Having key policy documents agreed is important for Friends Groups. This article shares six useful examples which you can download for free.
Starting a Friends Group
Just as our neighbourhoods need residents’ groups and associations, so our parks need ‘Friends’! Its all about taking ‘ownership’ of our lives, our local facilities and our areas, and working together to improve where we live.
8 tips to create a successful Friends Group
This ‘PASSPORT TO SUCCESS’ is an excellent list of key aims for green space volunteer groups to aim for, with thanks to Nesta UK Persistence don’t give up – have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and have passion for it tooAdvocacy – maintain independence – speak up for all the different […]
Are you a key part of the decision-making process for your green space?
Ladder of Participation Which description from the list below best fits how your Group feels? This looks specifically at the levels of consultation your group is offered; for the site as a whole or for part of the site. In Control – You run your site or the parts of it you want toKey Partner […]
Engaging the generations – Friends of Hednesford Park, Cannock, West Midlands
The group started in 2011 because Cannock Chase Council wanted to gain a Heritage Lottery bid, which they achieved. The council assisted by The Friends of Hednesford Park successfully obtained a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant of £2.2M as part of the improvements to the park and war memorial.
Restoration of 13th Century mill – Friends of Broadwaters, Wyre Forest, Worcestershire
Friends of Broadwaters are a group of some 60 members who help manage the park at Broadwaters which covers an area of 2.022 hectares. Located on the outskirts of Kidderminster, it hosts the Broadwaters Annual Fair and Christmas Fair. The Friends group was formed eighteen years ago, following a project instigated by Wyre Forest District Council, and supported by the Local Heritage Initiative.
From an anti-social to a social space – Friends of East Rugby Group, Rugby
Friends of East Rugby Group (FERG) have been going a couple of years. The Friends took on a little local park because it was becoming a very anti-social park, yet it had a nice area for the children to play. There were drug problems on the site and it was becoming generally rundown and neglected, thankfully the Council help the group and support them with their mission to make the park feel welcome and loved again.
Making our groups stronger and more diverse
What does a strong and diverse Friends group look like and why is it important?
Bromley Park Friends Toolkit
The Bromley Park Friends Toolkit provides guidance and information to help you find the appropriate place or person to solve problems in or associated with your green space, whether rural or urban. It does not attempt to prescribe how or what every Friends Group should do, the intention is to provide a starting point for “how do I?”
questions.
Dukes Meadows: Local people organise together to save their park
Dukes Meadows is a 170-acre site which was pretty derelict 20 years ago. The community and volunteers helped regenerate the site into a lovely thriving park.
Saving Turn Moss from non-community use development
In 2018 planning permission was sought to develop the Green Belt site as a training centre for Salford City Football Club. The Campaign to Save Turn Moss was successful and the campaigners formed Friends of Turn Moss to ensure the site was improved for the benefit of all the users.
