Embargo: for publication after 14.00hrs Friday 1st October
Event for children marks 100 years since Homestead first open to the public

More than 200 children will enjoy free ice creams and donkey rides in The Homestead Park on Friday 1 October to celebrate 100 years since Seebohm Rowntree first opened up the fields behind his house to members of the public. They will also try out new play equipment recently installed in the Park as part of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Centenary celebrations.

On 16 July 1904 in a notice in the Yorkshire Gazette, Seebohm Rowntree, Joseph Rowntree’s son, announced that from 18 July to 18 August “the fields behind his house [would] be available for children attending the York Elementary Schools between the hours of 9.00 and 12.00 each morning. Donkey rides, swings, see-saws, sand heaps and games [would] be provided.”

Seebohm left The Homestead House in 1936, giving the fields to the Joseph Rowntree Village Trust on condition that they remained open to the public. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation now manages The Homestead Park for the benefit of the people of York, as Seebohm wished.

Today the park includes a children’s play area with equipment for up to 12 year olds and children in wheelchairs. There are grass ramps to all the play equipment, facilitating wheelchair access. The newly installed equipment includes a train and carriage for the under 7s.

Herbaceous borders and formal beds provide colour and interest throughout the year. Over 46,000 bedding plants are used to create the formal beds, many of which are grown in the park’s own glasshouses. A team of gardeners are employed in the park.

Michael Sturge, Deputy Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: “The Joseph Rowntree Foundation continues to fulfil the wishes of Seebohm Rowntree 100 years ago, by providing excellent facilities for all age groups at The Homestead Park. The park today provides huge pleasure and enjoyment to many thousands of residents and visitors to York each year.”

Note to Editors

Photo opportunity: The event will start at 2pm with the re-opening of the children’s play area followed by the donkey rides and ice creams for the children. The event will close at 3.30pm. Photographers are asked to park at The Homestead, 40 Water End, York before reporting to Reception.

For further information, contact:

Sue Everard, Press and Information Manager, 01904 615958
Joseph Rowntree Foundation

(Issued by Sue Everard, Press and Information Manager, 01904 615958 / sue.everard@jrf.org.uk)