Welcome to the Friends of Portswood Rec.

Our website is currently being reorganised.  Please bear with us meanwhile.

The Friends of Portswood Rec (FoPR) is a group of local people who enjoy visiting this green space.  Working with both Southampton City Council (SCC) and other groups, we're aiming to improve facilities and increase biodiversity in the Rec, so that it's truly a place for everyone.  We're doing this, as volunteers, through initiatives such as the weekly gardening group, and ongoing fundraising for new play equipment.

Brambles can mean berries!  They're now starting to ripen, and if you look up carefully you may see some of our smaller birds having a good munch - way out of reach of us humans.

We humans can meanwhile enjoy our own picnics, either at the circular tables by the tennis courts, or out on the currently very well mown grass.  The grass is also perfect for a game of cricket as this picture from a sunny Sunday at the end of July shows.  Age definitely no barrier!

For recent news on fundraising, head to the Play Area Latest page.  We've also been receiving media coverage.  This includes a recent article in the Daily Echo about our campaign for new equipment and surfacing, and some brilliant coverage on both BBC TV and radio.  You can follow these up on iPlayer and Sounds - the links are here.

The gardening group continue their industrious weekend sessions. The gardens are now at their best so do pay them a visit. Behind the scenes Tony has been getting our compost heaps in order, while Russell has been putting the final touches to the roof of bug hotel. Freda and Frank continue with their regular litter picks, which makes a real difference! We are really lucky to have such a dedicated team of people. We would love to have some feedback, so if you like our gardens please let us know (you can post on Facebook or X).

The week of 8-14 July was Bees' Needs Week, focusing on how we can all help our bees and other pollinators.  Good news: we've just heard that FoPR have been recognised by DEFRA, for the third time, as a Bees' Needs Champion. Congratulations to Denise, our gardening group, our partners at SCC and all involved. 

We're delighted that Portswood Rec has retained the prestigious Green Flag award for another two years, thanks to the combined work of the Friends and SCC. We're also proud to be part of the city-wide initiative of developing and promoting more welcoming green spaces.  While April was Stress Awareness Month, everyone can enjoy the benefits of the Rec, and the City's many other parks all the year round.

The Friends of Portswood Rec (FoPR) Committee is nearly up to strength in its new form. We're still however looking for two new faces to finally complete the circle.  One is an Events Organiser (aka Social Secretary) who can help devise and run activities in and around the Rec.  The other is a Comms Coordinator, who can tell the whole world about us!  For both these roles, if you - or someone you know - have some previous similar experience, either through work or as a volunteer, this will be really helpful. Your enthusiasm, commitment and a can-do approach will be just as important. Find out more about both these opportunities here.

To find out about becoming a Friend, please follow this link.

Our video gives an overview of Portswood Rec and our group:

Also on

Visit our Facebook pages for the latest comments and photos.

Visit our X page for our latest posts.