June 2012

To  work  towards  achieving  a  network  of  easily  accessible,  safe,  attractive  and  welcoming  parks,  gardens  and  green  spaces  which  meet  the  needs  of  everyone  and  which  contribute  to  the  economic,  social  and  environmental  well-­‐being  of  people  and  places,  now  and  for  future  generations.    

‘Greenplaces  for  all’  

GreenSpace  -­‐  Our  mission  

GreenSpace  –  what  we  do  

Ensure  excellence  

Monitor  use  

Networks  

Advocating  &  inEluencing  

Skills  &  knowledge  

A  network  of  easily  accessible,  safe,  attractive  and  welcoming  green  spaces  meeting  the  needs  of  everyone,    contributing  to  the  economic,  social  and  environmental  well-­‐being  of  people  and  places,  now  and  for  future  generations.  

GreenFlag              GreenPlaces    Fund  

GreenSTAT              Policy  &  research  

Institute            Training  &  Conferences              Green  Places                                      

Love  Parks  Week            Green  Places              Policy  &  research  

Sector  partnerships            Communities            Regional  Forums  

GreenSpace  –  what  we  do  

!

Sector  Advocacy  

John Crompton

u  Compulsory  Competitive  Tendering  led  to  

budget  savings  being  taken  out  of  park  services    

u  Complete  lack  of  investment  across  the  country  

u  Attracted  antisocial  behaviour    

u  Decline  stimulated  HLF  to  start  investment  in  

parks  programmes  

u  Formation  of  GreenSpace  

Decline  in  the  1990s  

u  Urban  White  Paper    

u  Urban  Green  Spaces  Task  Force    

u  Urban  Summits  

u  Creation  of  Cabe  Space  

u  Appointment  of  a  Minister  with  park  portfolio  

u  Living  Spaces  by  DCLG,  Community  Spaces  by  

Big  and  HLF  continuing  to  fund  parks  

u  Support  for  NGOs  delivering  urban  

regeneration  

Renaissance  2000s  

u  ‘BonEire  of  the  quangos’  sees  Cabe  Space  

disappear  

u  GreenSpace  researches  the  impact  of  CSR  

across  50  authorities:  28%    cuts  in  parks    

budgets,  30%  losses  of  greenspace  managers  

and  front  line  staff  

u  London  25%  of  Heads  of  Parks  services  lose  

their  jobs    

u  Need  to  do  something  radical  -­‐  GreenPlaces  

Fund  

 

Threats  to  greenspace  

u  Everyone  in  the  UK  to  have  easy,    safe  and  close  access  to  quality  parks  and  green  

spaces  where  they  live  

u  Encouraging  collaboration  between  businesses,  local  authorities  and  communities  to  

work  in  partnership  to  improve  and  sustain  their  local  parks  and  green  spaces  

u  Inspiring  communities  to  recognise  the  value  of  green  space  and  boost  usage  to  

improve  their  health  and  quality  of  life  

 

Vision  for  the  GreenPlaces  Fund  

By  creating  a  national  mechanism  for  parks  and  greenspace  giving  that  attracts  funding  and  commitment  from  both  businesses,  communities    and  individuals  locally,  where  it  matters  to  them  most,  the  Fund  can  support:  

u  Business  forums  such  as  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  are  encouraged  to  be  key  

supporters  and  the  board  managing  the  Fund  at  a  local  level  would  ideally  be  lead  

by  local  business  

u  The  Fund  promotes  the  creation  of  an  authority-­‐wide  community  forum,  such  as  the  

Birmingham  Open  Spaces  Forum,  that  brings  together  groups  interested  in  their  

local  parks  and  greenspace  

u  There  will  be  expertise  locally  too  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  Fund  can  support  key  

partners  such  as  TCV  to  establish  volunteering  centres  or  hubs  

GreenPlaces  Fund  -­‐  partnerships  

It  seeks  to  grow  partnerships  across  towns  and  cities  between  local  authorities,    communities,  businesses  and  green  sector  NGOs  

Green  Places  Fund  

Green  Places  Fund  No0ngham  

Green  Places  Fund  Birmingham  

Green  Places  Fund    Leeds  

Project  1    Bulb  plan<ng  across  all  

parks  in  city  

Project  2  New  playground  at    highcross  park  

Project  3  New  plan<ng  at  summer  

hill  meadow  

Project  4  Bench  makeover  at  

one<me  park  

Project  1  Public  facili<es  clean  up  

at  fun  park  

People/organisations can give to the overall national fund or To city fund or To a project within city

And  so  on…  

Project  2  Tree  plan<ng  in  five  

parks  

Giving  to  the  Fund  

Website  

Website  

One  million  people  attended  events  throughout  the  week.  Most  successful  year  yet.  

A  total  of  1,244  events  were  held  by  local  authorities,  charities,  volunteers,  local  businesses  and  many  more!  

Increased  sector  support…  

Love  Parks  Week  

Online ›  Total website visits up by 30% (13k) ›  Google Map 75,000 views ›  Twitter 40% increase in followers in

six months Press (July only) ›  Readership reach: 22.8m ›  Consumer 44%, regional/local 31%,

national 23% and Trade 1%

›  Daily Telegraph, Sainsburys Magazine, Waitrose Weekend, Yours, Bodyfit and Choice

Nat  Fed  Parks  &  Green  Spaces  

Existing  Forums  registered  with  Nat  Fed:    

London  –  currently  16  boroughs    Birmingham    Sunderland    Bristol    Nottingham    Liverpool    Stockport    Wirral    Walsall    Bradford    Hyndburn    

Medway    Plymouth    York          

New  Forums  in  the  process  of  setting  up  ofEicially  or  known  to  have  some  engagement:    

Leeds      Canterbury  ShefEield    Manchester    Newcastle      

Opportunities  to  work  together  

u  Support  Love  Parks  Week  and  the  

growth  of  volunteering  in  the  

greenspace  sector  

u  Support  the  development  of  the  Green  

Places  Fund  –  advocate  for  the  Fund  in  

each  city  

u  Advocate  for  quality  through  support  

for  Green  Flag  

u  Sign  up  sites  to  GreenSTAT  to  monitor  

visitor  satisfaction  and  experience  

u  Give  time  and  expertise  to  help  parks  

managers  and  community  groups  

 

National Trust Greater linkage of properties to local city, potential engagement for new volunteers and placing an emphasis on quality of site and eperience through:

A  prospectus  for  Local  Authori<es  May  2012  

Questions