’s a very quick run-down of some interesting and different local places that an aging adult might enjoy. At Home Instead Wembley, we are constantly thinking of new things to do with our clients and new places to take them – both for mental and physical stimulation and also just for their enjoyment.
To find out more about our wide range of home care services in Wembley, its simple – just get in touch and we’d be delighted to answer all your questions!