About Us
We are neighbours, volunteers, and park-lovers united by a shared commitment to one of Northwich's most treasured green spaces.
The Story of Verdin Park
Verdin Park was gifted to the people of Northwich in 1887 by the Verdin family — one of the town's most prominent Victorian families, whose wealth was built on the local salt industry. The gift reflected a tradition of civic philanthropy that shaped much of Northwich's public infrastructure.
For more than 130 years, the park has served as the green heart of the town — a place for public gatherings, summer concerts, children's play, and quiet walks through mature trees and formal gardens. The park once featured a Victorian bandstand, a Grade II listed structure that has since been lost.
Friends of Verdin Park was established to ensure the community has a strong, organised voice in shaping the park's future. We work constructively with Cheshire West and Chester Council, which holds responsibility for the park's maintenance, to advocate for investment, protection, and thoughtful stewardship.
Key Milestones
1887
Park gifted to Northwich by the Verdin family
c.1890
Victorian bandstand constructed and opened
20th C.
Park expanded and maintained as public recreational land
2025
Friends of Verdin Park formally established; founding committee appointed
2026
First AGM held; constitution adopted by members
Our Values
Everything we do is guided by these core principles.
Stewardship
We act as responsible custodians of Verdin Park — advocating for its care and long-term protection.
Environmental Focus
We promote biodiversity, sustainable land management, and the ecological value of the park's green spaces.
Community First
Every decision is guided by the needs and wellbeing of the local community who depend on and love the park.
Public Benefit
As a community organisation, our activities are focused entirely on delivering benefit to the public, not private gain.
Committee & Governance
Friends of Verdin Park is governed by a volunteer committee elected annually by its membership at the AGM.
Chair
Provides overall leadership, chairs all meetings, and acts as the principal spokesperson for the organisation.
Vice-Chair
Supports the Chair and assumes their responsibilities in their absence.
Secretary
Manages correspondence, prepares agendas, records minutes, and maintains the membership register.
Treasurer
Oversees financial management, prepares accounts, and presents financial reports to the membership.
Ordinary Members
Committee members elected by the membership who contribute to planning, events, and working groups.
Full committee details are published in our AGM papers and governance documents.
About the Verdin Family Legacy
The Verdin family were prominent salt merchants and landowners whose philanthropy left a lasting mark on Northwich. Their donation of the park land in 1887 was part of a broader tradition of Victorian civic beneficence. Friends of Verdin Park honours this legacy by working to protect the park for the same public benefit the Verdins intended over 130 years ago.
Read the full history of the park