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Please join us on Sunday, November 12th for our Remembrance Service at St Stephen Parish Council War Memorial, Park Street St Albans. Beginning at 2.35pm with the Parade of Standards, led by the Harpenden Pipe Band, along Park Street from the railway bridge to the War Memorial. The service will start at 2.45pm following the arrival of the Parade of Standards and will be led by Pastor Matthew Cooper, Park Street Baptist Church. The service will close with the Parade of Standards returning along Park Street, led by the pipe Band. The programme detailing the order of service will be available free at the memorial.

Have YOUR say on the future of Greenwood Park

What’s the current situation with Greenwood Park?

St Stephen Parish Council aims to provide the best services and facilities to our residents in the most cost effective way. We have become increasingly concerned about the amount of our public funding that we are currently spending to maintain ageing and inefficient facilities. We also wish to minimise the environmental impact of our operations, including that of staff and equipment travelling between different sites.

For these reasons we are planning to bring together the parish office, our grounds & maintenance staff and equipment to within Greenwood Park, our largest site. The aim is to modernise and future-proof our buildings and car parking facilities there. This also offers a chance to consider what facilities and activities residents want to see.

We want to hear your views and ideas on the future improvement of Greenwood Park.

The Parish Council has engaged a specialist, independent agency to consider options to develop the Greenwood Park site. We have not given any instruction as to what should or shouldn’t happen in Greenwood Park. There has been no pre-determination of outcome. Your response to this survey will help the Council and the independent agency understand what residents want. The agency will then provide three feasible options for further consultation with residents.

How will any future development be paid for?

The Council intends to pay for this project partly through funding contributions from developers that have been set aside for community and leisure facilities, received by District Council for housing developments within the parish. We will seek funding from third parties, apply for grant funding and may sell some or all of the land at Bricket Wood Parish Centre but ensure a venue remains in Bricket Wood. We also expect future running and maintenance costs to be reduced if our facilities are more efficient, for example through better insulation.

How can I share my views and ideas?

We want to understand how we can serve our residents at Greenwood Park and want you to have your say. Your views will inform the options being developed by the independent agency. We are sure you will appreciate that not everything everyone asks for will be delivered, but your views will help to shape our long-term thinking about the facilities and services we provide.

We also want to find out from people who don’t currently use Greenwood Park what would attract them to visit. Everyone in your household can complete this survey and we really want to hear from right across the community. We hope to make Greenwood Park an inclusive space for all members of the community to use and enjoy for future decades. We can do this with your help! There are two ways to take part in this consultation:

Option 1 – Complete the paper survey

Complete the paper survey delivered to your home address and drop it back to either the Parish Centre or to Greenwood Park Community Centre.

Option 2 – Complete the survey online

Click here to complete the survey online


Click here to download a copy of the survey

Additional paper copies of the survey will be available at the Parish Centre and Greenwood Park Community Centre

Community groups and charities in St Albans District can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for projects that help vulnerable people.

St Albans City and District Council has launched its £50,000 Community Project Fund for 2022/23.

The fund supports the delivery of projects and activities that benefit the whole community and are in keeping with the Council’s inclusion strategy.

Grants are primarily for time-limited projects run by smaller organisations and which meet a community need.

Councillor Sarwar Shamsher, Vice-Chair of the Housing and Inclusion Committee, said: “These grants offer very valuable assistance to the District’s voluntary and community groups and can be used for sport, arts, music, outdoor activities or social groups.

“The fund is a major part of our inclusion strategy that is intended to support residents who are in need. The groups who benefit do a great deal of important work that has helped thousands of people across the District.”

There are two rounds of funding this year, with the first opening on Thursday 16 June. A second round starts in November.

The Council’s Response Fund for 2022/23 has also opened for applications for grants from between £200 to £2,000 from a pot totalling £10,000.

Voluntary and community sector organisations, social enterprise organisations and community interest companies can apply here: www.stalbans.gov.uk/grants.  

These grants are for small capital items or for funding for projects that need to be implemented quickly.

Not sure of your business direction or financial situation post-COVID?

Free help is at hand!

Grow your business in 2022 is a programme of support for local businesses over a year old at NO COST.

Funding has been provided to St Albans Enterprise Agency (STANTA) to deliver a programme of business advice and training to help businesses who are suffering/have suffered as a result of the pandemic. STANTA has nearly 40 years’ experience of helping local businesses to start, grow and develop and is offering to help your business to consolidate, diversify if necessary and grow in 2022. And all at no cost to your business!

STANTA can advise on:

• Managing debt and controlling costs
• Business review
• Advice on marketing: social media and networking
• A clear action plan for the next three to six months
• Financial planning
• Diversification
• Making your business online
• Specific concerns relevant to your business
• Trading successfully post COVID – download a Safe to Trade toolkit to help

The programme will start with a 90 minute Zoom meeting with an experienced business advisor who will help you determine the best way forward for your business. If you need to do more research to determine the way forward, a follow up meeting will be arranged as part of the programme.

You can then choose which training courses and workshops you attend to help you achieve the objectives you have identified.  Among the courses available are:

• How to grow your business during challenging times
• How to develop an effective continuity plan for your business
• How to write a business plan
• Putting your business plan into action
• Bookkeeping
• Introduction to Social Media

If you’re interested in registering for this FREE package of support, send an email to advice@stanta.co.uk or telephone 01727 837760. Please provide these details:

• your name
• contact telephone number
• business name
• address, postcode of the business
• description of what the business does 
• your particular concerns / areas you’d particularly like help with.

STANTA will then contact you to arrange your Zoom meeting with a business adviser.

Join us on Sunday, November 14, for the Parade of Standards, led by the Harpenden Pipe Band, which will take place along Park Street from the railway bridge to the War Memorial. where, at 2.45pm, the service of remembrance will take place, led by Rev’d Kylie Hodgins, Vicar of St Luke’s Church, Bricket Wood. The programme detailing the order of service will be available free at the memorial.