Swanspool Squirrels hope to use the power of the community to help improve Wellingborough gardens and pavilion
A newly-formed group dedicated to the maintenance of Swanspool Gardens and pavilion has been launched.
Jonathan Hornett took the role of facilities officer at Swanspool Gardens and pavilion in December 2025 and will be heading up the group, which will begin with its first session tomorrow (Friday, January 9) starting at 10am until midday.
He said: “Swanspool Squirrels has come about because I was inspired by local people whilst I was doing work over the festive season.
“I had lots of lovely people come up to me to congratulate me on my new role, to say that they would like to help and to say thank you for the work I was doing.
“Now, a month into being facilities officer, I want to commit to a regular weekly maintenance session and give people the opportunity to work as a community to improve the pavilion and gardens.
“Inspired by the numerous squirrels in the gardens, the name was chosen by another group called Nature Rangers that I run on Mondays, they even thought of the red jobs and grey jobs idea.”
Like the group’s namesake, tasks will be divided into ‘red jobs’ and ‘grey jobs’; the former being more specialist chores and the latter being general, simpler roles within the pavilion or gardens, such as litter picking, gardening and decorating.
Moving forward, sessions are planned to take place every Friday morning. Free tea and coffee will be available for all volunteers.
Jonathan added: “We are lucky to have lots of people the love Swanspool Pavilion and gardens and people that are keen to support us to improve them.
"I hope this group will be as much about getting them together as it is working.
“We are making great progress and with everyone's support, we will make Swanspool Pavilion and gardens into the amazing venue that it should be.”
Work is ‘well under way’ on the renovation of the pavilion and the adjoining gardens in Wellingborough according to the town council, with hundreds using the newly-refurbished tennis courts and an online fundraiser launched to raise money towards the upkeep of the pavilion.