Queens Park Area Residents’ Association celebrates its 40th birthday

Queens Park Residents Association celebrated 40 years serving the community by planting a Wild Service Tree Robin Sharp,Foounder member, Janis Denselow, chair and Mark Cummins, former chair (Image: Archant)

The Queens Park Area Residents’ Association (QPARA) started out with only a few members in 1975 have commemorated their 40 years with a commemorative plaque and Wild Service Tree.

Janis Denselow, chair of QPARA, was joined by the association founder Robin Sharp, and former chair Mark Cummins for the ceremony.

She said: “We are still here and we are still strong and we are still more important than ever after 40 years. By promoting a better quality of life in Queens Park, our biggest hope is we conserve the area and nurture what we have.”

The group, which now has 500 members, pay an annual subscription as well as fundraise.

Over the years it has been responsible for many things that the public may assume was down to Brent Council.

Ms Denselow added: “We raise funds and plough the money back into Queens Park. The new planters outside the station were because of us, not the council. The beautiful Christmas lights on the olive trees outside the police station, we knew the council had no money for them so we raised it.

“It’s how we do things. What we achieve, through different action committees, is being a voice; we achieve everything being a voice. We listen to everybody and we provide that representation.”

The group is involved with Brent Council, and act to influence decisions made on the environment, planning, police liaison and transport, such as putting in lifts at the tube station.

They hold an annual Queens Park Day every September for the community and a pay for a ticket Open Gardens and Studios every two years.

She said: “Of all our community events it’s the most special one where residents can be nosey, seeing other residents and the work they are doing. It’s a lot of fun.”