The Friends of Castle Park (FoCP) were originally a small group of 12 people brought together by Colchester Borough Council (CBC) in 2003.
Many within the group represented local community groups, such as Colchester Natural History Society and acted mainly as a consultative group regarding work and changes at the park. The group met 4 times a year and gave input on such things as new event guidelines for the park.
In 2005 an approach from Green-Space led some of the FoCP to help organise the Park-It East Event in Castle Park which helped spark a new direction for the FoCP and the decision to encourage more membership.
As stated in their constitution, one of their aims is to protect the interests of the park and its members. They are also happy to pass on comments and suggestions from the public.
The FoCP apply for funding on behalf of Colchester Borough Council, most recently for a water feature for the Sensory Garden. They also raise funds for the park throughout the year.