Sketching at Gillespie Park and Blighty Coffee Cafe

Tuesday 31 October was another of these light dry days which encouraged a record-breaking thirteen sketchers to present themselves at the Islington Ecology Centre in Gillespie Park. We were welcomed by Louisa Roscoe, Nature Conservation Officer from Islington Council’s Greenspace team, who gave us a whistlestop introduction to the origins of the Park out of the remains of the old railway sidings, of its current (extensive) wildlife habitats in an urban space, and the work which the Ecology Team do in the Park. Thank you, Louisa.

If anyone would like to take more exercise and benefit from time spent fruitfully in the outdoors amongst nature (also so good for health and happiness) there is a Thursday volunteer conservation team which is always open to newcomers, please ring the Ecology Centre on 020 7527 4374.

We were delighted to find that one artist had reconnoitred the Park in advance, and had come prepared to create a textile piece of the spirit of Gillespie, and produced this fabulous result:
Other people enjoyed one of the ponds ....
Others the vistas of the park, rus and urbe .....
And others took a shine to the interesting sculpture work which is all over the park ....
We very much enjoyed ourselves amongst the nature of the park, and we are planning to return at a different time of year.   Later, afflicted by chilliness and hunger, we moved on to the Blighty Cafe, on the Blackstock Road, where fortunately we arrived after the lunchtime rush, and were consequently able to spread ourselves about downstairs. As well as enjoying the excellent catering of the Cafe, we did some more art:
The staff at both the Ecology Centre and Blighty Coffee were extremely welcoming,we very much appreciate this, and we had a productive and fun day at the two locations which we all enjoyed. Next Tuesday 14 November we are going to Marylebone Station, we look forward to seeing everybody then.