A very special wedding at Ford Park

There's a very special wedding taking place at Ford Park at the beginning of August. Jade Hird was one of the youngest volunteers at Ford Park when her parents joined the Save Ford Park Group many years ago. Jade's parents kindly shared their story with us...

"Jade Hird was one of the youngest founding volunteers of the Save Ford Park group, joining with a level of enthusiasm and dedication far beyond her years. From the very beginning, she understood how special Ford Park was, not just as a green space, but as a place woven into the identity of Ulverston.

As a family, we have always been deeply connected to Ford Park. It was part of our own past school days, a place to play, explore, and grow up. Naturally, when the Save Ford Park campaign began, it felt right that we would all be involved in promoting, protecting, and maintaining such a valuable community space.

Jade threw herself into every task with pride. She helped maintain the kitchen gardens, cleaned the house (very run down), distributed flyers and supported countless events that brought people together.

For her, it wasn’t just volunteering - it was being part of a community spirit she genuinely loved.

Here is Jade aged 5 on the right with her sister Alisha, dressed as fairies, promoting the Shakespeare performances in the park (A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

(We also have this Evening Mail article and the photo of Jade on the right with her sister in our big purple album here at the park.)

As Jade grew older, her world expanded, but her love for Ulverston never faded. She left for university to study Mathematics, where she met Dan, who was from Stoke‑on‑Trent. Apart from falling in love with Jade, Dan also fell in love with Ulverston - its charm, its people, and of course, Ford Park. 

Dan proposed to Jade on Hoad, a moment that felt like the beginning of a real‑life fairy tale. With so many treasured memories rooted in Ford Park, Jade knew instantly that this was where she wanted to celebrate the next chapter of her life. Choosing Ford Park as their wedding venue wasn’t just sentimental - it was a full‑circle moment, honouring the place that shaped her childhood and her community spirit.

Jade's photographer is wanting to recreate the fairy photo of Jade in her wedding dress. Which will make a special recreation of the past."

Heather & Shane Hird

Everyone at Ford Park would like to wish Jade and Dan a wonderful day and many more happy memories at Ford Park - and a huge thank you to Heather and Shane for sharing their story, for fighting to keep our wonderful park, and for their years of continued support.

Ford Park is a beautiful, licensed wedding venue - for more information on weddings contact Base Restaurant