This summary paper provides key facts and figures on our Rethinking Parks programme, where we worked with parks projects around the UK to test new business models for public parks.
This summary paper provides key facts and figures on our Rethinking Parks programme, where we worked with parks projects around the UK to test new business models for public parks.
Rethinking Parks was a joint Nesta, Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund programme to find, support and test new approaches to raising income or reducing costs for public parks in the UK.
Read more about the individual projects:
Rethinking Parks Highlights
Rethinking Parks was a joint Nesta, Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund programme to find, support and test new approaches to raising income or reducing costs for public parks in the UK.
201 applications to the programme 11 teams were selected to participate in the 18-month programme
Map of UK with 11 RETHINKING PARKS TEAMS
The map shows the locations of 11 teams across the UK, numbered 1 through 11, corresponding to the following list:
- My Park Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow
- Darlington Rethinking Parks
- Go to the Park, Burnley
- Heeley Park Subscription Society, Sheffield
- Endowing Parks for the 21st Century, Sheffield
- Bloomsbury Squared, London
- Park Hack, Hackney, London
- Eastbrookend Rekindled, London
- Coastal Parks and Garden Foundation, Bournemouth
- ParkWork, Bristol
- Everton Park - A Community Hub, Liverpool
Across the 11 Rethinking Parks teams:
4,829 HOURS VOLUNTEERED
£20,232.60 of cash donations
We have been able to fully test our model and take advantage of the ongoing learning from our own project, and from other projects too. Being able to compare findings from around the country has been very beneficial.
<cite>Rethinking Parks Participant</cite>
Moving from a traditional ‘closed' understanding of parks and greenspaces towards a more business orientated approach has been most useful. Understanding finances, forecasting, audiences/markets and products/services represent new skills that can be applied across a range of contexts.
<cite>Rethinking Parks Participant</cite>
Projects with Particular Promise Include
Bristol Parkwork: Projected Return on Investment
Diagram illustrating return on investment for Bristol Parkwork.
It shows: * £1 Invested * £2.4 Back, represented by multiple wheelbarrows filled with money.
Darlington Rethinking Parks: Projected Return on Investment
Diagram illustrating return on investment for Darlington Rethinking Parks.
It shows: * £1 Invested * £1.8 Back, represented by multiple shovels with money.
Burnley Go to the Park: Projected Savings
Bar chart showing projected savings for Burnley Go to the Park from 2016 to 2020.
The vertical axis ranges from £0 to £140,000. * 2016: Approximately £69,743 * 2017: Approximately £84,475 * 2018: Approximately £110,198 * 2019: Approximately £112,519 * 2020: Approximately £117,319
Bournemouth Parks Foundation: Projected Donations
Bar chart showing projected donations for Bournemouth Parks Foundation from 2016 to 2020.
The vertical axis ranges from £0 to £45,000. * 2016: Approximately £20,696 * 2017: Approximately £28,443 * 2018: Approximately £32,050 * 2019: Approximately £39,415 * 2020: Approximately £43,232
Other resources from the Rethinking Parks programme, including descriptions of project models, the summary report and links to tools for the sector can be found at http://www.nesta.org.uk/project/rethinking-parks
