How To Start A Friends Group

The content of this page was first created by the The National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces. You can download this page as an A4 leaflet here.

Do you value your local park or green space?
Do you want to see improvements there, and more people using it?
Do you think it should be looked after properly?

If so, why not get together with other users to form a local Friends group!

Some of the things you could do as a group of Friends…

meet up regularly to discuss your views and concerns about the park
lobby the Council for better maintenance, and also improvements
produce your own leaflets and Newsletters
set up a website about your park and the Friends activities
draft up a long-term vision for how the park could be if there were new facilities etc.
organise events such as: bulb and tree planting, clear-up days, picnics,
health and nature walks and maybe a summer community festival
research the history of the park and produce a pamphlet
apply for grants for some of the things above

How you can get started…

get a small group of interested people together
call a public meeting to discuss your local park and what you'd like to
achieve together – distribute publicity leaflets to local homes and to users in the park (with a tear off slip)
kick things off straight away with positive activities you can all do together
build up your membership, and set up an email list to share news and views

Remember:

involve the views of all the various types of users
be positive and determined, and stick at your activities through thick and thin
you are an independent group, but be prepared to work with the Council, local schools, conservation groups and other community groups to achieve your aims
you are not alone! There are currently over 5000 local Friends groups, and we work together through a growing number of area Friends Forums and our National Federation (see below)

Our communities

Just as our neighbourhoods need residents' groups and associations, so our
parks need 'Friends'! It's all about taking 'ownership' of our lives, our local
facilities and our areas, and working together to improve where we live.

Together we are stronger.

The National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces is the umbrella organisation for area forums and networks of local Friends' groups for all public green spaces throughout the UK. We are calling for the setting up of Friends groups for every green space, and Forums of such groups for every area and town.

Together we can work for the resources, standards and management all the UK's green spaces deserve!

www.natfedparks.org.uk