“It was really useful to learn more about the work being done by the National Lottery distributors in Carshalton and Wallington, particularly the Parks for People programme, which has had a huge impact on our green spaces. This includes Beddington Park, which will receive over £3.2 million in lottery funding.”
Commenting on behalf of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund, Head of Landscape and Natural Heritage, Drew Bennellick said:
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to demonstrate the vital role that high quality public parks play in our towns and cities. Parks provide essential ‘free’ recreational spaces improving people’s health and wellbeing whilst providing essential environmental services such as urban cooling, flood alleviation and habitats for wildlife. Historic public parks are also a rich source of learning and often fundamental to the identity of a place and a great source of local civic pride.”
National Lottery investment has repaired and reconstructed bandstands, repaired monuments, dredged lakes, provided new habitats for wildlife, created ways to generate new income through for example the creation of cafes and events spaces, and brought hundreds of families into their parks to discover their history and the joys of being outside. An estimated 2.6 billion visits are made to the UK’s parks each year and public parks offer one of the most important social spaces in a neighbourhood. Poor quality parks however, can have a detrimental effect on social cohesion.