Bristol and Bath Parks Foundation: Love Your Park
The travel restrictions of 2020 have seen a re-emergence of our leisure time being spent at local parks and an awareness of the difference this makes to our daily lives.
The reconnection to our wildlife and green areas has reminded many of the importance that nature has on our mental and physical health With the increased digitalisation of society and the health detriments that comes with added screen time, it is essential to escape these pressures and acknowledge that we have an intrinsic need to be outside.
Bristol and Bath Parks Foundation (BBPF) is a charity that seeks to identify new forms of investment and support for our green spaces.
Last year, BBPF appointed Moon Executive Search to present a shortlist of candidates for their Trustee positions. To complete this assignment, we sourced candidates with skills sets ranging from marketing and financial to real estate and legal who could also demonstrate their passion for green spaces within city environments.
The organisation was set up to rethink the ways that parks and green spaces are used and supported within the Bristol and Bath area. Their aim is to encourage community engagement and raise awareness of the positive benefits gained through use of these vital open spaces:
“Our mission as a growing charity is to make parks better places to meet, play, learn, grow, breathe and enjoy nature. Supporting community groups to do more is vital to this aim and we are under way with development pilots in both cities.”
Bristol Downs
Charlee Bennett, Director and Rob Acton-Campbell, Chair
Brandon Hill in Bristol
The statistics show the impact of green spaces on the population. The core purposes of BBPF are to:
Protect the environment, animals, and plants
Promote volunteering
Support recreation
Support health and wellbeing
Promote community cohesion
Love your park
Our parks have been a local lifeline during the pandemic and many people have come forward to find out how they can support their park. Parks should be a vibrant part of community life, providing everyone with the chance to get outside and spend time in nature. This is why we have launched the Love Your Park Community Fund to support community groups to make the most of their park. The fund will provide small grants and support for local groups to start their project ideas in their park.
Where will the funds be spent?
The first round of the Love Your Park Community Fund will focus on supporting community action in Bristol and Bath’s parks following Covid-19. This grant scheme will help small, or inexperienced voluntary groups to get started with a project in their park to enhance nature and biodiversity, improve community health and wellbeing and promote inclusion and belonging.
How can you help?
There are many ways of contributing towards the fund. Several different tiers of financial support are available to suit your organisation. If you are interested in supporting BBPF, please call or email Charlee Bennett, Director, for an initial conversation.
Moon Executive Search has an impressive track record when it comes to trustee appointments. To find out more about the services we offer, visit our dedicated trustee page, or contact our Head of Charity Practice, Sandy Hinks, on sandyhinks@moonexecsearch.com.
