It was with great sadness in late December 2022 that we informed you of the sudden death on Boxing Day 2022 of Chris Richardson, longstanding resident of Penge, friend and member and past committee member of our Friends group.

The Friends of Cator Park and Alexandra Recreation Ground launched a Go Fund Me campaign to raise funds to have a park bench installed in Cator Park and to plant a fruit tree in his memory in Alexandra Recreation Ground as a fitting way to help remember Chris, as he loved to walk in both parks and to provide for his community. These have been ordered and will be installed later this year. 

We also wanted to fund for an automated defibrillator- a machine that can help restart a heart when someone suffers a heart attack, for each of the parks and we have raised enough to fund the first of two – we are now working with Bromley council to oversee its installation.

For more information about Chris and how to donate towards his memorial for a second defibrillator  - please click the link below.  

Our mission statement is to maintain and enhance both Cator Park and Alexandra Recreation Ground as places of recreation, safety and healing.  

We want to create more seating opportunities so that you can take time to sit and be present in the park, taking in the trees and the wildlife or  watch the cyclists and joggers go by, and to remember our friends. 

The overall cost is estimated at £1,650 per bench - the benches are fixed in place on a brick base by the Bromley Parks contractors, idverde.