Tweet: https://twitter.com/apsenews/status/1469321717109735424
Report: https://www.apse.org.uk/apse/index.cfm/research/current-research-programme/state-of-uk-public-parks-2021/#

A new and important report has been published this week by the Association for Public Service Excellence, based on their survey of Local Authorities throughout the UK. It finds that our local parks have lost £690 million in funding over the past decade – and it calls for serious additional Government investment.

It also notes the continued growth and importance of the Friends Groups movement and volunteers, and includes a quote from the Chair of the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces (NFPGS):

”  The Friends Groups movement, with now over 7,000 local groups throughout the UK, continues to grow, helping to promote and bring to life, maintain, protect and fundraise for our green spaces. However, these passionate and dedicated volunteers face many challenges of their own (not least during the pandemic) and must be actively supported rather than taken for granted. The added value they bring needs to be backed up by well-staffed and well-resourced parks teams. The Government needs to match the public’s love for and commitment to their local green spaces by ensuring that adequate funding is provided to maintain and sustain such essential public infrastructure both for current and for future generations. “

The NFPGS will itself be launching this week its own, complementary, report – ‘Better Friends: The State of the Movement of Greenspace Friends Groups throughout the UK, 2021’…