What have we achieved so far
Set up the highly successful Chiswick Farmers Market which has been going since September 2000. The Farmers Market, is every Sunday 10am to 2pm at Edensor Road Chiswick W4.
The rent from the stallholders is used to restore Dukes Meadows and Riverside Lands Rec. Ground.
The London Borough of Hounslow    has made available to us £26,000 of pre-allocated funds to Dukes Meadows,
available to the Friends to spend on improving the landscape.
We commissioned a new landscape plan for the meadows, and consulted widely
with the community on the priorities within the plan.
Refurbished and cleaned off graffiti on the Bandstand. Created a 5-a-side football pitch. Planting Trees, Hedges and Bulbs.
Joint events - West4 Harriers Running Club and the Riverside Club.
Cleared rubbish down at the Riverbank and around the Bandstand. In our constant battle against litter, this has become a regular event. Replaced the 8 missing benches in the viewing bays along the river, cleaning and mulching the bays to suppress weeds.
Over the summer we have replaced the 7 missing benches in the vantage points along the river frontage, completed the
painting of the Bandstand and Shelters. Repainted the ornamental river wall in front of the bandstand area, and the
ornamental Iron gates to the Promenade Steps.
In addition we have undertaken regular litter clear up's and maintained the hedge and trees planted in the autumn.
Our members have also drawn up a strategy to deal with the Japanese Knotweed problem between Barnes & Chiswick
Bridges. To Implement the many projects undertaken the FoDM have attended training courses run by the BTCV in Health & Safety, Risk Assessments, ect, to make our working environment as safe as reasonably practicable.
Through Business in the Community we have found an architect, Alice Brown, of AAB architects who will design a new
scheme for the Promenade Approach, the Play Area and Paddling Pool without charge. We will then raise funds to
implement the plans.
We have obtained planing permission and Hounslow Councils agreement to our creating 10 Artists Studios and a 3 bedroom flat in the Pavilion on the meadows. Rent from the Studios and flat will be used to help maintain the meadows. 
Dukes Meadows Trust
We are now well into our strategy in dealing with the Japanese Knotweed, the work is being carried out by specialist contractors supervised by the CIP (Community Initiative Partnership) working in partnership with FoDM and Hounslow Council, and so far its going well with good percentage destroyed.
The plans for the scheme on Promenade Approach, the Play Area and Paddling Pools have now been completed and we are in the process of submitting bids for funding to enable us to Implement the plans.
The 10 Artists Studios have now been created in the Pavilion on Dukes Meadows, and were open in August 2002 and have been 100% let due to the expert management of  Elizabeth & David of Diesel House. Sir Peter Blake carried out the official opening of the Studios in November 2002. The revenue stream created from the studios helps the FoDM carry out its charitable aims in conserving and restoring Dukes Meadows back to its former glory
Over the summer of 2002 the FoDM and CIP came up with a solution to create a barrier to protect the river front from
illegal parking and vandalism of joy riders abandoning cars and setting light to them thus endangering the general public.
Mike Needham of the CIP found a solution of laying trees end to end in a shallow trench along the 500 metres of the Promenade leaving gaps big enough for wheelchair users and young mums with prams.
The trees were being felled in another area and were delivered free to site, and positioned by FoDM volunteers and a contractor to assist with the trench, all this making a very cheap and effective barrier that doesn't look out of place.
After winning an Awards for All grant to produce and install a location map and Interpretation board at the Corney Reach entrance to Dukes Meadows. The FoDM carried out consultations with local residents and Chiswick School, the outcome was an artist and sculptor Ricky Grimes was picked to work with the students of Chiswick Community School to produce two ceramic sculptures. This was a great community project  with FoDM volunteers helping to erect the Sculptures which were unveiled on 29th March 2003 by John Chatt leader of Hounslow Council.
In January 2002 we obtained Charitable Status
2003
The Dukes Meadows 5 Mile Fun Run sponsored by the Hogarth Health Club
took place on the September 2003. We the FoDM were delighted with the amount of people who gave up their free time on such a beautiful day and took part; they raised over £1000 to help restore the Meadows. The Fulham Brass Band played though out to keep the spectators entertained while a bouncy castle was provided to keep the children happy.
An official from the BARR officially measured the course and certification for the fun run was issued by the SEEA, everything went so well we hope to make this an annual fund raising event.
Our Community Garden project has been progressing well with the area cleared and the sunken garden constructed, decking and a shed have also been installed. There's a long way to go yet but we hope to have a opening day in 2004.
We have been successful in our application to the London Marathon Trust winning a grant of £100,000 towards the new children's play area. We also won a grant of £5,000 from the Local Area Committee and a £15,000 Empty Property grant towards renovating the flat in the Pavilion,and are hoping to commence the project shortly. Rent earned from the flat will be used to maintain the newly improved areas. Having these income streams is vital to the sustainability of the improvement plans.
We are also working with children from Cavendish Primary School creating a second community art piece for Dukes Meadows. This one is being made by environmental artist Kevin Herlihy and is being funded by Singapore Airlines. The sculpture should be finished by the summer 2004 and we will be organising an unveiling ceremony.
The new riverside footpath from Barnes Bridge to Chiswick Bridge is almost completed and will make a lovely area for walking as well as providing a safe alternative to the road. Our committee member Deanne Jones bid for the funding for this project, which made it possible.
We are about to start a program of project days with children from Chiswick Community School who are applying for Duke of Edinburgh Awards. We are delighted to be working with the school again.
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The new riverside path between Barnes Bridge and Chiswick Bridge was completed early in 2004. The road running parallel to this path had no official name so the Local Authority consulted local community groups for a new name, and our contribution to the consultation of Dan Mason Drive was eventually the used by them, as Dan Mason had contributed so much the local community in the early 1900’s.     

The Community Garden is now completed, although we will continue to make improvements to it. Many local children have enjoyed dipping in the pond and members have been growing vegetables in the plots at the end of the garden. The party held in July to celebrate the garden being finished was well attended and enjoyed.


Our new community art piece, The Fantastic Herons, made by artist Kevin Herlihy with children from Cavendish School was unveiled on 18th June. We are very grateful to Thames21 who introduced Singapore Airlines, who funded the project, and also helped co-ordinate it. This was a great way to get local children involved in the park and to give them a sense of ownership of it.


The renovation of the Pavilion Flat has been completed and it was let immediately.   The total cost of the renovation, including furnishing has been £55,000, but £20,000 of this was raised in grants from the local area committee and Hounslow Council, with the balance coming from our funds. The Flat adds another revenue stream to the various social enterprises we run, the Market and Art Studios, and together, would easily cover the cost of maintaining the areas of the park that our plans would improve.

We completed the planting of the Community Orchard on the plateau in early November. Sponsored by Craft Foods this will create a lovely new feature in the park as well as a new habitat for wildlife. We have planted around 300 trees. The majority were 2-year-old whips, but we will also planted 20 larger specimens for some instant impact. CiP assisted with the planting and were employed for subsequent maintenance. Cavendish Junior School, Chiswick Community School and employees from the BBC and Richard Briers volunteered along with the community to help plant the trees.
2004
Dukes Meadows
2005
We were very pleased to be highly commended in the prestigious Charity Awards 2005. The awards recognise excellence in management, other organisations recognised included BTCV and The Wildfowl and Wetland Trust. These are obviously much larger organisations than us and it is a great compliment to be in such illustrious company
This year Mr Richard Briers CBE gladly accepted the Fodm invitation to be our Honorary Patron after the sad death of the Duke of Devonshire, on 3rd May 2004
We have been carrying out ongoing maintenance on our Volunteer Sundays to many of our previous projects, such as the Riverfront Benches, Hedge Planting, Tree Barrier, Orchard, Community Garden, Art Studios and Farmers Market.
We have been working hard throughout 2005 on the final preparation of the Water Play Area, and we are glad to announce that the Constructition of the Water Play Area will begin on 13th February 2006.
See our Autumn 2005 Newsletter for more detail
2006
The Dukes Meadows Childrens Water Play Area was opened on the 5th August 2006. Now the play area is up and running, it will act as a model that other areas can look to and recreate, so hopefully, more people can enjoy a low cost, family friendly day out.
We are all very proud of what our community has achieved and very grateful to all the people who have helped us. It will be a great resource for local families.”
November 2006 Company and Charity name changed from Friends of Dukes Meadows to Dukes Meadows Trust
SPACE TO PLAY EVERYONE NEEDS IT