The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund have awarded more than £30.7 million to 16 UK parks.
Coastal, country and city parks from Aberdeen to Dorset will be restored and transformed. Improvements for wildlife, opportunities for people and sustainable futures for parks are key themes of the projects.
The news comes at the start of Love Parks Week and ahead of HLF’s second report on the current state of UK public parks, due to be published in September 2016.
In June 2014, the first State of UK Public Parks report found that declining resources and rising maintenance costs were putting our parks at risk. At the same time, parks were becoming increasingly important to people and communities.
It found that communities are beginning to take on a greater role in parks and that innovative ways of funding need to be found – matters at the heart of many of the projects being funded today.
During the projects receiving funding today, more than 6,000 volunteers and trainees will be involved in everything from archaeological excavations and river clean ups to prevent flooding, to gaining a qualification in woodland management or becoming a horticultural apprentice.
Cafes, sports facilities and rental space for small businesses and community groups are some of the areas being explored for generating income. Many of these parks are also looking to dedicated friends groups, trained volunteers and apprentice schemes to play a key part in the future maintenance of sites.
HLF’s Chair Sir Peter Luff, on behalf of HLF and Big Lottery Fund, said: “It’s clear that our parks are important to us in countless ways – from physical and mental wellbeing to a connection with nature and our heritage. It’s also clear however that public parks must work in new ways to respond to the funding challenges they face and this investment, thanks to National Lottery players, will help them to do this.
“We’re delighted to announce this funding today, especially in time for the tenth Love Parks Week, and look forward to a bright future for these parks.”
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