Dan Lodge was among 250 people that campaigned for a "protest picnic" at Morden Park on Sunday to show their support for a campaign to save the park from being sold off for commercial development to Goals. Local residents joined with members of the mosque to discuss how they could work together to save the field. There were large football and cricket games organised and some colourful arts and crafts activities. 
 
Dan Lodge says, 'We have all had a fantastic afternoon playing football and cricket at Morden
Park, the council must protect this resource for the local community.'

Other local residents agreed, here are some comments from them in support of the campaign:

" Today has been a wonderful demonstration of the whole community coming together. The council must understand that this park belongs to all the community and stands for much more than commercial opportunism. It is a community resource and it looks like the community will have to fight to keep it"
Imran Uddin, Baitul Futuh Mosque 
 
" My brother and I like to come over the park with our Mum. We pick blackberries to make jam and smoothies. I would not like the field to go because the wildlife will have nowhere to live."
Lily Wotton Collett, (aged 9)
 
"My whole family enjoy the fields on a regular basis. We often wander out from our home on Hillcross Ave to come blackberrying or to collect conkers and cones. If this development goes ahead the whole community will suffer a great loss and the peacefulness we now enjoy will be gone."
Jane Wotton
 
"Quite how a council seeking to promote green open spaces can favour such a planning application is beyond me!"
Chris Wotton
 
"This is a wonderful park that should be used by everyone. I would like to see play areas here for the children."
Fahiha Jadre Sutfon
 
"In our concrete conurbation where green space is such a premium it would be a shame to lose a public space to a private organisation"
Robert Sayell
 
" If Merton Council sell this land for commercial gain the  residents of Merton will lose a vital inheritance forever. Once sold it will never be returned to the community and those less fortunate will not be able to enjoy grassland."
Clive Cooke
 
"We don't need another "Goals" in this area. The park is a fantastic community resource already and kids can play football here for free!!!"
Juliet Blackledge
 
"There are 2 "Goals" nearby, we don't need another one. We want leisure facilities for the whole community"
Paula Wilkins
 
" It would be a shame to lose so much green space which the community shares to such a commercial development."
Mark Blackledge