WIREDGOV

Vital Lottery cash boost to fund new revenue generating social enterprises, skills training for volunteers and major restoration works  Today the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund announced £34.5million of investment in 13 parks across the UK.  This new funding follows the publication of the HLF’s recent report (26th June) which revealed the UK’s public parks are at serious risk of decline unless innovative new ways of funding and maintaining them are found. 

Alongside restoration of important historic features including bandstands and gatehouses, and the installation of new community facilities including a skateboard park and children’s play areas, this funding will also deliver a range of activities designed to help these parks to be more sustainable.  Projects receiving funding today include new cafes and skills training for volunteers and friends groups.

Two decades of public and Lottery investment has ensured that the majority of UK parks are in better condition. However, the State of UK Public Parks 2014: Renaissance to Risk? Report* has revealed they are now at serious risk of rapid decline and even being sold off and lost to the public forever. 

Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF, said on behalf of HLF and the Big Lottery Fund:  “Our report revealed how valued public parks are by people and communities and how essential they are to our physical and emotional well-being. That’s why HLF and the Big Lottery Fund have invested over £700m in parks since 1996.   But the report makes clear that our parks face an uncertain future and so it’s exciting to see how this new investment is going some way towards helping find new ways of funding and maintaining them so they are still here to be enjoyed long into the future.”

Minister for Communities Stephen Williams said: “It’s great to see the Heritage Lottery Fund supporting local communities in this way and injecting £34.5m into 13 parks to help transform them. Parks bring people together and help breathe life into communities, providing opportunities and space for both reflection and physical activity. They are particularly important to people in town and city centres where many residents don't have their own gardens for relaxation and for their children to play.”

Avenue House, Finchley
Run by the Avenue House Trust, a grant of £2.1million will restore this Grade II listed landscape which was originally created for the ink magnate Henry Stephens by leading 'gardenesque' landscape designer, Robert Marnock.  The gardens have suffered from under-investment for decades and this project will restore all of the principal features of the Marnock design including the terrace, pond, rockery and wet garden, Bothy Garden and the Water Tower.  In addition, the Grade II listed stable block will be developed into a new café bistro, profits from which will go back into maintaining the newly refurbished park.

Hemel Water Gardens, Hemel Hempstead
To be delivered in partnership by Dacorum Borough Council and the Friends of Jellicoe Water Gardens, a £2.4million grant will see the transformation of The Water Gardens in Hemel Hempstead which is a Grade II registered landscape designed by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe in 1957.  

The vision is to return the Water Gardens to an outstanding green space and source of pride to local residents, removing it from English Heritage’s ‘At Risk’ register and dramatically improving biodiversity.  A new programme of events and activities will ensure the garden remains popular with residents and tourists. The grant will fund skills training for Friends groups, volunteers, students and trainees so they can contribute to on-going maintenance and other tasks.  The park will also continue to work with local businesses. 

Moor Park, Preston 
Moor Park is a Victorian park located to the north of the centre of Preston. Covering 40 hectares, it is Grade II* on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. This £1.7million grant will restore important heritage features including the grotto, bowling pavilions, changing pavilion and observatory.  The original planting schemes will also be reinstated.  New facilities will include a new skate park and new snack bar.  This grant will also enable the park to develop new volunteering opportunities and skills training.   

The 13 parks and cemeteries receiving Lottery funding today are:

HLF/Big Lottery Fund joint grants in England 

Victoria Park, Nottingham                                                      £  740,800
Hemel Water Gardens, Hemel Hempstead                                           £2,467,700
Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire                                                    £  606,800
Cassiobury Park, Watford                                                       £4,534,900
Avenue House, Finchley                                                         £2,154,700
Gunnersbury Park, Ealing                                                       £4,671,000
Moor Park, Preston                                                             £1,725,000

Beckenham Place Park, Lewisham                                                 £4,908,400
Beddington Park and Grange Sutton                                              £3,203,900
Northwood Cemetery Heritage Project, Isle of Wight                             £1,064,000
Kearsney Abbey & Russell Gardens, Dover                                        £3,389,400
Pearson Park, Hull                                                             £2,343,600

HLF only funded grants 
Levengrove Park, Dumbarton                                                     £2,660,800


*State of UK Public Parks

On 26th June, HLF published State of UK Public Parks 2014: Renaissance to risk? -the first report to comprehensively review the condition and management of the UK’s public parks.  To find out more visit www.hlf.org.uk/StateOfUKParks
 

Dr ‪Mike Clarke, CEO at RSPB, said:  “Parks are living links in our networks of green spaces which are so important for nature in our towns and cities. And they are where we can get close to wildlife near home and every day – important for adults, eye-opening for children.  And we know from research that a connection to nature benefits children in education, health and social skills.   Imaginatively managed parks can help species like house sparrow which have suffered dramatic population declines. At their best, our parks can become home for wildlife and great places for people to enjoy bees, birds, butterflies and much more.” 

Key findings from the research:

Parks are under direct threat
• 86% of parks managers report cuts to revenue budgets since 2010, a trend they expect to continue over the next three years.  This could mean: park facilities such as cafes and toilets are closed or opening hours reduced; grass left uncut, flower beds left empty, play areas less regularly cleaned and inspected and more anti-social behaviour due to less park staff    

Parks are one of the most highly used public assets 
• With 34 million people estimated to make regular visits parks are one of the UK’s most heavily used public services   

Trend towards greater community involvement 
• In the past three years park managers have seen an increase of over 30% in the number of friends and park user groups and over half of expect this increase to continue.  

Finding new innovative ways to make the financing and management of parks sustainable is vital to ensuring their future. HLF and the Big Lottery Fund are working in partnership with the innovation charity Nesta on a Rethinking Parks programme.  This is supporting organisations and partnerships to explore new approaches to generating income and managing parks.  Shortly to be announced are grants totalling £1million that will enable a range of innovative park projects to be piloted.  

Notes to editors 

• This announcement can be followed on Twitter #parksmatter
• Alexandra Park, Oldham is a finalist in the heritage category of the 2014 National Lottery Awards. Voting is currently taking place athttp://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/heritage.
• *State of UK Public Parks 2014: Renaissance to risk?

To establish a national picture of the state of UK parks HLF commissioned three new UK-wide surveys: a survey of local authority park managers, a survey of park friends and user groups, and a public opinion survey undertaken by Ipsos MORI. The research has also drawn on other pre-existing data to assess how the condition of parks has changed over time, and to cross-check our results. A fuller research report is available on www.hlf.org.uk/StateOfUKParks 

• The Parks for People programme uses Lottery funds to support the regeneration, conservation and increased enjoyment of public parks and cemeteries. In England the two Lottery Funds have been working in partnership from 2006 to deliver a multi-million pound investment in public parks of £150m.  Find out more about how to apply at www.hlf.org.uk/parks 
• Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage.  Since 1994, HLF has supported just over 36,000 projects allocating more than £6billion across the UK.

• Big Lottery Fund

The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.  The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in 2004. It has awarded close to £6bn. 

Further information and images

• Tom Williams, HLF press office, on tel: (020) 7591 6056 Mobile: 07973 613820  Nicola Baxter, Big Lottery Fund press office, on tel: (020) 7211 1888