Withdean Park hasn’t had a gardener for years despite our petition to Brighton and Hove City Council with more than 400 signatures.

This is apart from emptying the bins and mowing the grass by the Cityparks gardeners.

All the work is done by the Friends Of Withdean Park (well, about six members out of 45).

We also have a few youngsters from Dorothy Stringer School doing their Duke of Edinburgh Awards who help. Last year and this year we have had major help from the Green Gym volunteers, who work once a week all around Sussex and have helped us in Withdean Park clearing our lilacs of brambles, ivy and tree saplings spoiling the lilac collection.

Our lilac collection used to have National status and was of world renown but the council no longer has a lilac specialist and has no money to look after it, so we do.

Our Lilac Lark Fair (which takes place this Sunday) is our way of celebrating our park and lilac collection.

For those of you who don’t know our park, it is 35 acres of wonderful green space holding our large lilac collection, a wild flower meadow which we created, woodland and a pond garden with two ponds: a fish pond and a wildlife pond.

Unfortunately, although we look after it ourselves, many people allow their dogs in the pond.

The rubbish bin and the remnants of barbecues are sometimes thrown in the ponds, as well as bottles and beer cans. Children also throw sticks in it. We regularly have a litter pick everywhere.

We don’t ask for much, even a share of a council gardener would be nice but no, nothing.

Come on you “Greens” – what about your manifesto? Spend some money on Withdean Park instead of all these cycle lanes.

Phillipa Shaw, co-ordinator of the Friends Of Withdean Park