Events are open to the Friends of Saltwell Park and non-members
Now that the warmer weather is on the way, some of our activities will take place outdoors.
For all events there is a charge of £1 for members of the Friends and £2 for non-members. This includes tea, coffee and biscuits for indoor events, all of which take place at the ReCoCo Retreat in Saltwell Park.
Please arrive 30 minutes before the start time if you wish to join us for refreshments.
There is no need to pre-book our events unless otherwise stated.
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​To ensure we can deliver a full programme we are looking for people who can help organise events.
Please let us know if you can assist us by contacting us
IMPORTANT - Events are planned many months in advance and are subject to change or cancellation. In the event of such circumstances, we aim to update this website as soon as possible. Please check on a regular basis for the latest updates.
Celebrate Spring with Friends
Saturday 27th April 2024
11:00 - 12:30
ReCoCo Retreat
Saltwell Park
Gateshead
Join us to celebrate the blossoms of spring and, weather permitting, enjoy music and wassailing in the Apple Bee Community Orchard
'Gateshead's own Lowry'
Saturday 11th May 2024
11:00 - 12:30
ReCoCo Retreat
Saltwell Park
Gateshead
Brian Rankin talks about local artist Charlie Rogers who produced more than 100 paintings of Saltwell Park as well as many other works depicting daily life in Gateshead and Newcastle from the 1960s onwards
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 15th May 2024
19:00 - 20:30
ReCoCo Retreat
Saltwell Park
Gateshead
Join the Friends of Saltwell Park for our Annual General Meeting.
Doors open at 18:30 for refreshments
Saltwell Park Sculpture Walk
Saturday 08th June 2024
11:00 - 12:30
ReCoCo Retreat
Saltwell Park
Gateshead
Eric Nicholson leads us on a tour of the Park’s sculptures, discussing the sculptors’ intentions and drawing out individual responses to each piece. Please meet at the ReCoCo Retreat from 10:30 for refreshments before an 11:00 start. The walk should last an hour and a half.
Ghana Sights and Sounds
Saturday 13th July 2024
11:00 - 12:30
ReCoCo Retreat
Saltwell Park
Gateshead
Philip & Judy Hewer share their experience of life in rural Ghana between 1972 and 2015, learning a local language and developing reading materials, including the Bible.
Friends of Saltwell Park Bird Walks
Sunday 14th July 2024
Starts at 10:00
Meet by the Lake
Saltwell Park
Gateshead
Join the Friends of Saltwell Park for the second of our seasonal guided bird walks with ornithologist Michael Turner. By July all our summer migrants will have arrived. Following the appearance of the spring warblers we will look for swallows and martins feeding over the heads of our resident wildfowl on the lake. Most birds will be on a possible second or even third brood. Michael will help us identify the offspring of some of our familiar species whose plumage is sometimes totally different from their parents. Swifts should have arrived by May so we can look forward to seeing their scythe-winged silhouettes tearing across a blue sky as they (hopefully!) herald the arrival of long summer days. Bring your binoculars….
Michael’s walks are always popular and pre-booking is recommended.
Use the 'bird walks - book now' button below to book directly with Michael, advising of the number of people attending and date of walk(s) required.
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Our usual event charge of £1 for members and £2 for non-members will be payable on the day.
As we will be outdoors, we are unable to serve refreshments but you are welcome to bring your own drinks and snacks. Please remember not to leave any litter though and don’t drop food that may be harmful to the birds and animals in the park!
Our summer, autumn and winter bird walks will take place on these dates:
Summer - Sunday 14th July 2024
Autumn - Sunday 13th October 2024
Winter - Sunday 08th December 2024
Put these dates in your diary and book now!
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Remember to advise of how many people are attending and date(s) booking for
