Love Parks Week 14th June to 22nd June 2008
Love Parks Week, organised by parks charity GreenSpace, takes place this year between Saturday 14th and Sunday 22nd June 2008.
The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the importance of Britain’s parks and green spaces and encourage people to get out and discover what these fantastic places have got to offer.
Did you Know?
Parks and people
On average, we make 2.5 billion visits to parks and green spaces each year.
Public Park Assessment, GreenSpace (2001)
People value parks and green spaces – respondents rated the importance of parks above local sports and leisure facilities, secondary schools, street lighting and cleaning.
Social Policy Research, MORI (2003)
Parks and the economy
Improving public space in town centres can boost trade by 40%.
Your Parks, GreenSpace (2002)
Properties adjacent to a park command on average a 5-7% premium over identical properties in the same market area, but outside the influence of the park.
Does Money Grow on Trees?
CABE Space (2004)
Parks and health
91% of the public believe that parks and public spaces improve people’s quality of life.
Social Policy Research, MORI (2004)
There is increasing evidence that access to high quality green spaces can produce measurable improvements to stress levels in a relatively short space of time.
Julia Thrift, Journal of Public Mental Health (2005)
For every 10% increase in green space there was a reduction in health complaints equivalent to a reduction of 5 years age.
Dr William Bird, Natural Fit (2004)
Going for a walk was the most popular leisure activity of visitors to parks (75%), followed by taking children to a play area (43%) and sitting and enjoying the surroundings (28%).
The Use of Public Parks in England, Sport England (2003)
Climate change
Over the next 50 years summer temperatures are predicted to rise by 3-5°C.
UK Climate Impacts Programme (2006)
Green space helps to offset the urban heat island effect, thereby cooling cities. A research project at Manchester University found that if a city loses a park that constitutes 10% of the total area of the city, the surface temperature in that city increases significantly over the average.
Lindlay, Dr S, Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change in the Urban Environment, speaking at the GreenSpace ‘A Climate of Change’ conference (2006
Parks in the community
There are over 4,000 community groups working to improve parks and green spaces across the UK. This equates to a total membership approaching 500,000 individuals.
Community Networking Final Report, GreenSpace (2003)
Community involvement in projects at Hull’s Pearson Park lead to a 75% reduction in youth nuisance crime.
Steve Scott, Head of Parks, Hull City Council (2006)
Events in Basingstoke during Love Parks Week
14 – 16th Oakridge Funfair at Sherbourne Rd
16th Obedience Dog Show at War Memorial Park
22-24th Festival of Sport at Down Grange
24th Race for Life at Down Grange
Summer band concerts at Eastrop Park:
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10th |
Basingstoke Silver Band |
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17th |
Hannington Silver Band |
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24th |
Charles Church Camberley Band |
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For more details on any of these events contact Heather Thomas.
Health Walks (contact Jane Wilding):
18th Eastrop Park 11am at the boathouse – 2 walks, a leisure walk and a health walk
20th Evening health walk - meet at gates in London St.
21st Walled Garden, Down Grange at 11am
22nd Popley Fields Community Centre, Carpenter’s Down at 11am
You can find out more information about
Love Parks Week and look at the national What’s On Guide by visiting http://www.loveparksweek.org.uk