Help a London Park

Ten London parks are about to benefit from a major makeover and one of them could be a park near you.

The Mayor of London is giving ten grants of up to £400,000 to London's most needy parks to make them cleaner, safer, greener, and nicer places to visit. Londoners are now invited to vote for which parks win an award.

There are 47 deserving parks for you to choose from. To make it easier they have been divided into five London sub-regions (North West, North, North East, South East and South West). The winners will be the two parks in each of the five London sub-regions, which get the most votes.

Voting ends on 5pm, 30 January 2009, so hurry and vote now to Help a London Park.

Fitzroy Square Makeover Stirs up a Debate

Residents of Fitzroy Square are at odds over plans to resurface the pavement in the Square using York stone flagstones.

The gardens of Fitzroy Square

Novelist and local resident Fay Weldon is pressing for the makeover to include removal of the benches on the perimeter which she says attract gangs who "hang around in a sinister way". Robert Bargey, secretary of the Georgian Group, which has offices overlooking the square, commented: "Fitzroy Square is one of the most complete Georgian squares in London. Judging by the number of local youths who gather there, they seem to like it too. They are not malevolent or malicious but in many ways they are a nuisance." André Schott, of Fitzrovia Youth in Action, believes removing the benches would not prevent youths from congregating in the square. "They need somewhere to meet and be with their friends. If you take away the benches they will sit on local doorsteps."