About Us - The history of the Queens Park Residents Association, Northampton

Last updated 28 February 2010

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Queens Park is a triangular area of land located between Kingsthorpe, Kingsthorpe Grove and Kingsthorpe Hollow. It is only just over 100 years old and it was mainly developed on what was green fields and orchards on the edge of Northampton to supply accommodation for the managers, foremen and workers of Barretts’ shoe factory.

Our community contains about 1,000 houses, the Holy Trinity Church, a Gospel Hall, a working men’s club, the White Horse public house and a multitude of small businesses and shops, some of which you wouldn’t expect for the area, like a saddlery and a ship’s chandler - you can’t get much further from the sea than Northamptonshire.

The Queens Park Residents Association (QPRA) is made up of local residents who volunteer their time to work for the benefit of the area and the people that live here. We meet at 8:00 pm every second Tuesday of the month in the function room of the Queens Park Working Men’s Club. Anyone living or working in the area is welcome to attend.

Since QPRA was started, back in 2002, every year we have organised a number of community discos where Easter Eggs and Christmas selection boxes were given to local children, plus neighbourhood clean ups. In addition, we deliver a charity Christmas card to every household and we have donated money to local good causes:

2004	Owlets – children’s group	£205	General contribution to funds
2004	Queens Park Youth Football Team	£200	Purchase of football kits
2006	Cranbrook Road residents	£100	Contribution for security gates
2006	Queens Park elderly residents	£85	Guided day out at Brixworth Country Park
2008	Cecil Road Neighbourhood Watch	£23	Purchase and erection of warning signs

The QPRA has close links with the police, local councillor, Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council and other local organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch. We have a strong voice and we have made representations to Northampton Borough Council on issues ranging from wheelie bins to local planning applications.

Finally, the QPRA could not continue without the support and contribution of local residents. So, if you have some spare time and want to take a bigger part in helping your local community just come along to one of our meetings or contact us via the web site.